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ISLAND DIRECTORY
Islands of Sao Tome and Principe
Principe - including Bombom, Caroco [967]
Group: Archipelago: Sao Tome and Principe
Country: Sao Tome and Principe
Lat: 1.60º N Long : 7.40º E
Area: 148.5 sq. km Altitude: 948 m
Shoreline: 79.1 km (scale 1:1000000) Coastal Index: 0.5327
Depth to nearest land: 2000 m
Nearest island: 150 km group: 150 km
Nearest continent: Africa Distance: 220 km Isolation Index: 39
ISLAND TYPE: volcanic Natural Protection Indicator: 0
GEOLOGY/SOILS:
Extinct volcanic island of basalts and phonolites over 3 million years
old, 8
by 17 km, with mountainous volcanic plugs in south and centre, well
drained by
many streams
CLIMATE: wet tropical
CATASTROPHIC THREATS: drought
Threat Indicator: 1
ECOSYSTEMS: Number of Ecosystems - Terrestrial: 4
Tropical lowland rain forest, mostly destroyed in 1906, but since
regenerated,
secondary forest on plantations abandoned since 1975, some montane rain
forest; streams Forest
| SPECIES NUMBERS: |
Total |
Endemic |
Threatened (EVRI) |
| Plants |
314 |
35 |
0 |
| Butterflies |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Land snails |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Rept/Amphib |
13 |
2 |
0 |
| Land birds |
35 |
6 |
3 |
| Mammals |
3 |
0 |
0 |
SPECIES OF CONSERVATION INTEREST:
Plants:
314 species, with 1 endemic genus, 35 endemic species, 20 group
endemics
Reptiles/amphibians:
2 group endemic amphibians
11 reptiles, 2 endemic species and 5 group endemics with Sao Tome
Feylinia polylepis (legless skink) endemic
Typhlops elegans (burrowing snake) endemic
Mammals:
2 bats
1 shrew, an endemic race of Crocidura poensis
Birds:
1 monospecific genus, 6 endemic species and 8 subspecies, 6 group
endemics
Alcedo leucogaster nais (Principe White-bellied Kingfisher) endemic
subspecies, common
Aplopelia larvata principalis (Principe Lemon Dove) endemic
subspecies,
abundant
Apus affinis bannermani (Little Swift) group endemic subspecies,
abundant
Bostrychia olivacea rothschildi (Olive Ibis) endemic subspecies,
unseen
since 1901, may be extinct
Chaetura thomensis (Sao Tome Spinetail) group endemic, common
Chrysococcyx cupreus insularum (Emerald Cockoo) group endemic
subspecies,
uncommon
Columba malherbii (Sao Tome Bronze-naped Pigeon) group endemic,
frequent
Dicrurus modestus (Principe Drongo) endemic, common
Halcyon malimbicus dryas (Blue-breasted Kingfisher) endemic
subspecies,
common
Horizorhinus dohrni (Dohrn's Thrush-babbler) endemic, abundant
Lamprotornis ornatus (Principe Glossy Starling) endemic, very abundant
Nectarinia hartlaubi (Principe Sunbird) endemic, abundant
Nectarinia olivacea obscura (Olive Sunbird) group endemic subspecies,
common
Ploceus princeps (Principe Golden Weaver) endemic, abundant
Poliospiza rufobrunnea rufobrunnea (Sao Tome Seedeater) endemic
subspecies,
rare, fluctuating
Speirops leucophaeus (Principe Speirops) endemic, frequent or Rare
Treron calva virescens (African Green Pigeon) endemic subspecies,
abundant
Turdus olivaceofuscus xanthorhynchus (Sao Tome Thrush) endemic
subspecies,
unseen since 1928, probably extinct
Zosterops ficedulinus ficedulinus (Sao Tome White-eye) endemic
subspecies,
seen 1970s, Endangered
SPECIES RICHNESS:
Species Richness Indicator - Terrestrial: 2 Marine: 0
moderate
ENDEMISM: Terrestrial: Terrestrial Endemism Indicator - Island: 3 Group: 4
good
Marine endemic species: 0
Marine Endemism Indicator - Island: 0 Group: 0
SPECIAL FEATURES : Special Features Indicator - Terrestrial: 0 Marine: 0
turtle nesting area
INVASIVE SPECIES: Invasive Species Indicator: 2
monkeys, rats, mice, feral cats and pigs
HUMAN OCCUPATION: Inhabited, colonized since 1500
Population: 20000 (1987) Density: 134.7 persons/sq. km
Growth Rate: 2.9%/yr Increasing
Major Human Activities: cocoa, coconuts, coffee
HUMAN IMPACTS:
Uninhabited until 1480s, forest cleared for sugar cane, coffee
introduced
1802, cocoa in 1824, many plantations abandoned after independence in
1975;
population 5,255 (1981)
Accessibility: port, airport
Percent population in agr/mining/fishing: 70% Human Threat Indicator: 2
Gross Domestic Product: $ 384 per capita Economic Pressure Indicator: 0
Conservation support: legislation
DATA RELIABILITY: good Data Rel. Indicator: 3
HUMAN IMPACT INDEX HI: 9
CONSERVATION IMPORTANCE INDEX CI-Terrestrial: 17 High
CI-Marine: 1 Low
REFERENCES:
Johnson, Timothy H. 1989. Unpublished ICBP profiles of Atlantic
islands.
