• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
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• Reference and further resources

Site description (2001 baseline)
The site lies to the north of the coastal town of Hobyo (Obbia), a little way inland from the Indian Ocean, and consists principally of semi-desert grassland and shrubland. It also includes some areas of coastal dunes which are fixed, vegetated and mostly 20–60 m high.

Key biodiversity
See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. The site incorporates the type-locality of Spizocorys obbiensis. Although, to date, only a relatively small number of Somali–Masai biome species has been recorded, these include some, such as Mirafra collaris, which occur at few other IBAs in Somalia; and the list is undoubtedly incomplete.

Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals of conservation concern that occur, or which used to do so, include Panthera leo (VU), Acinonyx jubatus (VU), Hyaena hyaena (LR/nt), Oryx beisa (LR/cd), Ammodorcas clarkei (VU), Madoqua piacentinii (VU), Gazella soemmerringii (VU) and G. spekei (VU). The area is also important for a number of the plants endemic to the coastal strip.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Hobyo (Somalia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/hobyo-iba-somalia on 22/11/2024.