Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas in Danger—priority sites for immediate action

IMPORTANT BIRD AND BIODIVERSITY AREAS IN DANGER Priority sites for immediate action

Partnership for nature and people

I

BIRDLIFE IMPORTANT BIRD AND BIODIVERSITY AREA

Four decades of conservation action

PHOTO CREDITS: Bay of Panama, K Kaufmann, map and cover; Espartar Isle, J Eivissa; São Tomé forest, M Muscará, map and cover; Syria desert, A Shehab; Rhinoceros Hornbills, N Simhan/Flickr; Flying albatross, B Lascelles, map and cover; Lesser Flamingos, Lake Natron, O Newman, cover.

IBAs in Danger—Priority sites for immediate action The 2014 IBAs in Danger list includes 356 sites in 102 countries/territories as well as the High Seas.

All face intense threats and need urgent attention. Examples from across each region highlight the diversity of pressures and the urgency with which actions are required.

B

D

A

E C

Participating countries

F

IBAs in Danger Profiled IBAs in Danger

A

Upper Bay of Panamá, Panamá

G

B

Isle of Conejera and islets of Bledes and Espartar, Spain

C

São Tomé lowland forests, São Tomé & Príncipe

D

Tadmur desert and mountains, Syria

E

Belum-Temenggor, Malaysia

F

Murray-Sunset, Hattah and Annuello, Australia

G

Tasman Sea, Australia and New Zealand

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This IBA hosts up to 2 million migratory shorebirds each year.

Despite formal protection, it faces high pressures from a wide range of threats. An attempt to degazette the protected area was successfully defeated in 2013 by the Panama Audubon Society (BirdLife in Panama) and others.

Now the challenge is to develop a sustainable land-use plan for the site and improve the management of the protected area.

Isle of Conejera is one of the last remaining undeveloped islands in the Balearic archipelago and home to a colony of Critically Endangered Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus. SEO/BirdLife (BirdLife in Spain) is lobbying local authorities to drop controversial, and potentially devastating, plans to turn the island’s lighthouse into a hotel.

This site holds three species that are Critically Endangered and seven more that are Endangered or Vulnerable. The IBA is threatened by industrial-scale plantations and hydroelectric dam building as well as illegal hunting. Strengthening local capacities, working with the private sector to improve the sustainability of business practices, and research are all urgently needed actions.

This IBA holds the last remaining population of the Critically Endangered Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita in the Middle East. The site is facing diverse threats, including agricultural expansion and intensification, road building, oil and gas exploitation and hunting. The Syrian Society for Conservation of Wildlife (BirdLife in Syria) has been working to increase local capacities and awareness.

The site has an exceptional diversity of mammals and birds, including 10 species of hornbills. One-third of the IBA is protected as a State Park. The highest threats to the site are commercial logging, land conversion and industrial development. The Malaysian Nature Society (BirdLife in Malaysia) is advocating for the protection and sustainable management of the whole forest complex and the establishment of a sustainable financing mechanism.

This IBA is particularly important for a range of threatened bird species restricted to the unique mallee shrubland. Recent largescale wildfires have destroyed vast areas of habitat and increased the extinction risk for these birds, exacerbated by political pressure on government agencies to carry out planned burning. Protection of unburnt mallee from fire is now the top priority.

The Tasman Sea, in international waters between Australia and New Zealand, is a key feeding area for many globally threatened seabirds.

Unfortunately, the ingestion of plastic debris by seabirds is estimated to be higher at this site than any other worldwide. The threat from fisheries bycatch is also high. Actions needed include bycatch mitigation measures and innovative solutions to the plastic pollution problem.

IBAs in Danger List 2014 EUROPE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92

