Data Zone
The site was identified as important in 2001 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.
Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species') at the site:| Species | Red List1 | Season | Year(s) | Size | IBA criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea | LC | winter | - | 300 individuals | A4i |
| Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus | LC | winter | - | 1,083 individuals | A4i |
| Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia | LC | winter | - | 160 individuals | A4i |
| Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola | VU | winter | - | 2,092 individuals | A4i |
| Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica | NT | winter | - | 3,987 individuals | A4i |
| Sanderling Calidris alba | LC | winter | - | 3,800 individuals | A4i |
| Little Stint Calidris minuta | LC | winter | - | 3,760 individuals | A4i |
| Audouin's Gull Larus audouinii | VU | winter | - | present | A1 |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | n/a | winter | - | min 20,000 individuals | A4iii |
1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2001) may differ.
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 assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2001 | not assessed | medium | not assessed |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | unset | good | |
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Energy production and mining | likely in short term (within 4 years) | some of area/population (10-49%) | slow but significant deterioration | medium |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected areas | Management plan | Other action | Result |
| Not assessed | Not assessed | Not assessed | not assessed |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation | % overlap with IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Khnifiss/Puerto Cansado | Biological Reserve | 33 |
| 1980 | Baie de Khnifiss | Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance | 100 |
| 2006 | Khenefiss National Park | Parc National | 100 |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| fisheries/aquaculture | - |
| nature conservation and research | - |
| tourism/recreation | - |
| urban/industrial/transport | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lagune de Khnifiss (Morocco). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lagune-de-khnifiss-iba-morocco on 22/11/2024.