Lagunas de Ecuasal (14583)
Ecuador, South America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2023
National site name: Lagunas de Ecuasal
Central coordinates: Latitude: -2.2467, Longitude: -80.9445
System: marine
Area of KBA (km2): 4.00182
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This artificial salt ponds owned by ECUASAL Company are located on the southeastern region of Santa Elena Peninsula on the province of the same name in the southern coast of Ecuador. Considered an Important Bird Area (IBA) since 2003 and wide world known for the enormous quantity of migratory shore birds that use these artificial ponds as stop over. An historical list of 203 different bird species make this KBA as an ornithological hot-spot for congregatory shorebirds.
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. Demographic aggregations of boreal migratory shorebirds un D1a, Steganopus tricolor (Wilson's Phalarope). The presence of this species during migratory season surpass the 1% of the total global number of individuals at site.
Additional biodiversity: Several protected and endangered migratory birds, such as: Red Knot or Peruvian Tern.
Manageability of the site: Privately administrated by EcuaSal Company.
Other site values: Private owned by EcuaSal S.A..
Delineation rationale: Polygon follows the original limits of the artificial salt ponds delineated during IBA/KBA processes. On west, the shores and coast facing the Pacific Ocean. On north, artificial ponds. On west, the outskirts of Santa Elena city and neighborhoods.
Habitats
Land use: Privately owned to produce salt.
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Aquatic | 100 | Wastewater Treatment Areas |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Ongoing | |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target) | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Other ecosystem modifications | Ongoing | |
| Pollution | Domestic & urban waste water | Sewage | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |
Additional information
Contributors: Ana Ágreda and the shorebirds monitoring team from Aves y Conservación
Participants during the KBA workshop on birds.