Delta e Drinit (ALB) Laguna e Karavastase (ALB) Velipoja (ALB) Dsegh (ARM) Khosrov Reserve (ARM) Lake Sevan (ARM) Tashir (ARM) Machland (AUT) Parndorfer Platte und Heideboden (AUT) Riede im nördlichen Rheintal (AUT) Zentrales Marchfeld (AUT) Gizilgyol (AZE) Hajigabul Gyolu (AZE) Al’manskija baloty (BLR) Ščara floodplain (BLR) Vyhanaščanskija baloty (BLR) Bardaca (BIH) Hutovo blato (BIH) Besaparski ridove (BGR) Durankulashko ezero (BGR) Kaliakra (BGR) Ribarnitsi Mechka (BGR) Ribarnitsi Plovdiv (BGR) Delta Neretve (HRV) Kvarnerski otoci (HRV) Podunavlje i donje Podravlje (HRV) Vransko jezero (HRV) Akamas and Agia Aikaterini – Agia Paraskevi Gorges (CYP) Akrotiri Peninsula - Episkopi Cliffs (CYP) Larnaca Salt Lakes (CYP) Komarov (CZE) Sumava (CZE) Vychodni Krusne hory (CZE) Ringkøbing Fjord (DNK) Rønne Banke (DNK) Vadehavet (DNK) Pakri (EST) Väinameri (EST) Suomenoja (FIN) Forêts domaniales de Corse (FRA) Golfe de Porto, presqu’île de Scandola et golfe de Galeria (FRA) Marais de Brière (FRA) Plaine de Niort (nord-ouest) (FRA) Vallée de la Charente : amont d’Angoulême (FRA) Hellwegbörde (DEU) Leda-Jümme-Niederung (DEU) Mühlenberger Loch (DEU) Unterer Niederrhein (DEU) Vorpommersche Küsten- und Boddenlandschaft (DEU) Amvrakikos Kolpos (GRC) Antikhassia Ori and Meteora (GRC) Limnes Volvi-Langada (or Koronia-Ag. Vasiliou) kai Stena Rentinas (or Makedonika Tempi) (GRC) Limnothalassa Alyki Kitros (GRC) Oros Kohilas, Nissos Skyros (GRC) Del-Hevesi-sik (HUN) Mývatn-Laxá (ISL) Blasket Islands (IRL) Boyne estuary (IRL) Falcarragh to Min an Chladaigh (IRL) Lambay Island (IRL) River Shannon callows: Portumna-Athlone (IRL) Altopiano di Campeda (ITA) Laguna di Venezia (ITA) Medio corso e foce del Simeto e Biviere di Lentini (ITA) Grybaulia (Grybaulios zuvininkystes ukis) (LTU) Kalviai (Kalviu zvyro karjeras) (LTU) Kursiu nerijos pajuris (Baltijos juros akvatorija ties Kursiu Nerija) (LTU) Palangos pajuris (Baltijos juros akvatorija ties salies zemynine dalimi) (LTU) Visbarai (LTU) Vallée supérieure de l’Alzette (LUX) Mariovo (MKD) Ovče Pole (MKD) Pelagonija (MKD) Rdum Ta’Cenc (MLT) Rdum Tal-Madonna, L-Ahrax (MLT) West of Wied ix-Xaqqa to Wied Maqbyl Cliffs (MLT) Manta-Beleu (MDA) Sasko jezero (MNE) Skadarsko jezero (MNE) Ulcinjska solane (MNE) IJsselmeer (NLD) Markermeer (NLD) Waddenzee (NLD) Westerschelde en Saeftinghe (NLD) Bory Tucholskie (POL) Dolina Biebrzy (POL) Dolina Dolnej Odry (POL) Ujscie Warty (POL) Zalew Szczecinski (POL) Figueira da Foz (PRT) Lagoa dos Salgados (PRT) Salinas de Alverca e do Forte da Casa (PRT)

IBAs in Danger List 2014 (cont.)

93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122

Vilamoura (PRT) Balta Albă - Amara - Jirlău (ROU) Confluenţa Olt - Dunăre (ROU) Stepa Casimcea (ROU) Donje Podrinje (SRB) Kopaonik (SRB) Labudovo Okno (SRB) Pašnjaci Velike Droplje (SRB) Pester (SRB) Dolné Považie (SVK) Nízke Tatry (SVK) Puste Ulany-Zelenec (SVK) Syslovské polia (SVK) Ljubljansko barje (SVN) Mura (SVN) Snežnik - Pivka (SVN) Delta de l’Ebre (ESP) Isla Conejera e Islotes de Bledes y Espartar (ESP) Marismas del Guadalquivir (ESP) Monfragüe (ESP) Södra Midsjöbankarna (SWE) Burdur Gölü (TUR) Dicle Vadisi (TUR) Ereğli Ovası (TUR) Seyfe Gölü (TUR) Dnestr delta (UKR) Karkinitskiy i Dzharilgatchkiy zaliv (UKR) Usovskiy zakaznik (UKR) Humber Estuary (GBR) Severn Estuary (GBR)

123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150

Central Marshes (IRQ) Dalmaj Marsh (IRQ) Hawizeh (IRQ) Ibn Najm (IRQ) Razzaza Lake (Bahr Al Milh) (IRQ) Carmel coast (ISR) Northern lower Jordan valley (ISR) Western Negev (ISR) Irbid - Mafraq plains (JOR) Madaba - Hisban (JOR) Northern Jordan Valley (North Ghor) (JOR) Dawhat Kazima (KWT) Al-Habrow al-Arabi (SAU) Jiddah south corniche and port (SAU) Qishran Bay (SAU) Shallal ad-Dahna (SAU) Wadi Jawwah (SAU) Jabal Abdul Aziz (SYR) Jabal al-Shaykh (SYR) Sabkhat al-Jabboul (SYR) Tadmur desert and mountains (SYR) Umm al-Tuyyur (SYR) Wadi al-Qarn - Burqush (SYR) Aden (YEM) Al-’Urj (YEM) Islands off Bir Ali (YEM) Jabal Iraf (YEM) Wadi Mawr - Al-Zuhrah (YEM)

