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Site description (2007 baseline):

Lac Azuéi, also called Etang saumâtre (Brackish Pond) is the largest water body in Haiti (113 km2 30 meter deep). Located at between N18°29 - 18° 38 and W71°52 - 72°04 (Edouarzin, 2004), it lies west of the Cul-de-Sac plain near the Haitan-Dominican border, in the Neiba-Cul-de-Sac depression. It separates the north and south paleoisland and is an important part of the Lago Enriquillo - Trou Caiman wetland/ecoregion of outstanding biological value. It is exploited by more than 300 fishermen, by hunters for migratory ducks and flamingos (for trophies). Very close to the transnational road in the Malpasse area, the lake is unfortunately polluted. It is used as a solid waste area. At the immigration/emigration post in Malpasse, numerous male travelers use it as a rest area at the immigration. Population around the lake consists of permanent dwellers and travelers. Resident population is estimated at more than 60,000 from the localities of Ganthier, Thomazeau, Fond Parizien and Malpasse living of agriculture in a subtropical dry zone irrigated by the rivers that drains in the lake (Riviere Blanche and Thomazeau). Its proximity to Port-au-Prince and to the Dominican Republic is an opportunity to develop an ecotourism program as proposed by the Ministry of Environment and the FONDTAH (Fondation pour le Developpement du Tourisme Alternatif en Haiti) during the first binational fair in Fonds Parisien (20 novembre au 5 decembre 2004).

This area is important for flamingo migration and Caribbean Coots. Although West Indian Whistling Duck is reported, its presence needs to be confirmed with recent inventories. Most recent reports were only done in June 2003. They report 80 to 100 flamingos and 250 to 300 Caribbean Coots.

Non-bird biodiversity: The waters of the lake include 9 species of fish (5 endemics, Tilapia and Carps introduced) and American Crocodiles and an endemic turtle that usually hides in the mangrove as well as other crustaceous not identified yet.

The lake and nearby surroundings are located in the subtropical dry forest life zone and support a rich diversity of plants including aquatic reeds, sedges (Cyperus sp.), cattails (Typha domingensis), grasses and mangroves, Prosopis scrub, palms (Sabal). In addition, the south east region is a karstic formation that harbor agave and scrubs. A number of springs providing drinking water to the population of Malpasse and Fond Parisien. Reeds and cattails predominate in the north west wetlands adjacent to the wetland leading to Trou Caiman, grass fringes the west edge and scrubs lies on the south edge. Black, white mangrove and buttonwood, located in the northwest are remnant of the coastal vegetation of a shallow sea that separated the Hispaniola into two paleoislands during the Pleistocene. Due to the development of indigo and sugar industry during colonial time, this area had been heavily exploited for its hardwood to provide lumber for the railroad system and logs for energy. In the early 1930, an agricultural colony had been established nearby for the Haitian laborforce deported for sugar cane field of the Dominican Republic. A number of Sabal palm trunks had been used to construct the shack of the expatriated population. Its land includes rice, sugar cane and other staple crops. During the cool season, the area produces vegetables and chives under irrigation.

Very close to the international border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, the lake serves as a garbage "landfill" and toilet for passenger that are waiting long enough for immigration/emigration checks because there are no public services for travelers.

Between 2002-2005, Ducks Unlimited carried on a monitoring project on wetlands in Haiti. Paul Judex Edouarzin, Natural science and environmental education specialist, M.S., biologist and ecologist. judouarzin@yahoo.fr Ducks Unlimited Haiti Waterfowl Surveys http://www.ducks.org/conservation/lac_survey_haiti.asp In 2003, the Société Audubon Haiti proposed, to GOH and TNC, an enabling activity project to assess and confirm this wetland biodiversity, potential to ecotourism and implement a management plan to Haitian government and The Nature Conservancy. Philippe Bayard, Société Audubon Haiti (Pbayard@societeaudubonhaiti.org) JR. Crouse, from the Free Methodist Church has dedicated many weekends to provide invaluable accounts on birds of these areas from 2001 to mid 2005. In 2003, the Ministry of Environment celebrated Wetland International Day with emphasis on Trou Caiman. For the occasion, Dimitri Norris, Chief of Biodiversity management and erosion control at the Ministry of Environment published an article in the Nouvelliste, a major newspaper, on the birds of Trou Caïman. In addition, technical assistance was requested http://www.ramsar.org/wwd2003_rpt_haiti1.htm Dimitri Norris, Ministry of Environment (Dimitrynorris@hotmail.com) Prior to 1989, John Thorbjarnarson surveyed the area for crocodiles and in1990 made a survey on flamingos. John Thorbjarnarson (jthorbjarnarson@wcs.org ) Wildlife Conservation Society PO Box 357625 Gainesville, FL 32635-7625 Tel: 352-264-7775

Listed by Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development as a "to be protected area", but not protected.

Florence Sergile. Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. University of Florida

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lac Azuéi (Haiti). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lac-azuéi-iba-haiti on 10/01/2025.