The site consists of a 21-km stretch of coastline between the small village of Tiguert, 5 km east of Cap Ghir, and the mouth of the Oued Tamraght at Aourir, north of the large resort town of Agadir. Its inland extent varies from 100 m to 6 km. Habitats include coastal cliffs, several sandy beaches and dunes, Retama steppe and cultivated fields, and Argania spinosa and Euphorbia woodland.
Key biodiversity
See Box for key species. The site is classed as an IBA because the steppe and fallow fields, particularly those at Tamraght, are regularly used as a feeding area by Geronticus eremita outside the breeding season. There is also an important roost on the cliffs, which occasionally holds up to 50 birds. Nine species of the Mediterranean North Africa biome also occur (Table 2).
Non-bird biodiversity: The endemic toad Bufo brongersmai and endemic lizard Chalcides mionecton both occur.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The site currently has no protection and parts of it are designated for development. It does, however, include both sections of the 4,000-ha Cap Ghir SIBE (No. L28, priority 2), which were declared on the basis of their fine coastal stands of Argania/Euphorbia. The area is under increasing pressure from tourism, and is subject to much the same types of, but more extreme, threats as Tamri and Imsouane (site MA035). The beaches are popular with local residents of Agadir at the weekends, and there are several large camping sites along the coast. Ibis feeding in the fields and steppes are often disturbed by tourists and stone-throwing children. Protective and educational measures are urgently required.
