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 IBA criteria.
Populations meeting IBA criteria ('key species') at the site:| Species | Red List | Season (year/s of estimate) | Size | IBA criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus | LC | winter (-) | 800–990 individuals | A4i |
| Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis | LC | winter (-) | 5,000 individuals | A4i |
| Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus | LC | winter (-) | 991 individuals | A4i |
| Audouin's Gull Larus audouinii | VU | winter (-) | 1,257 individuals | A1, A4i |
| Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis | LC | breeding (-) | 5,457 breeding pairs | A4i |
| Lesser Crested Tern Thalasseus bengalensis | LC | winter (-) | 74 individuals | A4i |
Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2001. The most recent assessment (2014) is shown below.
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2014 | not assessed | very high | low |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | unset | medium | |
| Pressure (threats to the key species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Human intrusions and disturbance | happening now | whole population/area (>90%) | moderate deterioration (10–30% in 3 generations) | very high |
| Pollution | happening now | whole population/area (>90%) | moderate deterioration (10–30% in 3 generations) | very high |
| Natural system modifications | happening now | whole population/area (>90%) | moderate deterioration (10–30% in 3 generations) | very high |
| Residential and commercial development | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | rapid deterioration (>30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the key species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Most of site (50–90%) covered (including the most critical parts for important bird species) | A management plan exists, but it is out of date or not comprehensive | Some limited conservation initiatives are in place | low |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Sebkha Bou Areg | Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance (UA) | 78 |
| 2005 | Sebkha Bou Areg | Nature Reserve (IV) | 78 |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| agriculture | - |
| fisheries/aquaculture | - |
| hunting | - |
| tourism/recreation | - |
| urban/industrial/transport | - |
| other | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Sebkha Bou Areg (Morocco). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/sebkha-bou-areg-iba-morocco on 19/01/2025.