Current view: Text account
Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
This highland freshwater lake is situated south of Mbulu town on the road to Dongobesh in the Mbulu Highlands, to the west of the Nou Forest. It was formed naturally by the blocking of a stream flowing westwards from Nou Forest to the Yaida Chini swamps that lie to the south-east of Lake Eyasi (TZ023).
See Box for key species. The only recent data available for this site are from January 1996, when records included a large flock of
Fulica cristata, 104
Ardeola ralloides and 1,535
Chlidonias leucopterus. This lake seems to be one of few that may be important for the East African population of
Fulica cristata. Historically, Moreau mentioned some dozens of
Podiceps cristatus, but this is now a very rare bird in East Africa. There are historical records of
Oxyura maccoa which probably bred.
Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
This lake is virtually all that remains of a series of freshwater lakes, ponds and permanent swamps that were, until recently, a feature of the Mbulu Highlands. The draining, siltation, over-fishing and general degradation of these wetlands for cultivation and cattle-rearing during the last few decades is a clear example of what unregulated use can do to areas outside the protected-area network. The drastic reduction in the population of
Podiceps cristatus and
Oxyura maccoa in both Tanzania and Kenya is a strong indication that highland freshwater habitats are declining at an alarming rate. A wise-use policy needs to be developed at the local level to try and save the remaining habitats, especially those of considerable conservation importance such as Lake Tlawi.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lake Tlawi (Tanzania). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lake-tlawi-iba-tanzania on 05/12/2024.
