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The site was identified as important in 2001 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species'):

Species	Current IUCN Red List Category	Season	Year(s)	Population estimate at site	IBA criteria met
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	LC	winter	-	4,700 individuals	A4i
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea	LC	winter	-	250 individuals	A4i
Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris	NT	winter	-	30 individuals	A1, A4i
Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata	LC	winter	-	10,960 individuals	A4i
Gadwall Mareca strepera	LC	winter	-	1,350 individuals	A4i
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	LC	winter	-	26,000 individuals	A4i
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus	LC	winter	-	1,080 individuals	A4i
Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristata	LC	winter	-	67 individuals	A4i
Common Coot Fulica atra	LC	winter	-	45,460 individuals	A4i
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	winter	-	6,945 individuals	A4i
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	LC	winter	-	5,260 individuals	A4i
Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris	CR	winter	2000	present	A1
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	-	100,000-499,999 individuals	A4iii

The current IUCN Red List category may differ from that which was valid at the time of IBA criteria assessment (2001).

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	livestock farming and ranching (includes forest grazing) - small-holder grazing, ranching or farming	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Biological resource use	fishing & harvesting aquatic resources - unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Biological resource use	hunting & collecting terrestrial animals - intentional use (species being assessed is the target)	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	recreational activities	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Natural system modifications	dams & water management/use - abstraction of ground water (agricultural use)	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Pollution	agricultural & forestry effluents - herbicides and pesticides	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Pollution	agricultural & forestry effluents - nutrient loads	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected-area designation	Management planning	Other conservation action	Result
Not assessed	Not assessed	Not assessed	not assessed

For more information about IBA conservation status, please click here

Protected area (PA)	PA designation	PA area (ha)	Relationship of PA with IBA	Overlap of PA with IBA (ha)
Merja Zerga	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	7,300	protected area overlaps with site	0
Merja Zerga	Réserve Biologique Permanente	7,000	protected area overlaps with site	7,000
Merja Zerga	Nature Reserve	6,815	is identical to site	7,300

Land-use	Extent (% of site)
agriculture	-
fisheries/aquaculture	-
hunting	-
nature conservation and research	-
tourism/recreation	-
urban/industrial/transport	-
other	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Merja Zerga. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/merja-zerga-iba-morocco on 30/09/2023.