Jones, P.J. and Tye, A. 1988. A survey of the avifauna of Sao Tome and
Principe. International Council for Bird Preservation, Cambridge,
U.K.
Study Report No. 24. 64 p.
Last updated: 07/09/90
Sao Tome - including das Cabras, das Rolas [968]
Group: Archipelago: Sao Tome and Principe
Country: Sao Tome and Principe
Lat: 0.25º N Long : 6.62º E
Area: 854.8 sq. km Altitude: 2024 m
Shoreline: 136.0 km (scale 1:1000000) Coastal Index: 0.1591
Depth to nearest land: 1800 m
Nearest island: 150 km group: 150 km
Nearest continent: Africa Distance: 225 km Isolation Index: 39
ISLAND TYPE: volcanic Natural Protection Indicator: 0
GEOLOGY/SOILS:
Extinct volcanic island, 25 by 45 km, with basalts and phonolites over 3
million years old, mountainous and deeply dissected in centre, with
flatter
land to east and north-east, many streams and rivers
CLIMATE: wet tropical ave. 22-33øC, 1000-7000 mm
CATASTROPHIC THREATS: drought
Threat Indicator: 1
ECOSYSTEMS: Number of Ecosystems - Terrestrial: 9
Tropical lowland rain forest below 800 m along rivers in south-east and
south-
west (cleared elsewhere), secondary forest in abandoned plantations,
montane
rain forest 800-1400 m with abundant ferns and epiphytes, cloud forest
1400-
2024 m, fire-maintained savanna with baobabs (Adansonia digitata) on
northern
coastal plain; streams and rivers; sand dunes, mangroves Forest Mangroves
| SPECIES NUMBERS: |
Total |
Endemic |
Threatened (EVRI) |
| Plants |
601 |
108 |
0 |
| Butterflies |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Land snails |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Rept/Amphib |
19 |
3 |
0 |
| Land birds |
49 |
14 |
8 |
| Mammals |
6 |
4 |
0 |
SPECIES OF CONSERVATION INTEREST:
Plants:
601 species, with 1 endemic genus and 108 endemic species, 20 group
endemics
Reptiles/amphibians:
7 amphibians, including 3 endemic and 2 group endemic species
Hyperolius molleri (tree-frog) endemic
Hyperolius thomensis (tree-frog) endemic
Schistometopum ephele (caecilian) endemic
12 reptiles, of which 5 are group endemics with Principe
Mammals:
5 bats, with one endemic species and 2 endemic subspecies
Myonycteris brachycephala (Sao Tome Little Collared Fruit-bat)
endemic,
known only from type specimen
1 endemic shrew
Crocidura thomensis
Birds:
49 breeding landbirds, including 4 monospecific endemic genera, 14
endemic
species, 6 group endemics
Bostrychia bocagei (Dwarf Olive Ibis) endemic, not seen since 1928,
Indeterminate (RDB)
Columba thomensis (Maroon Pigeon) endemic, reasonably common in
montane
forest, hunted, Vulnerable (RDB)
Treron sanctithomae (Sao Tome Green Pigeon) endemic, common in forest
Lanius newtoni (Sao Tome Fiscal Shrike) endemic, not seen since 1928,
Indeterminate (RDB)
Prinia molleri (Sao Tome Prinia) endemic, common
Amaurochichla bocagii (Sao Tome Short Tail) endemic, seen once since
1928,
sighted 1987, Indeterminate (RDB)
Terpsiphone atrochalybea (Sao Tome Paradise Flycatcher) endemic,
recovered
to common after decline attributed to pesticides
Nectarinia newtoni (Sao Tome or Newton's Yellow-breasted Sunbird)
endemic,
common
Dreptes thomensis (Sao Tome Giant Sunbird) endemic, Rare
