Data Zone
The site was identified as important in 1998 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 List1 | Season | Year(s) | Size | IBA criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis | LC | non-breeding | - | 2,050-4,030 individuals | A4i |
| Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus | LC | non-breeding | - | 11,350-31,800 individuals | A4i |
| Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor | NT | non-breeding | - | 14,200-33,060 individuals | A1, A4i |
| African Oystercatcher Haematopus moquini | LC | non-breeding | - | 110-204 individuals | A1, A4i |
| Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta | LC | non-breeding | - | 818-2,340 individuals | A4i |
| Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola | VU | winter | - | 816-3,360 individuals | A4i |
| White-fronted Plover Charadrius marginatus | LC | non-breeding | - | 1,010-1,610 individuals | A4i |
| Chestnut-banded Plover Charadrius pallidus | LC | non-breeding | - | 1,810-6,040 individuals | A4i |
| Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres | NT | winter | - | 2,110-4,420 individuals | A4i |
| Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea | VU | winter | - | 11,180-22,700 individuals | A4i |
| Sanderling Calidris alba | LC | winter | - | 2,110-7,360 individuals | A4i |
| Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus | LC | non-breeding | - | 1,710-5,170 individuals | A4i |
| Damara Tern Sternula balaenarum | LC | non-breeding | - | 60-265 individuals | A1, A4i |
| Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia | LC | non-breeding | - | 70-230 individuals | A4i |
| Common Tern Sterna hirundo | LC | winter | - | 5,410-23,610 individuals | A4i |
| Greater Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii | LC | non-breeding | - | 350-1,660 individuals | A4i |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | n/a | non-breeding | - | 50,000-99,999 individuals | A4iii |
1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (1998) may differ.
Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 1998. The most recent assessment (2001) is shown below.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2001 | not assessed | high | not assessed |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | unset | good | |
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Human intrusions and disturbance | happening now | majority/most of area/population (50-90%) | slow but significant deterioration | high |
| Pollution | happening now | some of area/population (10-49%) | slow but significant deterioration | medium |
| Climate change and severe weather | happening now | some of area/population (10-49%) | slow but significant deterioration | medium |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected areas | Management plan | Other action | Result |
| Not assessed | Not assessed | Not assessed | not assessed |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation | % overlap with IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Walvis Bay | Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance | 100 |
| 1995 | Dorob National Park | Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance | 100 |
| 2010 | Dorob | National Park | 100 |
| Habitat1 | Habitat detail | % of IBA |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 63 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | major (>10) | |
| Marine Intertidal | major (>10) |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| nature conservation and research | - |
| tourism/recreation | - |
| urban/industrial/transport | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Walvis Bay (Namibia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/walvis-bay-iba-namibia on 23/11/2024.