• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

Site description (2001 baseline)
Chlim is 70 km east of Ayoûn, the regional capital of Hodh El Gharbi and 4 km south of the main road to Néma. There are several small villages close to the wetland: Chlim, El Hedra, Oum Lahyadh, Tîmzîne, etc. This tâmourt is a temporary shallow wetland characterized by the presence of Acacia nilotica. Seasonal rains gather in the clay-lined depression to form the wetland, the duration of which is dependent on the amount of rainfall and ranges from three to six months, with an average depth of 2 m. Aquatic plants include Nymphaea sp., Ipomoea aquatica and Cyperus sp. The transition zone is characterized by Bergia suffruticosa, Sesbania pachycarpa, Sporobolus helvolus and Echinochloa colona. Acacia nilotica and some Ziziphus mauritiana also occur here. The surrounding dunes support Acacia senegal, A. ehrenbergiana, Balanites aegyptiaca and Calotropis procera. Herbaceous plants include Cenchrus biflorus, Dactyloctenium aegyptium, Cyperus jeminicus and Aristida funiculata. Annual rainfall ranges between 150 and 200 mm.

Key biodiversity
See Box for key species. Breeding species include Tachybaptus ruficollis and Porphyrio porphyrio. Ciconia ciconia and Neophron perconopterus (50 juveniles in December 1999) are frequent visitors.

Non-bird biodiversity: The nationally threatened reptile Varanus griseus occurs.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Tâmourt de Chlim (Mauritania). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/tâmourt-de-chlim-iba-mauritania on 23/11/2024.