Data Zone
Country/territory: Mali
IBA criteria met: A3 (2001)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 709,800 ha
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2001 | not assessed | high | low |
| For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here | |||
Site description (2001 baseline)
The Boucle du Baoulé Biosphere Reserve is located in the south of the country, some 160 km north-west of the capital Bamako. The Biosphere Reserve incorporates the Boucle du Baoulé National Park and the contiguous faunal reserves of Badinko to the south-west, Fina to the south-east and Kongossambougou to the north-east. All except the last, which lies its northern side, are enclosed within the large loop of the Baoulé river which gives the reserve system its name. The area is almost entirely sandstone, cut by erosion into a series of plateaux, dissected by valleys and flood-plains. In the south there are steep escarpments flanking large valleys. The rivers within the reserve are semi-permanent. The vegetation is semi-arid Sahelian bushland in the north and Sudan–Guinea Savanna woodland in the south (Combretum, Acacia, Butyrospermum and Isoberlinia spp.). Dense riverine forest occurs along the Baoulé river and its major tributaries, as well as bordering marshes and larger lakes. The herbaceous layer is characterized by perennial grasses, notably Andropogon gayanus. There are human settlements within the site and human use is increasing, particularly in the north. Most of the region (>90%) is burnt each year from mid-October. Mean annual rainfall varies between 650 mm in the north and 1,000 mm in the south.
Key biodiversity
See Box and Table 2 for key species. In addition, two species characteristic of the Sahel biome (A03) are known from the site (see Table 2).
Non-bird biodiversity: Of the larger mammals which once occurred in the reserve, Loxodonta africana (EN), Giraffa camelopardalis (LR/cd) and Tragelaphus derbianus (LR/nt) are known to have been eliminated. Some of the following may still occur, although any that do are likely to be at low densities: Panthera leo (VU) and Acinonyx jubatus (VU).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Boucle du Baoulé (Mali). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/boucle-du-baoulé-iba-mali on 22/11/2024.