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ISLAND DIRECTORY
Islands of Guadeloupe (France)
Basse Terre (Guadeloupe) - including Grand Ilet [487]
Group: Guadeloupe Archipelago: Windward Islands
Country: France - Guadeloupe Region: Caribbean Sea
Lat: 16.20º N Long : 61.70º W
Area: 875.7 sq. km Altitude: 1467 m
Shoreline: 139.0 km (scale 1:1250000) Coastal Index: 0.1587
Depth to nearest land: 1000 m
Nearest island: 1 km group: 65 km
Nearest continent: South America Distance: 570 km Isolation Index: 33
ISLAND TYPE: volcanic Natural Protection Indicator: 0
GEOLOGY/SOILS:
Mountainous volcanic chain with active volcano, Mt Soufriere
CLIMATE: wet tropical mean 23-30øC, up to 7500 mm
CATASTROPHIC THREATS: cyclones (1979), volcanic eruptions
Threat Indicator: 2
ECOSYSTEMS: Number of Ecosystems - Terrestrial: 5 Marine: 3
Most land below 400 m developed; largest remaining Caribbean primary
tropical
rainforest and lower montane rainforest at higher elevations (14,600
ha);
mangrove and Pterocarpus swamp (9668 ha) between islands; streams and
waterfalls; coral reefs Coral reefs, Mangroves
Percent of land: Forested: 16% Developed: 0% Degraded: 0%
| SPECIES NUMBERS: |
Total |
Endemic |
Threatened (EVRI) |
| Plants |
0 |
1 |
2 |
| Butterflies |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Land snails |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Rept/Amphib |
0 |
3 |
1 |
| Land birds |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Mammals |
0 |
3 |
2 |
SPECIES OF CONSERVATION INTEREST:
Plants:
Epidendrum mutelianum (epiphytic orchid) endemic to Basse Terre, at
high
altitude localities, collected, Vulnerable
Gaultheria sphagnicola (dwarf shrub) group endemic to Guadeloupe and
Martinique, some populations destroyed by volcanic eruptions,
Vulnerable
Reptiles/Amphibians:
1 endemic and 7 regional endemic reptiles
Ameiva cineracea (teiid lizard) endemic to Grand Ilet, apparently
extinct
following a hurricane
2 endemic and 1 regional endemic amphibians
Eleutherodactylus barlagnei, endemic to Basse Terre and Grande Terre
Eleutherodactylus pinchoni, endemic to Basse Terre and Grande Terre
Birds:
Melanerpes herminieri (Guadeloupe Woodpecker) endemic to Basse Terre
and
Grande Terre, in moist forest at 100-700 m on eastern slopes
8 regional endemics
Mammals:
10 bats including 2 endemic to Guadeloupe, 4 regional endemics
Eptesicus guadeloupensis (bat) endemic to Guadeloupe
Sturnira thomasi* (bat) species or subspecies endemic to Guadeloupe
Procyon minor* (Guadeloupe Raccoon) possibly endemic, rainforest above
300 m
and mangroves, endangered
Monachus tropicalis (Caribbean Monk Seal) probably extinct
ENDEMISM: Terrestrial: Terrestrial Endemism Indicator - Island: 2 Group: 2
Marine endemic species: 0
Marine Endemism Indicator - Island: 0 Group: 0
SPECIAL FEATURES : Special Features Indicator - Terrestrial: 5 Marine: 1
seabird rookery, turtle nesting area former monk seal habitat
active volcano, important migratory bird stoppover, archaeological site
INVASIVE SPECIES: Invasive Species Indicator: 2
HUMAN OCCUPATION: Inhabited
Population: 100000 Density: 114.2 persons/sq. km
Growth Rate: 0.5%/yr Stable
Major Human Activities: tourism, bananas
HUMAN IMPACTS:
Most land below 400 m developed; fauna affected by poaching and urban
development
Habitat: Urban Pop: 14000 Urban Indicator: 1
Percent population in agr/mining/fishing: 21% Human Threat Indicator: 1
Gross Domestic Product: $ 3025 per capita Economic Pressure Indicator: 2
Conservation support: tenure, government support, legislation
PROTECTED AREAS: Protected Area Coverage Indicators - Terrestrial: 3 Marine: 0
Number: 1 Area: Terrestrial: 175.0 sq. km Marine: 37 sq. km
Guadeloupe National Park (17500 ha) primary tropical forest and active
volcano
of La Soufriere, including Grand Cul de Sac-Marin Marine Nature
Reserve
(3700 ha) gazetted 3 March 1989
Proposed Cretes de Village et Beaujendre reserve (600 ha)
Proposed Pitons du Nord reserve (3000 ha)
DATA RELIABILITY: partial Data Rel. Indicator: 2
HUMAN IMPACT INDEX HI: 8
CONSERVATION IMPORTANCE INDEX CI-Terrestrial: 14 High
CI-Marine: 5 Moderate
REFERENCES:
Johnson, Timothy H. 1988. Biodiversity and conservation in the
Caribbean:
profiles of selected islands. ICBP Monograph No. 1. International
Council
for Bird Preservation, Cambridge. 144 p.