151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170

Mbi Crater Faunal Reserve - Mbingo forest (CMR) Mount Oku (CMR) Santchou Faunal Reserve (CMR) Waza National Park (CMR) Forêt de Day (DJI) Lac Abhé (DJI) Mabla (DJI) Abijatta - Shalla Lakes National Park (ETH) Awash National Park (ETH) Berga floodplain (ETH) Liben plains and Negele woodlands (ETH) Dakatcha Woodland (KEN) Lake Ol’ Bolossat (KEN) Lake Turkana (KEN) Tana River Delta (KEN) Yala swamp complex (KEN) Lofa-Gola-Mano Complex (LBR) Nimba mountains (LBR) Sapo (LBR) Lake Ihotry Hunting Reserve - Mangoky Delta complex (MDG) Mahavavy Kinkony Wetland (MDG) Tsitongambarika Classified Forest and surrounding areas (MDG) Dzalanyama Forest Reserve (MWI) Ntchisi Mountain Forest Reserve (MWI) Soche Mountain Forest Reserve (MWI) Aguelmane de Sidi Ali Ta’nzoult (MAR) Embouchure Oued Moulouya (MAR) Marais Larache (MAR) Oued Tahadart (MAR) Sebkha Bou Areg (MAR) Afi River Forest Reserve (NGA) Gashaka-Gumti National Park (NGA) Kagoro - Nindam Forest Reserves and vicinity (NGA) Omo Forest Reserve (NGA) Yankari National Park (NGA) Akanyaru wetlands (RWA) Nyabarongo wetlands (RWA)

MIDDLE EAST

AFRICA

171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187

188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201

207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219

São Tomé lowland forests (STP) Lake Sonfon and environs (SLE) Sierra Leone River Estuary (SLE) Yawri Bay (SLE) Botriviervlei and Kleinmond estuary (ZAF) Chrissie Pans (ZAF) Grasslands (ZAF) Kamfers Dam (ZAF) KwaZulu-Natal Mistbelt Grasslands (ZAF) Lower Berg river wetlands (ZAF) Ndumo Game Reserve (ZAF) Nyl River Floodplain (ZAF) Steenkampsberg (ZAF) Swartkops Estuary - Redhouse and Chatty Saltpans (ZAF) Gough Island (SHN) Dar es Salaam coast (TZA) East Usambara Mountains (TZA) Lake Natron and Engaruka basin (TZA) Pande Game Reserve and Dondwe Coastal Forests (TZA) Uluguru Mountains (TZA) El Houareb reservoir (TUN) Sebkhet Kelbia (TUN) Snam (TUN) Bangweulu Swamps (ZMB) Chisamba (ZMB) Kafue Flats (ZMB) Lukanga Swamp (ZMB) Machile (ZMB) Driefontein grasslands (ZWE) Mavuradonha Mountains (ZWE) Middle Zambezi Valley (ZWE) Robert McIlwaine Recreational Park (ZWE)

220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227

Chardara Reservoir (KAZ) Koybagar-Tyuntyugur Lake System (KAZ) Son-Kul Lake (KGZ) Tokmak Pheasant Reserve (KGZ) Western Issyk Kul Lake (KGZ) Озеро Денгизкуль (UZB) Озеро Судочье (UZB) Северный Айдаркуль (UZB)

202 203 204 205 206

CENTRAL ASIA

ASIA 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261

Kampong Trach (KHM) Lomphat (KHM) Sesan River (KHM) Stung / Chi Kreng / Kampong Svay (KHM) Western Siem Pang (KHM) Flamingo City (IND) Jawaharlal Nehru Bustard Sanctuary (IND) Mahul - Sewree Creek (IND) Sailana Kharmor Sanctuary (IND) Tillangchong, Camorta, Katchal, Nancowry and Trinkat (IND) Pegunungan Sahendaruman (IDN) Siau (IDN) Awase tidal flat (JPN) Belum-Temenggor (MYS) North-central Selangor coast (MYS) Gulf of Mottama (MMR) Lenya (MMR) Nantha Island (MMR) Dharan forests (NPL) Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve (NPL) Farmlands in Lumbini area (NPL) Balbalasang-Balbalan National Park and proposed extension (PHL) Mount Hilong-hilong (PHL) Mount Siburan (PHL) Mounts Irid-Angilo and Binuang (PHL) Zambales mountains (PHL) Lower Central Basin (THA) Mae Wong (THA) Mae Yom (THA) Na Muang Krabi (THA) Palian Lang-ngu (THA) An Hai (VNM) Nghia Hung (VNM) Tra Co (VNM)

