Data Zone
Country/territory: Tunisia
IBA criteria met: A1, A4ii, A4iii (2012)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 141,216 hectares (1,412.16 km2)
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2001 | good | low | low |
| For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here | |||
Site description (2001 baseline)
Located in the eastern part of the Gulf of Tunis, to the west of Cap Bon, Zembra island is situated about 15 km west-north-west of the town of El Haouaria. It is a mountainous island rising to 435 m, and is a seaward extension of the Dorsale. The vegetation is Mediterranean maquis and a total of 230 plant species have been recorded, with Olea europaea, Pistacia lentiscus, Arbutus unedo and Erica multiflora as dominants. The vegetation of the small, neighbouring island of Zembretta is halophytic.
Key biodiversity
See Box for key species. Zembra holds the largest known breeding colony of Calonectris diomedea in the Mediterranean Sea. The 9 km of cliffs of the island also hold 10 breeding pairs of Falco peregrinus, one of the highest densities known for this species. Other breeding birds include Larus audouinii (10 pairs), Phalacrocorax aristotelis and Larus cachinnans (100 pairs).
Non-bird biodiversity: The seal Monachus monachus (CR) was last recorded in 1975.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Archipel de Zembra (Tunisia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/archipel-de-zembra-iba-tunisia on 22/12/2024.