Radom (6811)
South Sudan, Africa

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2001

National site name: Radom

Central coordinates: Latitude: 9.1667, Longitude: 24.0000

System: terrestrial

Elevation (m): 450 to 1000

Area of KBA (km²): 6089.80284

KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: Radom National Park is located to the south-west of Lake Kundi (site SD010) on the border with the Central African Republic, in the south-western corner of Southern Darfur. The park consists of an area of broken hilly country lying between two main rivers, the Adda and the Umbelasha, which form the park’s northern and southern boundaries. The hills in the park are part of the range which forms the watershed that separates the Nile and Congo river systems. The vegetation is principally savanna woodland dominated by Terminalia brownii, Combretum spp., Anogeissus leiocarpus and Isoberlinia doka. Wet meadows (dahls) form in low-lying basins and hold water into the dry season, providing water and fodder for wildlife. Average annual rainfall varies from 630 mm in the north to 900 mm in the south, falling mainly between April and November. The site is contiguous with the reserve complex of the Parc Nationale d’André Felix (IBA CF001) in the Central African Republic.

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)

Additional biodiversity: See Box and Table 2 for key species. There is little information on the birds of Radom. However, given the size of the park and the relatively undegraded nature of much of the habitat, it is likely that many species characteristic of the Sudan–Guinea Savanna biome (A04) occur, although only a modest number are currently known to do so. Non-bird biodiversity: The following mammals of global conservation concern occur, or used to do so: Loxodonta africana (EN), Panthera leo (VU), Acinonyx jubatus (VU), Lycaon pictus (EN), Giraffa camelopardalis (LR/cd), Alcelaphus busephalus (LR/cd), Kobus ellipsiprymnus (LR/cd) and K. kob (LR/cd).

Habitats

Land use: agriculture | nature conservation and research

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Shrubland	90
Forest	9

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Radom was declared a Biosphere Reserve in 1979. There is a problem of overgrazing within the park, possibly as a result of the decline of tsetse fly populations, allowing ingress of domestic herds. Commercial hunting operations have also been reported. There is an increasing human population within and on the periphery of the park.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Agriculture & aquaculture	Livestock farming & ranching	Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming	Ongoing
Biological resource use	Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals	Intentional use (species being assessed is the target)	Ongoing
Residential & commercial development	Housing & urban areas		Ongoing

Additional information