Suggi Lake (11541)
Canada, North America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2008
National site name: Suggi Lake
Central coordinates: Latitude: 54.3610, Longitude: -102.7805
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 292 to 297
Area of KBA (km2): 299.79339
Protected area coverage (%): 0.02
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Suggi Lake is a large boreal forest lake in east central Saskatchewan, 50 km northwest of the town of Cumberland House. A river connects nearby Windy Lake to Suggi Lake. Windy Lake subsequently drains into the Saskatchewan River at the Cumberland Delta. Two long, narrow islands lie in the middle of Suggi Lake, of which the western-most supports many colonial-nesting birds including pelicans and cormorants. (In the language of the aboriginal residents, the Cree, the name Suggi means pelican.) Except for the southwest shore where sandy loam soils predominate, most of the lake is surrounded by bogs.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Additional biodiversity: Six surveys between 1976 and 1991 yielded an average of 4,039 American White Pelicans on the western island. This average represents about 2.4% of the estimated global and almost 3.7% of the estimated national population. In addition to large numbers of pelicans, the 1976 to 1991 surveys recorded large numbers of nesting Double-crested Cormorants. An average of 3,618 birds was recorded, which represents about 1.4% of the estimated interior North American population. Other water birds that have nested at this site include Great Blue Herons, California Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls, Herring Gulls, and Common Terns. No recent survey information is available for these species.
Habitats
Land use: fisheries/aquaculture
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 3 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 97 |