Current view: Text account
Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
The site lies immediately to the south of the town of Aguelhok in the south-western foothills of the Adrar des Iforhas (or Ifôghas), towards the northern end of the Tilemsi valley in the north-east of the country. Provisional boundaries run east from just south of Aguelhok to Adrar Ichoualen, south-west to Oued Hamoum, west through Oued Ibdeken across the Tilemsi valley turning north to Asler and thence to the southern edge of the scarps of Kreb Terech and so east back towards Aguelhok. It thus encompasses areas of stark, rocky hills, sheer cliffs, regs, hamadas, sand desert and, in parts of the Tilemsi valley, alluvial soils which, depending upon rainfall, support annual grasslands.
See Box and Table 2 for key species. It is likely that further surveys would reveal more species characteristic of the Sahara–Sindian biome.
Non-bird biodiversity: The mammals Addax nasomaculatus (CR) and Ammotragus lervia (VU) used to occur and some of the latter may do so still. The flora is a mixture of Saharan and Sahelian species and may contain Saharo montane endemics.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Overgrazing and fuelwood-collection is a problem in the more vegetated areas of the Tilemsi valley.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Aguelhok (Mali). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/aguelhok-iba-mali on 23/11/2024.
