Data Zone
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 ('triggering') IBA criteria.
Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species') at the site:Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2001. The most recent assessment (2012) is shown below.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2012 | moderate | medium | high |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | habitat | good | |
| State (condition of the trigger species' populations) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Actual vs Reference (units) | % remaining | Result | ||
| African Skimmer Rynchops flavirostris | 135 / 100 (birds) | 100 | good | ||
| State (condition of the trigger species' habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Habitat | Quantity (% remaining) | Quality (% carrying capacity) | Result |
| Savanna | good (>90%) | moderate (70–90%) | moderate |
| Forest | good (>90%) | good (>90%) | good |
| Wetlands (inland) | good (>90%) | good (>90%) | good |
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Natural system modifications | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Energy production and mining | happening now | few individuals/small area (<10%) | no or slight decline (<1% over 3 generations) | low |
| Residential and commercial development | happening now | few individuals/small area (<10%) | no or slight decline (<1% over 3 generations) | low |
| Biological resource use | happening now | few individuals/small area (<10%) | no or slight decline (<1% over 3 generations) | low |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Murchison Falls | National Park (II) | 100 |
| 1964 | Karuma | Wildlife Reserve (III) | 1 |
| 1968 | Bugungu | Wildlife Reserve (III) | <1 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 37 | |
| Artificial/Terrestrial | 20 | |
| Savanna | 16 | |
| Unknown | 10 | |
| Wetlands (inland) | 10 | Riverine floodplains; Rivers & streams |
| Shrubland | 4 |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| nature conservation and research | - |
| tourism/recreation | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Murchison Falls National Park (Uganda). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/murchison-falls-national-park-iba-uganda on 23/12/2024.