Marie-Louise Island (6795)
Seychelles, Africa

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Global KBA criteria: D1a

Year of last assessment: 2014

National site name: Ile Marie-Louise

Central coordinates: Latitude: -6.1790, Longitude: 53.1440

System: marine, terrestrial

Elevation (m): 0 to 1

Area of KBA (km²): 0.56859

Protected area coverage (%): 100.00

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: The site lies c.300 km south-west of Mahé in the Amirantes group. It is a low-lying coral island dominated by coconut-palms and Casuarina equisetifolia. There is a resident human population engaged in agriculture and fishing. The island is bisected by an airstrip, but there are no regular, scheduled flights. The site is used as a support base for the collection of Sterna fuscata eggs on the neighbouring island of Desnoeufs to the south-west, where there is no resident population outside the nesting season.

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs. KBA identified in the CEPF Ecosystem Profile of the Madagascar and Indian Ocean Islands Hotspot (2014). Taxonomy, nomenclature and threat status follow the 2013 IUCN Red List.

Additional biodiversity: See Box for key species. Marie Louise differs from all other populated coral islands of the Amirantes group in that it retains large numbers of breeding seabirds. This is presumed to be due to the absence of rats. It is the only outer island with large numbers of breeding Anous tenuirostris. It also hosts the largest population of Gygis alba in the outer islands. There are no indigenous landbirds and just one introduced species, Passer domesticus. Non-bird biodiversity: The turtles Chelonia mydas (EN) and Eretmochelys imbricata (CR) nest and may be taken by poachers.

Delineation rationale: Type 1 marine IBA: suitable for the seaward extension approach.

Habitats

Land use: agriculture | fisheries/aquaculture | urban/industrial/transport

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: No conservation measures have been taken. Eggs of Anous stolidus may be taken. The smaller eggs of Anous tenuirostris and Gygis alba are less likely to be exploited. Rats are absent, but mice occur.

Additional information