Boon Tsagaan Lake (16330)
Mongolia, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Boon Tsagaan Lake
Central coordinates: Latitude: 45.5833, Longitude: 99.1833
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 1312 to 1384
Area of KBA (km2): 430.77847
Protected area coverage (%): 84.45
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Boon Tsagaan Lake is located in Baatsagaan soum. It receives water from the Baidrag River. The lake lies between Ikh Bogd Mountain in the south and the semi-desert steppe of the Gobi Lakes valley in the north. The lake is frozen from December until late April. There is a large area of saxaul forest along the southern shore of the lake, whereas bushy steppe is common in the north. In the southeast, there is a small lake surrounded by dense reeds and tall grasses. This location is called Myangan Shuvuunii Aral (Thousand Bird Island) by locals, because of the high number of birds breeding there. Nomadic animal grazing is the main land use. The site is considered to be suitable for the development of recreation and ecotourism. Pressures include grazing and trampling of lakeside reed beds, and poorly managed tourism. The water level of the lake has fallen as a result of drought. Boon Tsagaan Lake is located within the Valley of Lakes Ramsar Site.
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)
Additional biodiversity: Globally Threatened species using the site are Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus (VU), Swan Goose Anser cygnoides (EN), Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis undulata (EN), Pallas’s Fish-eagle Haliaeetus leucoryphus (VU) and Relict Gull Larus relictus (VU). The site supports an assemblage of species restricted to the Eurasian steppe and desert biome. The site regularly supports at least 1% of the flyway populations of Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo and Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna. Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus, White Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia, Greylag Goose Anser anser, Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea, Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina and Demoiselle Crane Anthropoides virgo possibly also reach the 1% threshold. Tens of thousands of Pallas’s Sandgrouse Syrrhaptes paradoxus occur in autumn. Non-bird biodiversity: Several rare mammal species occur at the site, including Mongolian Gazelle Procapra gutturosa and Goitered Gazelle Gazella subgutturosa (VU). Also Saiga Saiga tatarica (CR) is occasionally recorded. Two nationally threatened species of fi sh, Lake Osman Oreoleuciscus angusticephalus and Small Osman O. humilis inhabit in the lake.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Desert | 50 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 50 |