• Summary
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• Reference and further resources

The site was identified as important in 1999 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
Madagascar Pochard Aythya innotata	CR	resident	1991	present	A1, A2, A3
Meller's Duck Anas melleri	EN	resident	1993-1994	150 individuals	A1, A2, A3, A4i
Madagascar Grebe Tachybaptus pelzelnii	EN	resident	1993-1994	1 individuals	A1
Alaotra Grebe Tachybaptus rufolavatus	EX	resident	1985	rare	A1, A2, A3
Madagascar Rail Rallus madagascariensis	VU	resident	1993-1994	12 individuals	A2, A3
Malagasy Pond Heron Ardeola idae	EN	non-breeding	1993-1994	7 individuals	A1
Madagascar Heron Ardea humbloti	EN	resident	1993-1994	8 individuals	A1
Madagascar Snipe Gallinago macrodactyla	VU	resident	1993-1994	37 individuals	A2, A3
Malagasy Harrier Circus macrosceles	EN	resident	1993-1994	4 individuals	A1

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (1999) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 1999. The most recent assessment (2017) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Wetlands (inland)	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Biological resource use	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Pollution	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Whole area of site (>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	The conservation measures needed for the site are being comprehensively and effectively implemented	high

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
2003	Le Lac Alaotra: les zones humides et basin	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	100

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Wetlands (inland)	Freshwater lakes and pools, Permanent herbaceous swamps and bogs, Rivers & streams	major (>10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	-
fisheries/aquaculture	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lake Alaotra NPA (Madagascar). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lake-alaotra-npa-iba-madagascar on 23/11/2024.