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RE004
Mouth of the Cirque de Salazie
Location Réunion (to France), Bras Panon,Salazie
Central coordinates 55o 35.00' East  21o 0.00' South
IBA criteria A1, A2, A4ii
Area 1,780 ha
Altitude 160 - 1,430m
Year of IBA assessment 2001





Ornithological information See Box and Table 2 for key species. The site is particularly important for Puffinus lherminieri (about 10 colonies), Circus maillardi (8–12 pairs in 1998) and Collocalia francica (probably several colonies), but also supports a typical community of native, forest-living birds.

Site description The site covers the gorges of the Rivière du Mat and the Bras de Caverne, together with associated plateau areas from 160 m to 1,430 m. The Rivière du Mat drains the Cirque de Salazie, leaving it through a gorge a few hundred metres across. The Bras de Caverne drains the Bélouve plateau, above and south-east of the same cirque, and flows into the Rivière du Mat close to the narrowest point of the gorge. The tall cliffs resulting from powerful erosion are partly covered with well-preserved stands of mixed moist evergreen lowland forest; extensive scree and bare rock also occur. The floor of the gorge contains the riverbed, a road and a few habitations and cultivated areas.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Audubon's Shearwater Puffinus lherminieri breeding  -  300 breeding pairs  -  A4ii  Least Concern 
Reunion Harrier Circus maillardi resident  -  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Endangered 
Mascarene Swiftlet Collocalia francica resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2  Near Threatened 
Mascarene Paradise-flycatcher Terpsiphone bourbonnensis resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Olivaceous Bulbul Hypsipetes borbonicus resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Mascarene Grey White-eye Zosterops borbonicus resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Reunion Olive White-eye Zosterops olivaceus resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Reunion Stonechat Saxicola tectes resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture -
not utilised -

Other biodiversity Endemic plant communities: wide diversity of native plants.

Management considerations The precipitous terrain provides natural protection to this site, and site-specific threats are minimal, mainly relating to expansion of agriculture in the flatter lowland areas.

References Anon. (1998), Barré (1988), Barré et al. (1996), Bretagnolle et al. (2000), Cadet (1980), Cheke (1987b), Clouet (1978), Dupont et al. (1989), Ghestemme et al. (1998), Guillermet and Guillermet (1986).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Mouth of the Cirque de Salazie. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 22/05/2013

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