BirdLife IBA Factsheet

Country/Territory

Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (to Norway)

Administrative region(s)

Svalbard

Central coordinates

77^o 16' North 16^o 31' East Map

Area

467300 ha

Altitude

0 - 1205m

Criteria

A4i, A4ii, A4iii, B1i, B1ii, B3

Site description An area of high-Arctic tundra. The Bird Sanctuaries within the National Park are islands and islets with grassy vegetation, freshwater ponds and bare areas. A Polish research station is situated in the southern part of the park.

Birds Sea cliffs at Stellingfjellet and Kovalskifjella (both on the east coast of Torrell Land) and at Sofiekammen (Gnalberget; facing Hornsund) hold important seabird colonies, while the Bird Sanctuaries are important breeding and moulting areas for Branta leucopsis and Somateria mollissima.

Protection status National High International Low467,300 ha of IBA covered by National Park (Sør-Spitsbergen, 530,000 ha). 120 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Dunøyene [Bird Sanctuary], 120 ha). 30 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Isøyene [Bird Sanctuary], 30 ha). 46 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Olsholmen [Bird Sanctuary], 46 ha). 3,599 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Sørkapp [Bird Sanctuary], 3,599 ha). 120 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Dunøyene, 120 ha). 30 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Isøyene, 30 ha).

Conservation issues No threats are known.

Recommended Citation BirdLife International (2009) Important Bird Area factsheet: South Spitsbergen National Park, Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (to Norway). Downloaded from the Data Zone at http://www.birdlife.org on 9/2/2010