Non-bird biodiversity: Bokak, together with Bikar, are possibly the only remaining examples in the world of unaltered semi-arid atoll ecosystems. At a minimum, the population was 36,750 individual birds, exceeding this threshold. The A4iii criteria requires >20,000 waterbirds or seabirds. The recorded populations of Great Frigatebirds ranged from 5,300 to 7,300, exceeding this threshold. The 1% global threshold for Great Frigatebirds is 850 pairs, which this report converted to 1,700 individuals. The recorded populations of Red-footed Boobies ranged from 3,500 to 4,500 individuals, exceeding the threshold. The 1% global threshold for Red-footed Boobies is 1,500 pairs, which this report has converted to 3,000 individuals. Bokak meets the A4ii criteria for >1% of the global population for Red-footed Boobies and Great Frigatebirds. Amerson (1969) reported as many as 20,000 Sooty Terns for the atoll. The 1% regional biogeographic threshold is 20,000 individuals (Appendix 1). Bokak meets the A4i criteria, for >1% of the regional biogeographic population for Sooty Terns. Using only the minimum populations recorded (which may have been taken during a non-nesting period), the atoll was still shown to have around 36,750 individual birds, meeting several of the A4 criteria. Bokak has consistently shown records of thousands of birds (Fosberg, 1955 Amerson, 1969 Thomas, 1989). The entire atoll of Bokak (Bakak, Pakak, Taongi) in the Ratik chain is proposed as an IBA under the A4 criteria (Figure 5). The atoll is home to congregations of breeding seabirds and a rare semi-arid atoll ecosystem. It is low and dry, semi-desert and very stony. ![]() Bokak (Taongi) is an uninhabited atoll, the northernmost and most isolated in the Marshall Islands.
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