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Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
A vast area of swamp, open lagoon and seasonally inundated flood-plain surrounding the Kafue river as it flows from west to east before reaching the Zambezi escarpment. When wet, the alluvial clays render much of the area inaccessible and extensive cracks form on drying. The swamp is dominated by
Typha and there are only scattered pockets of
Cyperus papyrus. The flats are bordered by termitaria and munga woodland. At its widest point, the area liable to flooding is some 70 km across. Hydroelectric dams have been constructed at either end of the flats, although Itezhi-Tezhi (at the western end) is more important for regulating the flow and Kafue Gorge (at the eastern end) generates most of the power. An initial agreement to simulate the annual inundation has not always been followed, especially when there have been fears of water shortages. However, rainfall permitting, the cycle has been ‘smoothed’; thus the simulated flood is not as high, but lasts longer than it would under natural conditions. Many fishermen live on the numerous small islands in the centre of the swamps and other communities exist around the edges, although some of these are somewhat seasonal depending on the water-level.
See Box and Table 3 for key species. Very large concentrations of resident and migratory waterbirds occur and many species breed in large colonies deep within the swamps.
Grus carunculatus is common here all-year-round, and this is the single most important area for the species anywhere, with 3,200 individuals counted in October 1983 (here considered equivalent to more than 1,000 breeding pairs). Among the other species of global conservation concern,
Gallinago media occurs in large numbers,
Egretta vinaceigula is uncommon, but almost certainly breeds,
Circus macrourus visits in good numbers,
Falco naumanni is numerous at times and
Crex crex is probably common, while
Ardeola idae and
Glareola nordmanni are rare non-breeding visitors.
Lybius chaplini is local, in small numbers. Phoenicopterus
minor and
Gyps coprotheres are both vagrants to the area. Counts from earlier decades for some of the waterbirds listed in the Box (meeting the A4i criterion) exceed recent counts, for instance >6,000
Pelecanus onocrotalus (Nov 1971), >5,000
Plegadis falcinellus (Dec 1975), >100,000
Plectropterus gambensis (Nov 1972), >29,000
Anas erythrorhyncha (Aug 1971), >5,000
Netta erythrophthalma (Jan 1973), and >50,000
Glareola pratincola (Apr 1972, May 1980). Other waterbirds which are often found in notable numbers include
Ciconia abdimii,
Fulica cristata and
Vanellus armatus. Particularly numerous in the dry season are
Eremopterix leucotis,
Calandrella cinerea and
Oenanthe pileata, when other characteristic species include
Neotis denhami and
Pterocles gutturalis.
Non-bird biodiversity: A wide variety of mammals are known to occur, including Tragelaphus spekii (LR/nt) and, most notably, the endemic subspecies Kobus leche kafuensis(the largest protected population of this species anywhere).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The site is composed of the Kafue Flats Game Management Area No. 11, together with two National Parks—Lochinvar (41,000 ha) and Blue Lagoon (42,000 ha)—which comprise a designated Ramsar Site. The controlled flooding has altered many aspects of the ecosystem, such as the timing of breeding seasons, a rapid spread of thorny shrubs in place of grassland, and a slight change in the assemblage of bird species present. The possible and observed effects of the artificial flooding regime on the breeding numbers and success of
Grus carunculatus are of some concern. As yet, the effects on other birdlife do not seem to be serious. However, good comparative data are lacking.
The proximity of the Kafue flats to Lusaka means that there is a high demand for meat and fish and, as a result, illegal hunting and fishing occur widely. Poaching camps are hidden in many parts of the swamp and may be quite large. In recent years, trees which were known to hold nesting colonies of heron (Ardeidae) and stork (Ciconiidae) species have been felled and further investigation is required to assess the potential threats and disturbance to other colonies within the flats. Within the last decade, water-hyacinth
Eichhornia crassipes has covered significant areas of open water on the lower portion of the Kafue flats. This invasive alien weed is difficult to control and spreads rapidly. Its impact on the area’s birdlife has yet to be assessed, but it would seem to be a potential threat to any species that requires open water.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Kafue Flats (Zambia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/kafue-flats-iba-zambia on 23/12/2024.
