Extraordinary habitats are essential for bird survival

By Stephanie Nolan

Header Image: Golfo de los Mosquitos Forests, Panama © Magnolia.

Extraordinary places cover the Earth’s surface, providing essential refuges and environments for birds, other wildlife and local communities to thrive. Without these Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) and Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) around the world, many ecosystems would cease to function. Only 2/3 of ‘areas of particular importance for biodiversity’ are fully protected.

Key Biodiversity Areas are the most vital places globally for species and their habitats. Identifying, mapping, monitoring and conserving these areas is fundamental to safeguarding them from impending human threats and the global environmental crisis.

Grasslands

The Steenkampsberg Grasslands found in Mpumalanga, South Africa is a large Key Biodiversity Area that has limited protection. The landscape is dominated by rolling high elevation (2000m) plateau grasslands, mountain slopes and shallow valleys. It supports a breadth of bird species, including the Near Threatened Southern Bald Ibis which breeds in at least two colonies, and roosts and forages throughout the area. The Vulnerable Bush Blackcap can also be found. Despite its importance, agriculture, aquaculture, and wood and pulp plantations threaten this vital habitat.

Mangroves

The Pichavaram mangrove is one of the largest mangrove ecosystems in India located in the Vellar-Coleroon estuarine complex, home to a range of unique species. It is both a Key Biodiversity Area and a Ramsar site. Acting as a shield during natural disasters, it holds and stabilises shorelines, delays erosion, and helps in adaptation to climate change. Yet, it faces numerous threats from human settlements; energy production and mining; fishing and harvesting aquatic resources; and urban wastewater.

Wetlands

Salar de Surire Natural Monument in Chile covers areas of salt flats, high-altitude ecosystems and is an integral part of the Lauca Biosphere Reserve. The site stands out for the protection of three types of flamingos: Chilean Flamingo, James’s Flamingo, and Andean Flamingo. It is also a vital breeding site for these birds. The habitat is known for recreational activities such as bird watching, hiking, and sustainable tourism like thermal baths. But it is threatened by energy production, mining and quarrying.

Forests

The globally important Golfo de los Mosquitos Forests in Panama is home to numerous species threatened with extinction. This Key Biodiversity Area contains more than 1,000 types of wildlife in the Donoso Protected Area, including Panama’s National Bird the Harpy Eagle, and the Critically Endangered Gemini’s Dart Frog that can only be found here. Because of this species, the Golfo de los Mosquitos Forests is also recognised as an Alliance for Zero Extinction site, the most irreplaceable subset of Key Biodiversity Areas.

Last year, we joined conservation organisations and Panama’s local and Indigenous communities in opposing an open pit mine bigger than Manhattan in this area, successfully ruling its operation unconstitutional. However, the most serious threat continues to be uncontrolled development. The remaining forest needs to be protected from any future resource extraction, ideally added to the highlands protected by National Parks. 

Polar Desert

For the globally Endangered Grey-headed Albatross, and the Near Threatened Light-mantled Albatross, the Clarence Island Marine site along the Antarctic Peninsula is critical, especially during the post-guard breeding period. This is when parents forage for longer, and chicks have infrequent meals. Birds congregate to feed at this Key Biodiversity Area found in the Southern Ocean, protruding from both Elephant and Clarence Island. By tracking Grey-headed Albatrosses movements and range with satellite tags, the site was identified. A main threat to albatross and petrel species is being accidently caught in fishing gear of fisheries operating in the area (bycatch); therefore, this site needs to be protected.

Deserts

Covering 1/5 of the Earth’s land, deserts contain an array of rich life where birds, other animals and plants are well-adapted to the harsh environment. The Orange River Estuary in the Southern Namib Desert of South Africa has rolling hills partially covered by desert shrubland, and rocky outcrops that support populations of the spectacular Critically Endangered Giant Quiver Tree and Endangered Bank Cormorant. However, this area has limited protection and is threatened by mining and quarrying; dams and water management/use; and commercial and industrial areas.

Saving sites is a never-ending battle. Across the world, we are continuously engaged in safeguarding these fundamental refuges for birds and other wildlife, but we cannot do this alone. 

We need your help to scale up our work to protect these habitats under threat, as well as the birds that depend on them. Donate today to help protect critical habitats from destruction and help threatened species survive. 

Our Habitats For Hope winter appeal closes 31^st December 2024.