Speirops lugubris (Sao Tome Speirops) endemic, abundant
Neospiza concolor (Sao Tome Grosbeak) endemic, not seen since 1890,
Indeterminate (RDB)
Ploceus grandis (Giant Weaver) endemic, common
Thomasophantes (Ploceus) sanctithomae (Sao Tome Weaver) endemic,
frequent
Oriolus crassirostris (Sao Tome Oriole) endemic, common on forest
edges
Alcedo cristata thomensis (Sao Tome Malachite Kingfisher) endemic
subspecies
common
Aplopelia larvata simplex (Sao Tome Lemon Dove) endemic subspecies,
abundant
Apus affinis bannermani (Little Swift) group endemic subspecies,
abundant
Chaetura thomensis (Sao Tome Spinetail) group endemic, common
Chrysococcyx cupreus insularum (Emerald Cockoo) group endemic
subspecies,
common
Columba malherbii (Sao Tome Bronze-naped Pigeon) group endemic,
frequent
Coturnix delegorguei histrionica (Harlequin Quail) endemic subspecies,
frequent
Onychognathus fulgidus fulgidus (Chestnut-winged Starling) endemic
subspecies, common
Otus hartlaubi (Sao Tome Scops Owl) endemic, Rare (RDB)
Ploceus vitellinus peixotoi (Vitelline Masked Weaver) endemic
subspecies,
common
Poliospiza rufobrunnea thomensis (Sao Tome Seedeater) endemic
subspecies,
abundant
Prinia molleri (Sao Tome Prinia) endemic, abundant
Turdus olivaceofuscus (Sao Tome Thrush) endemic subspecies, common
Tyto alba thomensis (Barn Owl) endemic subspecies
Zosterops ficedulinus feae (Sao Tome White-eye) endemic subspecies,
variously reported as abundant or Rare
SPECIES RICHNESS:
Species Richness Indicator - Terrestrial: 3 Marine: 0
good
ENDEMISM: Terrestrial: Terrestrial Endemism Indicator - Island: 3 Group: 4
high
Marine endemic species: 0
Marine Endemism Indicator - Island: 0 Group: 0
SPECIAL FEATURES : Special Features Indicator - Terrestrial: 1 Marine: 0
seabird rookeries, turtle nesting areas
rain forest with high endemism
INVASIVE SPECIES: Invasive Species Indicator: 2
monkeys, rats, mice, feral cats and pigs
HUMAN OCCUPATION: Inhabited, colonized since 1470
Population: 94000 (1987) Density: 110.0 persons/sq. km
Growth Rate: 2.9%/yr Increasing
Major Human Activities: cocoa plantations, coconuts,, bananas
HUMAN IMPACTS:
Extensive forest clearing under Portugese rule, sugar plantations in
16th
century, coffee in 19th century, replanted with cocoa plantations after
1870;
many plantations abandoned after independence in 1975, but some now
being
rehabilitated; much of coastal mangrove forest destroyed by recent
cutting
Habitat: Urban Pop: 40000 Urban Indicator: 4
Accessibility: port, airport
Percent population in agr/mining/fishing: 70% Human Threat Indicator: 2
Gross Domestic Product: $ 384 per capita Economic Pressure Indicator: 0
Conservation support: legislation
DATA RELIABILITY: good Data Rel. Indicator: 3
HUMAN IMPACT INDEX HI: 12
CONSERVATION IMPORTANCE INDEX CI-Terrestrial: 24 Very high
CI-Marine: 1 Low
REFERENCES:
Johnson, Timothy H. 1989. Unpublished ICBP profiles of Atlantic
islands.
Jones, P.J. and Tye, A. 1988. A survey of the avifauna of Sao Tome and
Principe. International Council for Bird Preservation, Cambridge,
U.K.
Study Report No. 24. 64 p.
Last updated: 07/09/90
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Page last updated: 09/05/10