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FJ03
Natewa/Tunuloa Peninsula
Location Fiji, Vanua Levu
Central coordinates 179o 49.00' East  16o 36.00' South
IBA criteria A1, A2
Area 17,600 ha
Altitude 0 - 832m
Year of IBA assessment 2006

BirdLife Fiji Programme (Country programme)



Ornithological information This IBA supports seven of the nine subspecies endemic to Vanua Levu. The peninsula is also ornithologically unique in having no Giant Forest Honeyeaters or Blue-crested Broadbills which are otherwise widespread across Vanua Levu and Taveuni. A1 Globally threatened species * Friendly Ground-dove (VU) – often seen * Silktail (NT) – a high proportion of the Natewa/Tunuloa subspecies L. v. kleinschmidti A2 Restricted-range species 21 species (out of 21 on Natewa peninsula and 24 on Vanua Levu), including all three endemic to Vanua Levu and Taveuni.

Site description This IBA contains most of the large remaining forest tracts on the Natewa/Tunuloa peninsula. This peninsula has a unique assemblage of birds including the threatened Vanua Levu subspecies of Silktail (NT). It also supports large numbers of the other species endemic to Vanua Levu/Taveuni and Friendly Ground-doves (VU).

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Fiji Goshawk Accipiter rufitorques resident  2005  uncommon [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Shy Ground-dove Gallicolumba stairi resident  2005  rare [units unknown]  -  A1, A2  Vulnerable 
Many-coloured Fruit-dove Ptilinopus perousii resident  2005  rare [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Orange Dove Ptilinopus victor resident  2005  frequent [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Peale's Imperial-pigeon Ducula latrans resident  2005  common [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Collared Lory Phigys solitarius resident  2005  uncommon [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Red Shining-parrot Prosopeia tabuensis resident  2005  common [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Wattled Honeyeater Foulehaio carunculatus resident  2005  uncommon [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Orange-breasted Myzomela Myzomela jugularis resident  2005  frequent [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Fiji Woodswallow Artamus mentalis resident  2005  rare [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Polynesian Triller Lalage maculosa resident  2005  uncommon [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Streaked Fantail Rhipidura verreauxi resident  2005  frequent [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Slaty Monarch Mayrornis lessoni resident  2005  common [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Fiji Shrikebill Clytorhynchus vitiensis resident  2005  frequent [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Black-throated Shrikebill Clytorhynchus nigrogularis resident  2005  rare [units unknown]  -  A1, A2  Vulnerable 
Vanikoro Flycatcher Myiagra vanikorensis resident  2005  frequent [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Silktail Lamprolia victoriae resident  2005  frequent [units unknown]  -  A1, A2  Near Threatened 
Fiji Bush-warbler Cettia ruficapilla resident  2005  frequent [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Layard's White-eye Zosterops explorator resident  2005  common [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Polynesian Starling Aplonis tabuensis resident  2005  rare [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Fiji Parrotfinch Erythrura pealii resident  2005  frequent [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest   major

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
forestry -
agriculture -

Other biodiversity There have been no systematic surveys of any biodiversity groups except for birds in the IBA.

Management considerations Forestry; Agriculture; Invasive Alien Species

Protection status Unprotected. Site of National Significance.

Conservation response The Natewa/Tunuloa peninsula has suffered extensive logging which continues around the IBA. Logging is often unsustainable, leading to increased numbers of invasive alien species as well as degraded forest. Logging is more of a threat to the gentler southern slopes. Extensive areas of native forest have also been cleared for mahogany plantations but hopefully this practice has now been discontinued. Forest birds can be found in tracts of native forest along watercourses and on steeper slopes within logged forest and mahogany plantations, but their survival is dependent on maintenance of these native trees. Agriculture is also encroaching into the forest as there are very limited areas of flat land on the peninsula not converted into coconut plantations. The IBA is the source of all rivers and drinking water for villages along the peninsula. The impacts of unsustainable logging on drinking water quality, marine resources in Natewa Bay and other environmental problems have lead a number of the mataqali in at least four villages around the IBA to seek assistance for forest conservation. The impacts of invasive alien species on the birds are unknown but, as with all sites on Vanua Levu, mongoose are likely to be significant predators of birds, their eggs and chicks. The Savusavu area is becoming popular with tourists and the improved road to Natewa/Tunuloa is opening tourism opportunities for the peninsula.

References BIRDLIFE INTERNATIONAL (2004 & 2005) Fiji Programme IBA project field reports Nos 24 and 41. Unpublished Reports.

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Natewa/Tunuloa Peninsula. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/05/2013

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife