Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
Two connected lakes in the Akarçay closed basin. Akþehir (max. 35,300 ha, max. depth 7 m) is a stream-fed tectonic lake, fresh in the west and south, becoming increasingly saline towards the north. Eber (max. 16,800 ha, max. depth 6 m) is situated 4 km to the north-west and is fed by the Akarçay stream. Large areas of reed
Phragmites occur in both lakes, which were treated as separate IBAs in the previous international IBA inventory (Grimmett and Jones 1989): Akþehir Gölü (former site TR019) and Eber Gölü (former site TR022).
The IBA is important for breeding waterbirds, with large mixed heronries on reed islands in Akþehir lake. It used to be of major importance for wintering wildfowl before controls were introduced to the water regime.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Two dams are under construction on the Akarçay stream, leading to a further reduction in water input to both lakes. Given the reduction in size and increasing salinity of Akþehir lake over the last two decades, there is little hope for its long-term future. Industrial, agricultural and untreated urban pollutants enter the lakes from a variety of sources, leading to severe nutrient loading in Eber lake. Local fisheries have declined as a result of the pollution and decreasing water-levels.
National High
International None52,100 ha of IBA covered by SÝT (Akþehir and Eber Gölü, 52,100 ha).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Akşehir and Eber Lakes (Türkiye). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/akşehir-and-eber-lakes-iba-türkiye on 23/11/2024.
