Data Zone
The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2007 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 List | Season (year/s of estimate) | Size | IBA criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala | EN | breeding (2005) | 2 pairs | A1 |
| Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus | NT | breeding (2007) | 30 pairs | A1 |
| Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo | LC | breeding (2007) | 905 birds | A4i |
| Pallas's Gull Larus ichthyaetus | LC | breeding (2004) | 897 birds | A3, A4i |
| Common Tern Sterna hirundo | LC | breeding (2007) | 6,000 birds | A4i |
| Common Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica | LC | breeding (2007) | 450 birds | A4i |
Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2007. The most recent assessment (2014) is shown below.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2014 | good | very high | high |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | habitat | medium | |
| State (condition of the trigger species' habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Habitat | Quantity (% remaining) | Quality (% carrying capacity) | Result |
| Wetlands (inland) | good (>90%) | good (>90%) | good |
| Shrubland | good (>90%) | good (>90%) | good |
| Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | good (>90%) | good (>90%) | good |
| Grassland | good (>90%) | good (>90%) | good |
| Desert | good (>90%) | good (>90%) | good |
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Human intrusions and disturbance | happening now | most of population/area (50–90%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Climate change and severe weather | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Residential and commercial development | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Biological resource use | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Whole area (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation | A comprehensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species | Substantive conservation measures are being implemented, but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity | high |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Alakolsky | State Nature Reserve (-) | 4 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands (inland) | 50 | Standing brackish & salt water; Standing fresh water; Rivers & streams |
| Desert | 35 | Desert & semi-desert - stony; Desert & semi-desert - clay |
| Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | 10 | Inland cliffs; Scree, boulders & bare rocky areas |
| Grassland | 5 | Steppes & dry calcareous |
| Shrubland | minor (<10) | Low bushes |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| nature conservation and research | 100 |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lake Alakol Islands (Kazakhstan). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lake-alakol-islands-iba-kazakhstan on 23/12/2024.