Last updated: 16/09/90
Grande Terre [486]
Group: Guadeloupe Archipelago: Windward Islands
Country: France - Guadeloupe Region: Caribbean Sea
Lat: 16.30º N Long : 61.40º W
Area: 639.0 sq. km Altitude: 136 m
Shoreline: 134.9 km (scale 1:1250000) Coastal Index: 0.2111
Depth to nearest land: 1000 m
Nearest island: 1 km group: 60 km
Nearest continent: South America Distance: 600 km Isolation Index: 33
ISLAND TYPE: raised coral limestone Natural Protection Indicator: 0
GEOLOGY/SOILS:
Raised limestone island with hills and plains
CLIMATE: wet tropical mean 23-30øC, 800-1500 mm
CATASTROPHIC THREATS: cyclones (1979)
Threat Indicator: 1
ECOSYSTEMS: Number of Ecosystems - Terrestrial: 3 Marine: 3
Little remaining forest, with only north-east and north-west coastal
areas
undeveloped; dry woodland and cactus scrub of secondary origin in north
(2000
ha); mangroves between Grande Terre and Basse Terre; diverse corals, but
reefs
only in Cul-de-Sac Marin Coral reefs, Mangroves
| SPECIES NUMBERS: |
Total |
Endemic |
Threatened (EVRI) |
| Plants |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Butterflies |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Land snails |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Rept/Amphib |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Land birds |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Mammals |
0 |
3 |
2 |
SPECIES OF CONSERVATION INTEREST:
[all endemism refers to both Grande Terre and Basse Terre]
Reptiles/Amphibians:
7 regional endemic reptiles
2 endemic amphibians and 1 regional endemic
Eleutherodactylus barlagnei, endemic
Eleutherodactylus pinchoni, endemic
Birds:
Melanerpes herminieri (Guadeloupe Woodpecker) endemic, in wooded areas
8 regional endemics
Mammals:
10 bats, 2 endemic, 4 regional endemics
Eptesicus guadeloupensis (bat) endemic
Sturnira thomasi* (bat) endemic species or subspecies
Procyon minor* (Guadeloupe Racoon) endemic, endangered
Monachus tropicalis (Caribbean Monk Seal) probably extinct
ENDEMISM: Terrestrial: Terrestrial Endemism Indicator - Island: 1 Group: 2
Marine endemic species: 0
Marine Endemism Indicator - Island: 0 Group: 0
SPECIAL FEATURES : Special Features Indicator - Terrestrial: 2 Marine: 1
seabird rookery, turtle nesting area former monk seal area
INVASIVE SPECIES: Invasive Species Indicator: 2
HUMAN OCCUPATION: Inhabited, capital: Pointe-a-Pitre
Population: 200000 Density: 313.0 persons/sq. km
Growth Rate: -0.6%/yr Decreasing
Major Human Activities: sugar, bananas
HUMAN IMPACTS:
Habitat: Urban Pop: 82000 Urban Indicator: 4
Accessibility: port, airport
Percent population in agr/mining/fishing: 21% Human Threat Indicator: 1
Gross Domestic Product: $ 3025 per capita Economic Pressure Indicator: 2
DATA RELIABILITY: partial Data Rel. Indicator: 2
HUMAN IMPACT INDEX HI: 12
CONSERVATION IMPORTANCE INDEX CI-Terrestrial: 7 Moderate
CI-Marine: 4 Low
REFERENCES:
Last updated: 16/09/90
La Desirade (Desirade) [1555]
Group: Guadeloupe, Archipelago: Windward Islands
Country: France - Guadeloupe: Atlantic
Lat: 16.30º NLong: 61.05º W Region: Caribbean Sea
Area: 27.0 sq. km Altitude: ? m
ISLAND TYPE: raised coral limestone
Marie Galante [478]
Group: Guadeloupe, Archipelago: Windward Islands
Country: France - Guadeloupe: Atlantic
Lat: 15.90º NLong: 61.30º W Region: Caribbean Sea
Area: 170.5 sq. km Altitude: 204 m Shoreline: 50.6 km (scale 1:1250000)
ISLAND TYPE: raised coral limestone
Petite Terre (Iles de la Petite Terre) [1554]
Group: Guadeloupe, Archipelago: Windward Islands
Country: France - Guadeloupe: Atlantic
Lat: 16.17º NLong: 61.11º W Region: Caribbean Sea
Area: 0.0 sq. km Altitude: ? m
ISLAND TYPE:
Saintes (Iles des Saintes) [1553]
- including Terre de Bas, Terre de Haut
Group: Guadeloupe, Archipelago: Windward Islands
Country: France - Guadeloupe: Atlantic
Lat: 15.86º NLong: 61.68º W Region: Caribbean Sea
Area: 14.0 sq. km Altitude: ? m
ISLAND TYPE: raised coral limestone
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Page last updated: 09/05/10