Lower Tokachi river (15016)
Japan, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2011
National site name: Lower Tokachi river
Central coordinates: Latitude: 42.7833, Longitude: 143.5500
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 5
Area of KBA (km2): 102.79187
Protected area coverage (%): 0.13
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The lower Tokachigawa river, 40 km from its estuary, consists of the Tokachigawa river, farmlands and a cutoff lake. The Tokachigawa river was straightened by 1945, and this also created farmlands and a lake. For 30 km from the estuary where the Ribetsugawa river flows in, the Tokachigawa river runs slowly without shallow bottoms, and the upper part of the river is rapids. On the dry riverbed areas within banks are grasslands and pastures with trees such as Salix, and herbs such as Artemisia montana, Phalaris arundinacea. Japanese Cranes and Red-necked Grebes nest in the wetland areas near the lake. During spring and autumn migration seasons, about 5,000 geese (White-fronted Goose, and Bean) stop over, and the White-tailed Eagle and the Steller's Sea Eagles winter here.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 5 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 85 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 5 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 5 |