Current view: Text account
Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
Douz Laala is a small thickly vegetated depression, immediately to the south of Snam (site TN041), surrounded by oases and agricultural fields and bounded to the west by fixed sand-dunes. The water is fresh to brackish, and derives from drainage from the surrounding oasis and from winter rainfall, varying in depth, from c.1 m in winter to less than 30 cm in summer. The dominant plants are
Phragmites communis,
Tamarix africana and
Juncus species.
See Box for key species. See under Ghidma (site TN042) for the ornithological importance of the small oasis wetlands near Douz. This site, with its thick vegetation, holds many of the species typical of the Douz oases. Waterbirds recorded include
Tachybaptus ruficollis,
Egretta garzetta,
Tadorna tadorna,
Aythya nyroca,
Fulica atra,
Porphyrio porphyrio,
Himantopus himantopus and
Charadrius alexandrinus. Between 5–10 pairs of
Aythya nyroca were recorded breeding here in 1996. Many passerines, such as
Locustella luscinioides and
Acrocephalus scirpaceus, occur on spring migration and may stay to breed. In addition, six species of the Sahara–Sindian biome have been recorded at this site (see Table 2).
Non-bird biodiversity: Both Gazella dorcas (VU) and G. leptoceros (EN) have been recorded.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The site is privately owned and unprotected. Hunting of waterbirds, particularly ducks, and cutting of reeds are the main threats.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Douz Laâla (Tunisia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/douz-laâla-iba-tunisia on 23/11/2024.
