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close| Location | Tanzania, Mwanza |
| Central coordinates | 31o 50.00' East 2o 20.00' South |
| IBA criteria | A3, A4i |
| Area | 45,700 ha |
| Altitude | 1,134 - 1,381m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2001 |
Ornithological information See Box and Table 3 for key species. No species list exists for the park. Two species of the Guinea–Congo Forests biome have been recorded (see Table 3). The smaller islands provide safe nesting sites for species which would formally have bred on the nearby mainland. Ardea goliath occurs in noteworthy numbers with a count of 107 birds, including 12 active nests, in January 1995. During January 1995, some 638 Haliaeetus vocifer were counted within the park, including a single concentration of 166 birds. This is a far higher density than has been recorded elsewhere on Lake Victoria. Numbers of other colonial waterbirds such as Phalacrocorax africanus and Threskiornis aethiopicus may well exceed 1% thresholds seasonally, but no counts have been made. Rubondo main island holds a wide variety of other species, including huge breeding colonies of four species of Ploceus weavers and a relatively dense population of Circaetus cinerascens which are rare in East Africa. During January 1995, an unidentified Batis flycatcher was recorded in forest on the main island.
Site description The National Park consists of a main island, 12 much smaller islands and the expanse of water around them. These islands are situated in the south-western corner of Lake Victoria to the north of Emin Pasha Gulf. The islands are forested, with large grassy glades on the main island. The shorelines are a mix of narrow sandy beaches, rock, forest-edge and isolated stands of papyrus Cyperus papyrus.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Egret Egretta garzetta | winter | 1995 | 4,201 individuals | - | A4i | Least Concern |
| Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo | winter | 1995 | 7,697 individuals | - | A4i | Least Concern |
| Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill Bycanistes subcylindricus | resident | 2000 | - | - | Least Concern | |
| Sharpe's Pied-babbler Turdoides sharpei | resident | 2000 | present [units unknown] | - | A3 | Least Concern |
| Red-chested Sunbird Nectarinia erythrocerca | resident | 2000 | present [units unknown] | - | A3 | Least Concern |
| Orange Weaver Ploceus aurantius | resident | 2000 | unknown [units unknown] | - | Least Concern | |
| Northern Brown-throated Weaver Ploceus castanops | resident | 2000 | present [units unknown] | - | A3 | Least Concern |
| Vieillot's Black Weaver Ploceus nigerrimus | resident | 2000 | - | - | Least Concern |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rubondo (Luwondo) | National Park | 4,570,000 | is identical to site | 45,700 |
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Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands (inland) | 67% | |
| Forest | 31% |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| nature conservation and research | - |
| tourism/recreation | - |
Other biodiversity Small populations of endangered mammals were released on the main island during the 1970s including Diceros bicornis (CR), Loxodonta africana (EN) and Pan trogolodytes (EN). Tragelaphus spekii (LR/nt) are common on the main island, as is Lutra maculicollis (VU).
Management considerations A former Game Reserve, the National Park was established in 1977. The main island is well protected from illegal exploitation by the expanse of water separating it from the heavily populated mainland. The only known threat is the gradual degradation of Lake Victoria.
References Baker (1997), Rodgers et al. (1979).
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Rubondo Island National Park. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 24/05/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
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