Mpulungu (100535)
Zambia, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: B2
Year of last assessment: 2025
National site name: Mpulungu
Central coordinates: Latitude: -8.7245, Longitude: 31.1216
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0.5 to 120
Area of KBA (km2): 95.62272
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: No
Site details
Site description: The Mpulungu KBA is located along the southern shoreline of Lake Tanganyika in Zambia. It is home to a number of cichlid and sardine fish species. The site bathymetri varies between 0.5m and 120m. There are three main habitat types: 1) shellbeds at Kakonde Bay; 2) rocky shores along Chituta Bay, the islands and Kasakalawe; and 3) marshy, sandy, reedy, estuarine areas in Chituta Bay where the Lunzua enters the lake, Onzye, and the eastern end of Musende Bay.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This KBA is an important site for cichlid and Lates fish species. For example, Chituta and Musende Bays (inclusive of Kasakalawe) have been identified as important breeding areas, whilst particular cichlids can be geographically restricted to Chituta Bay. The site is a KBA for six trigger species Hemibates koningsi, Lepidiolamprologus kendalli, Neolamprologus prochilus, Neolamprologus pulcher, Neolamprologus sexfasciatus, and Perissodus eccentricus, under KBA criterion B2.
Additional biodiversity: Musende Bay is a breeding area for Limnothrissa miodon while Chituta Bay is a breeding area for Stolothrissa miodon and Limnothrissa miodon. The area around the Mbita and Mutondwe Islands area critical habitats for localised cichlid species.
Manageability of the site: In the south-western part, Kasakalawe is a gazetted protected area while in the south-eastern part Chituta Bay is in the process of being gazetted as a protected area. Part of the eastern part is also a gazetted protected area. With increased awareness creation among the various stakeholders and collaborative implementation of the Charter on the Management of the Lake Tanganyika, the designated KBAs will be managed.
Other site values: Mbita Island, which is within the Southern KBA has traditional value during Walamo ceremony, during the coronation of Chiefs for the Lungu Tribespeople.
Delineation rationale: The western boundary coincides with the western border of Kasakalawe Fishing Village and the eastern boundary is at Kawe. This KBA includes the two islands Mbita and Mutondwe and Mpulungu is central along the KBA shoreline. The KBA also cover Chitua Bay and the Lunzua Estuary. The site boundaries were delineated by The Nature Conservancy (TNC), in collaboration with IUCN, using existing spatial data and IUCN Red List data on freshwater species within the lake. Information on these draft KBAs (boundaries and accompanying datasheets with trigger species lists) was made available to stakeholders for comment through an online microsite and at the African Great Lakes Conference side event Delineation of Key Biodiversity Areas for Lake Tanganyika, held in Entebbe, Uganda in May 2017 and sponsored by The Nature Conservancy, Lake Tanganyika Authority and IUCN. The following year, a KBA delineation and validation workshop was held in May 2018 at SAGCOT Centre, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Through this workshop, information was gathered on confirmation of the presence of the KBA trigger species within the draft KBA boundaries, refinement of the boundaries based on existing management units (e.g. existing KBAs, protected areas) or focal areas for the species, and expert confirmation that the KBA trigger species occur at a level sufficient to meet the KBA thresholds.
Habitats
Land use: Musende Bay, Kasasa and Kasakalawe areas have fish processing plants, Lodges and villages, while Chituta Bay has a mixture of fishing and agriculture. The area around Mutondwe Island is a fishing village.
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 100 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Soil erosion, sedimentation | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Soil erosion, sedimentation | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Soil erosion, sedimentation | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Intentional use: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Intentional use: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Soil erosion, sedimentation | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Intentional use: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Ongoing | |
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Soil erosion, sedimentation | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |