Latham Island (6990)
Tanzania, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2004
National site name: Latham Island
Central coordinates: Latitude: -6.9000, Longitude: 39.9333
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 4
Area of KBA (km2): 0.03836
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This tiny island, barely 300 m long, lies 60 km east of Dar es Salaam and 66 km south-east of Zanzibar. It is known locally as Fungu Kizimkazi and is administered from Zanzibar. It is a weathered fossil coral island covered, to varying depths, with bird guano. There are no bushes, but a creeping succulent grows over much of the island. There is a large sand beach on the western side of the island that changes shape through the seasons. The island is oceanic as it lies off the continental shelf and is surrounded by deep water.
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 process of compiling the 2003 CEPF Ecosystem Profile of the Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal Forests Hotspot (which was later [in 2005] split into two Hotspots, the East Afromontane and the Coastal Forests of Eastern Africa). Species taxonomy and threat category was based on IUCN Red List 2002.
Additional biodiversity: See Box for key species. The island is one of the most important on the east African coastline for breeding seabirds. A colony of Sula dactylatra occupies virtually the whole of the central plateau. Sterna fuscata occupy the periphery of the plateau with Anous stolidus usually confined to the rocky southern tip, sometimes nesting on a small cliff. Nine Sterna sumatrana observed in November 1987 are the only records of this species from East African waters. Non-bird biodiversity: Latham is thought to be of importance for nesting turtles.
Delineation rationale: Type 1 marine IBA: suitable for the seaward extension approach.
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: There is little information on threats. It is not known whether or to what extent disturbance or the taking of eggs is a problem.
Additional information
References: Baker and Boswell (1989), Bregnballe et al. (1990), Gerhart and Turner (1978), Gwynne et al. (1970).