DZ002
Lac Tonga


IBA Justification

The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2001 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('key species') at the site:
Species Red List Season (year/s of estimate) Size IBA criteria
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala EN resident (1976–1984) 30 breeding pairs A1
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala EN winter (1999) 256 individuals A1, A4i
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca NT winter (1997) 717 individuals A1, A4i
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca NT breeding (1976–1984) 600 breeding pairs A1, A4i
Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata LC breeding (1995) 8,865 breeding pairs A4i
Gadwall Mareca strepera LC breeding (1998) 3,220 breeding pairs A4i
A4iii Species group - waterbirds n/a breeding (1991–1999) 20,000-49,999 individuals A4iii

IBA Conservation

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2001. The most recent assessment (2001) is shown below.

IBA conservation status
Year of assessment State Pressure Response
2001 not assessed high not assessed
Whole site assessed? State assessed by Accuracy of information
yes unset medium

Pressure (threats to the key species and/or their habitats)
Threat Timing Scope Severity Result
Biological resource use happen­ing now some of popul­ation/area (10–49%) slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations) medium
Natural system modifications happen­ing now some of popul­ation/area (10–49%) slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations) medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the key species and/or their habitats)
Designation Planning Action Result
Not assessed Not assessed Not assessed not assessed

IBA Protection

Year Protected Area Designation (management category) % coverage of IBA
1983 Parc National d'El-Kala Parc National (II) 100
1990 El Kala UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve (UA) 100

Land use

Land use % of IBA
agriculture -
fisheries/aquaculture -
hunting -
nature conservation and research -
tourism/recreation -
water management -


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lac Tonga (Algeria). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lac-tonga-iba-algeria on 13/01/2025.