Lake Mahmudchala (171)
Azerbaijan, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1d, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2005
National site name: Mahmudçala
Central coordinates: Latitude: 39.4167, Longitude: 48.6667
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): -22 00
Area of KBA (km2): 84.18427
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A shallow saline lake (depth 0.5-2.0 m) with a few small islands. Reedbeds cover large parts of the lake, especially in the central and southern parts. There are some Tamarix groves (largely flooded) along the southern shore. The lake is surrounded by saltwort Salsola semi-desert in the south and cotton fields in the north; there are also some saltmarshes. The lake is rented by the Hunters' Society of Azerbaijan and sheep graze the edges.
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.
Additional biodiversity: This is an important site for breeding waterbirds, totalling 12,000-15,000 pairs. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Oxyura leucocephala (occasional in winter). Terns and shorebirds (including Charadrius alexandrinus and Chettusia leucura) also occur. Winter waterbird numbers range from 10,000 to 40,000, or more.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: There is a hunting farm of Azerbaijan Society of Hunting and Fishers. Surrounding lands use for agriculture.
Land use: agriculture | fisheries/aquaculture | hunting | rangeland/pastureland
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 80 | |
| Desert | 7 | |
| Shrubland | 7 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 7 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The main threat for this lake is sharp reduction of water level. The lake is need in good management plan. Pollution caused by pesticide run-off from cotton fields threatens both breeding and wintering birds. Threats also include intensive hunting, trampling of nests on islands by buffaloes grazing in water and the effects of fluctuating water-levels (dependent on watering of cotton fields further north) on the timing of breeding by Pelecaniformes and Ciconiiformes (`Other' threat, above). In supporting at least 20,000 waterbirds and at least 1% of the regional population of three species (Anas penelope, A. clypeata, Aythya ferina), the IBA qualifies for designation as a Ramsar Site.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Only in the past and unlikely to return |