UG010
Semliki reserves


IBA Justification

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:
Species Red List Season (year/s of estimate) Size IBA criteria
Shoebill Balaeniceps rex VU resident (1998) present A1
Papyrus Gonolek Laniarius mufumbiri NT resident (1998) present A1

IBA Conservation

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 medium
Whole site assessed? State assessed by Accuracy of information
yes habitat good

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat Quantity (% remaining) Quality (% carrying capacity) Result
Grassland 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
Agricultural expansion and intensification happe­ning now some of popul­ation/area (10–49%) no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations) low
Energy production and mining 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 Some limited conservation initiatives are in place medium

IBA Protection

Year Protected Area Designation (management category) % coverage of IBA
- Ntoroko-Kanara Wildlife Sanctuary (VI) <1
1929 Toro-Semuliki or Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve (III) 54
1963 Semliki Controlled Hunting Area (-) 50
2002 Rwengara Community Wildlife Management Area (VI) 7

Habitats

Habitat % of IBA Habitat detail
Artificial/Terrestrial 43
Forest 27
Grassland 15
Wetlands (inland) 6
Shrubland 4
Savanna 2

Land use

Land use % of IBA
agriculture -
hunting -
nature conservation and research -
other -


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Semliki reserves (Uganda). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/semliki-reserves-iba-uganda on 23/12/2024.