Zanzibar Island-East Coast (7008)
Tanzania, Africa

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2004

National site name: Zanzibar Island-East Coast

Central coordinates: Latitude: -6.1833, Longitude: 39.4833

System: marine, terrestrial

Area of KBA (km²): 105.34096

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: The site is located on the east coast of Zanzibar (Unguja). The site extends north from the village of Paje to Chwaka Bay (7,500 ha), which provides shelter from the south-east monsoon and prevailing sea currents. Chwaka Bay has extensive stands of mangroves along its southern shore.

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. Chwaka Bay provides extensive feeding grounds for shorebirds. In addition to those listed below, 320 Arenaria interpres where recorded in 1989. Morus capensis, a rare visitor to East African waters, has been recorded off Paje. Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.

Delineation rationale: Type 2 marine IBA: non-breeding (coastal) congregations.

Habitats

Land use: tourism/recreation

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Wetlands(Inland)	7
Unknown	5
Forest	84
Artificial - Terrestrial	2

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Tourism results in some disturbance to feeding birds, but is unlikely to cause serious problems.

Additional information