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Site description

Rufiji District covers a wedge of low lying land from the Rufiji delta 175 km inland along both banks of the Rufiji River. The western part of the district is included within the Selous Game Reserve (IBA 18) and much of the remainder is woodland with significant areas of seasonal wetlands. The only true coastal forest surveyed to date has been within Kiwengoma FR in the Matumbi Hills to the south, bordering Kilwa District (IBA 50). The Kichi Hills which raise to 616 m some 30 km south south-west of Utete are cloaked in what appears to be woodland with forest in the wetter valleys.

The following 23 forest reserves are listed for Rufiji District (Fottland 1996). Only 2 (marked *) have been investigated for their birds. Forest Reserves north and south of the Rufiji River are marked N. and S. accordingly. Forest Reserves marked † are not included in the total area of this IBA site. Either because they are deemed too small to hold viable bird populations or are suspected not to hold any important birds as defined by this IBA process.

Bumi FR † 520 ha N. no information

Katundu FR 4,727 ha S. no information

Kikale FR ?1,000 ha N. area uncertain.

Kipo FR 1,749 ha N. no information

Kiwengoma FR 2,025 ha* S. Fottland (1996) gives only 34 ha and Clarke and Dickinson (1995) give 7,600ha for the Kiwengoma "forest block".

Kumbi FR † 28 ha location not traced

Mangrove-Rufiji FR † 40,469 ha* covering the Rufiji Delta.

Mchungu FR ?1,000 ha N. area uncertain.

Mohoro FR 2,349 ha S. no information

Mohoro River FR † 49 ha S. no information

Mpanga FR 900 ha S. no information

Mtanza FR 4,926 ha N. no information

Mtita FR 2,998 ha N. no information

Namakutwa FR 3,748 ha S. no information

Nandundu FR † 30 ha location not traced

Nerumba FR † 23 ha location not traced

Ngulakula FR 2,399 ha N. no information

Nyumburuni FR 2,999 ha N. no information

Nyamuete FR 400 ha S. no information

Ruhoi River FR 68,633 ha N. no information, mainly woodland

Rupiage FR 4,118 ha S. no information

Tamburu FR 5,997 ha S. no information

Utete FR † 949 ha S. no information

A proposed FR for the Kichi Hills at 4,000 ha is listed by Fottland (1996). However the 1:50,000 Y742 maps show some 46,200 ha of forest in the Kichi Hills, linking this area with Kiwengoma FR.

Birds

See box for key species.

The Rufiji River is an important physical barrier for several bird populations. The African Pitta breeds up to but not north of the river. The Little Yellow Flycatcher, so characteristic of coastal forest from the Rufiji north into Kenya, is ecologically replaced by Livingstone’s Flycatcher from the river southwards into southern Africa. The northern coastal population of Dark-backed Weaver is of the race kersteni (but see Britton (1980) for a reference to Mohoro FR) while south of the Rufiji all the way to Natal it is the distinctive race stictifrons. From Dar es Salaam north the Plain-backed Sunbird population is of the race yokanae while south of the Rufiji the nominate race extends south to Natal. The nominate race of Kretschmer’s Longbill occurs north of the Rufifji, to the south the race grisiceps extends southwards into Mocambique. Much the same can be said for races of Zanzibar Sombre Greenbul, Tiny Greenbul and perhaps other forms not yet closely studied. The forest batis north of the river is Batis mixta while to the south it is Batis reichenowi. So few of the forest habitats listed here have been investigated that the true limits of these populations are as yet unknown and would certainly repay further study.

There are also other, rather striking, differences between the birdlife north and south of the Rufiji. The nominally highland Emerald Cuckoo is unknown in coastal forests from Dar es Salaam northwards but is widespread and even locally common in coastal forest from the Rufiji southwards. The Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo is an exceptionally rare visitor to the Pugu Hills but is a common breeding bird in Kiwengoma and other southern forests. The White-eared Barbet is known from a single observation in the Pugu Hills yet the race leucogrammica (named from Mahenge) breeds in Kiwengoma FR (Baker 1993). Davies (1991) reports an observation of the rare Lillian’s Lovebird from Kiwengoma FR and Burgess et al. (1991) report on the results of an expedition to Kiwengoma FR.

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Spotted Ground Thrush As yet there are no records of this species from this site. It can be expected to occur on passage during May and perhaps November.

Southern-banded Snake Eagle Included in Burgess et al. (1991). It is likely to be a low density resident as elsewhere in coastal Tanzania.

East African Coast 19 species (70%) out of a country total of 27.

Other threatened / endemic wildlife

The Matumbi Hills are known to support a few endemic plants and a probable endemic shrew as well as many coastal forest endemics (Clarke and Dickinson 1995). The forests are utilised by Elephants that probably move between this site and the nearby Selous Game Reserve.

Conservation issues

Kiwengoma forest is one of the largest blocks of contiguous forest in coastal Tanzania yet much of it is not afforded any official protection. Clark and Dickinson (1995) report that Kiwengoma FR was revoked in 1964 for unspecified reasons. During the late 1980’s and early 1990’s much of the remaining timber of commercial value was being removed illegally. What remains is badly degraded and in urgent need of long term protection.

Recommendations

It is important to identify all remaining forest and to incorporate this into official forest reserves. This must be given priority status if the forests are to be protected from further degradation.

Biological inventories are required for all large forest patches not yet surveyed.

References

Fottland, H. 1996. Tanzania Forest Reserves, Status 1996. Catchment Forestry Report 96.8. Division of Forestry and Beekeeping. Dar es Salaam.

Further reading

Burgess, N.D. and Clarke, G.P. (eds.) in press. The Coastal Forests of Eastern Africa. IUCN Forest Conservation Programme. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, England.