Plains of Mareta-Hoya de la Yegua (1976)
Spain, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2011
National site name: Llanos de las Maretas - Hoya de la Yegua (El Rubicón)
Central coordinates: Latitude: 28.9000, Longitude: -13.8333
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 100
Area of KBA (km2): 33.38405
Protected area coverage (%): 69.92
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: An area of scrub, steppe-grassland and sea cliffs on the south-west tip of Lanzarote. Human activities include livestock-farming and residential use.
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: This is an important area for Chlamydotis undulata and other steppic birds.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (26%) | hunting (26%) | military | tourism/recreation (26%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | 22 | |
| Desert | 26 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 26 | |
| Grassland | 26 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Threats include soil extraction, habitat fragmentation due to new roads and powerlines, and disturbance to birds caused by jeep-safaris. The area is a game refuge. The local government has undertaken four censuses of Chlamydotis undulata since 1979, and monitoring of the impacts of electric powerlines on birds takes place.