Ciénaga de La Segua (14588)
Ecuador, South America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2023
National site name: Ciénaga de La Segua
Central coordinates: Latitude: -0.7000, Longitude: -80.1833
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 10 to 10
Area of KBA (km2): 16.47927
Protected area coverage (%): 91.96
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Located in Manabí province, La Segua is a freshwater wetland located in the confluence of the rivers Carrizal and Chone. It is nuclear marsh that is flooded round year that also floods neighbourhood areas naturally. Water receives human sewages flows and it suffers from introduced species of fish (E.g, tilapia). This wetland has a low diversity of organisms, but a high density of fishes (around 17 species). It is considered a key site for migratory boreal shore birds and other aquatic avifauna by BirdLife International and Coastal Solutions initiative.
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. The presence of considerable numbers of Mycteria americana (Wood Stork) seasonally triggers the criterion D1a.
Additional biodiversity: This wetland is very important for endangered and localized fishes and plants. However, a proper actualization of global or national records of fishes including better and accurate distribution maps might trigger this KBA with both taxonomic groups. Also, here is one of the few sites in Ecuador were the ecuadorian national endangered of extinction duck, Netta erythrophthalma has been recorded.
Manageability of the site: Private owned and supported by Coastal Solutions initiative with certain conservation compromises of the local environmental provincial authority and landowners. It is a provincial protected area recognized by the prefecture of Manabi, this public institution supports the management and administration of the site in coordination with the association of local guides of this wetland.
Other site values: A considerable part of the wetland it is own by a family. Some of them are trying to protect the lake and are part of conservation and monitoring projects.
Delineation rationale: Surrounded by roads, shrimp and cattle farms, villages and towns. Site has not been modified from the original KBA polygon, but the polygon was just adjusted to the right locality.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 98 | Wetlands (inland) – Permanent freshwater marshes/pools (under 8 ha) |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Marine & freshwater aquaculture | Subsistence/artisinal aquaculture | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Marine & freshwater aquaculture | Industrial aquaculture | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Other ecosystem modifications | Ongoing | |
| Pollution | Domestic & urban waste water | Sewage | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression | Trend Unknown/Unrecorded | Unknown |
Additional information
Contributors: Eliana Montenegro of BirdLife International and Coastal Solutions.
Juan Carlos Cevallos
Guides and local monitoring teams of La Segua.