Data Zone
Country/territory: Ghana
IBA criteria met: A4i, A4iii (2001)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 3,900 hectares (39.00 km2)
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2019 | very poor | very high | low |
| For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here | |||
Site description (2001 baseline)
The site is situated beside the coastal road linking Accra and Tema, c.3 km west of Tema township. The size of the open lagoon varies from 100–350 ha depending on the season. The lagoon is separated from the sea by a narrow sand-dune, on which the Accra–Tema road is built, and is connected to the sea by a small, non-functional (permanently open) sluice, constructed to prevent flooding of the coastal road. Large portions of the lagoon dry up in the dry season, resulting in hyper-saline conditions. The flood-plain is periodically inundated and the flooded areas are largely devoid of vegetation. There are also areas of freshwater marsh and coastal savanna grassland, the latter composed mainly of Sesuvium portulacastrum with various grass species associations. Land-use in the catchment includes rice, cassava and vegetable cultivation. The lagoon has been heavily overfished.
Key biodiversity
See Box for key species. Seventy species of waterbird have been recorded at the site with estimated maximum numbers of some 30,000 birds. Other common species include Egretta garzetta, E. gularis, Glareola pratincola, Charadrius hiaticula and Sterna hirundo. Breeding waterbird include G. pratincola, Charadrius pecuarius and Sterna albifrons.
Non-bird biodiversity: Three species of marine turtle Lepidochelys olivacea, Chelonia mydas and Dermochelys coriacea (all EN) have been recorded nesting on the beach.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Sakumo Lagoon Ramsar Site and vicinity (Ghana). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/sakumo-lagoon-ramsar-site-and-vicinity-iba-ghana on 25/12/2024.