Umalila Mountains (7032)
Tanzania, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2011
National site name: Umalila Mountains
Central coordinates: Latitude: -9.3120, Longitude: 33.4450
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 600 to 2177
Area of KBA (km2): 115.82082
Protected area coverage (%): 94.85
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The forests and integrated grassland habitat that comprise this IBA are scattered among steep hills north-east of the Songwe river, which forms the international border with Malawi. To the north-east the site is separated from the extinct volcanos of Mount Rungwe and Mpopoto (TZ065) by the Kiwira river valley. This site is somewhat drier than Mount Rungwe, with woodland replacing forest as high as 2,000 m. The area is extensively cultivated with little remaining natural forest cover. The Forest Reserves (FRs) which form the IBA are highly fragmented forest islands: Umalila Catchment Forest Reserve (CFR) (3,796 ha), Mpara CFR (1,048 ha), Kyosa LA-FR (957 ha), Msimwa LA-FR (727 ha), Iyondo LA-FR (973 ha), Ileje Range proposed FR (6,500 ha, only c.50 ha closed-canopy forest) and Kabulo proposed FR (3,500 ha). The IBA also includes several proposed CFRs in Ileje District: Bwenda/Shiringa (1,500 ha), Chabu (3,570 ha), Halembo (264 ha), Membe (5,500 ha), Nalupembe (126 ha), Pimbi (785 ha), Shinji (3,700 ha) and Zuba (1,116 ha).
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) KBA identified in the process of compiling the CEPF Ecosystem Profile of the East Afromontane Hotspot. Species taxonomy and threat category was based on IUCN Red List 2010-4.
Additional biodiversity: See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. The birdlife of this site is poorly known. Among the more interesting species collected have been Cossypha anomala, Pseudoalcippe abyssinica, Modulatrix stictigula, Andropadus tephrolaemus, A. milanjensis, A. masukuensis, Turdus olivaceus, Zoothera gurneyi and Linurgus olivaceus. Nationally rare birds such as Lagonosticta nitidula and Ploceus xanthopterus approach their northern limits along the Songwe river. Stactolaema olivaceum rungweensis was described from forest near Isoka. Ploceus bertrandi occurs along some of the smaller streams at higher altitudes. Psalidoprocne pristoptera is resident, while Hirundo dimidiata, a rare cold-season visitor from southern Africa, reaches its northern limits in the Umalilas. Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Delineation rationale: 2013-07-10 (BL Secretariat): following CEPF East Afromontane ecosystem profiling process, the reported IBA area of 34000 ha has been changed to 12000 ha (as measured in GIS from latest boundary polygon, rounded to nearest 10%).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | forestry | water management
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 100 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Many of the steep valley slopes are being cleared and ploughed for agriculture, and trees and other vegetation is being cleared from riverbanks, raising the threat of serious soil erosion.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Small-holder farming | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Domestic & urban waste water | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Only in the future |
| Pollution | Industrial & military effluents | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Only in the future |
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Only in the future |
| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Ongoing | |
| Energy production & mining | Oil & gas drilling | Ongoing | |
| Energy production & mining | Mining & quarrying | Only in the future | |
| Energy production & mining | Renewable energy | Ongoing | |
| Transportation & service corridors | Roads & railroads | Only in the future | |
| Transportation & service corridors | Utility & service lines | Ongoing | |
| Transportation & service corridors | Flight paths | Ongoing | |
| Geological events | Volcanoes | Ongoing | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Habitat shifting & alteration | Only in the future | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Temperature extremes | Only in the future |
Additional information
References: Benson (1948), Benson and Benson (1949), Kaminyoge (1992), McKone and Walzem (1994).