PACIFIC 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276

Boodjamulla (AUS) Lower Hunter Valley (AUS) Murray-Sunset, Hattah and Annuello (AUS) Riverina Plains (AUS) Norfolk Island (NFK) Fatu Hiva (PYF) Makatea (PYF) Mohotani (PYF) Ua Huka (PYF) Vallées Maruapo, Papehue, Hopuetamai et Orofero (PYF) Aoupinié (NCL) Massif des Lèvres (NCL) Massif du Panié (NCL) Massifs du Grand Sud - entre le mont Humboldt et la rivière Bleue (NCL) Peleliu (PLW)

277 Henderson Island (PCN)

NORTH AMERICA 278 Boundary Bay - Roberts Bank - Sturgeon Bank (Fraser River Estuary) (CAN) 279 Lancaster Sound Polynya (CAN) 280 Mackenzie River Delta (CAN) 281 Prince Edward Point (CAN) 282 Centro de Veracruz (MEX) 283 Cerro Saybal-Cerro Cavahlná (MEX) 284 Cerros de Chalchihuitán (MEX) 285 Cerros de Tapalapa (MEX) 286 Estero de San José (MEX) 287 Istmo de Tehuantepec-Mar Muerto (MEX) 288 Sierra Anover (MEX) 289 Sur del Valle de México (MEX) 290 Barataria Terrebonne (USA) 291 Barrow Canyon & Smith Bay (USA) 292 Chandeleur Islands (Breton National Wildlife Refuge) (USA) 293 Isles Dernieres-Timbalier Islands (USA) 294 NM Lesser-Prairie Chicken Complex (USA) 295 Northern Everglades (USA) 296 Salton Sea (USA)

CARIBBEAN 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311

Dog Island (AIA) Graham’s Harbour (BHS) Harrold and Wilson Ponds National Park (BHS) Joulter Cays (BHS) Kemp Cay to Pigeon Cay (BHS) Bluff Forest (CYM) Honduras (DOM) Los Haitises (DOM) Parque Nacional Jaragua (DOM) Sierra de Bahoruco (DOM) Sierra de Neyba (DOM) South Soufriere Hills (MSR) Caño Tiburones (PRI) East Caicos and adjacent areas (TCA) Anegada: Western salt ponds and coastal areas (VGB)

312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320

Barra de Santiago (SLV) Cerrón Grande (SLV) Jiquilisco y Jaltepeque (SLV) San Diego y La Barra (SLV) Bosques del Golfo de los Mosquitos (PAN) Cerro Santiago (PAN) El Chorogo-Palo Blanco (PAN) Parte Alta de la Bahía de Panamá (PAN) Serranía de Majé (PAN)

321 322 323 324 325

339 340 341 342 343

Bahía de Samborombón y Punta Rasa (ARG) Cuenca del río Aguapey (ARG) Meseta Lago Buenos Aires (ARG) Perdices (ARG) Reserva de Uso Múltiple Bañados del Río Dulce y Laguna Mar Chiquita (ARG) Yungas Inferiores de Amboró (BOL) Yungas Inferiores de Carrasco (BOL) Yungas Inferiores de Isiboro-Sécure/ Altamachi (BOL) Aurora do Tocantins / Taguatinga (BRA) Bandeira / Macarani (BRA) Complexo Pedra Azul / Forno Grande (BRA) Curaçá (BRA) Rio Capim (BRA) Desembocadura del Río Bío-Bío (CHL) Isla Pájaro Niño de Algarrobo (CHL) Lago Lanalhue (CHL) Lago Peñuelas (CHL) Parque Nacional Archipiélago de Juan Fernández: Isla Alejandro Selkirk (CHL) Bosque Protector Alto Nangaritza (ECU) Cayapas-Santiago-Wimbí (ECU) Cordillera del Cóndor (ECU) Zumba-Chito (ECU) Bahía de Asunción (PRY)

353 354 355 356

Indian Ocean, Western 1 - Marine Pacific, Eastern Central 2 - Marine Pacific, Southeast 24 - Marine Pacific, Southwest 11 - Marine

CENTRAL AMERICA

SOUTH AMERICA

326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338

344 Cerrado de Laguna Blanca (PRY) 345 Parque Nacional San Rafael (PRY) 346 Parque Nacional Tinfunqué - Estero Patiño (PRY) 347 Paso Curuzú (PRY) 348 Bañados del Este (URY) 349 Laguna José Ignacio (URY) 350 Pastizales de Lorenzo Geyres y Quebracho (URY) 351 Pastizales de Young (URY) 352 Quebradas de Treinta y Tres (URY)

HIGH SEAS

www.birdlife.org/datazone/info/ IBAsInDanger