Lakes Notoro and Abashiri (15005)
Japan, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2011
National site name: Lakes Notoro and Abashiri
Central coordinates: Latitude: 44.0500, Longitude: 144.1667
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 10
Area of KBA (km2): 133.14331
Protected area coverage (%): 74.91
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Lake Notoroko is in the west of Abashiri City, and is one of seven inland sea-lakes on the coastline of Sea of Okhotsk. The length of the coastline of the lake is 35 km. Small rivers flow into the lake, making a salt marsh at the river mouth, and people can enjoy looking at Salicornia europaea. Lake Abashiriko lies between Abashiri City and Memanbetsu Town, and has a 39 km long coastline. On the east of the lake, a marshy woodland has big Alnus japonica, Fraxinus mandshuruca var. japonica and others, and enormous Lysichiton camtschatcense on the forest floors.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 5 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 48 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 48 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pollution | Domestic & urban waste water | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Only in the future | |
| Residential & commercial development | Tourism & recreation areas | Only in the past and unlikely to return |