Ili River Delta (20624)
Kazakhstan, Central Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Ili River Delta
Central coordinates: Latitude: 45.4167, Longitude: 74.8333
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 350 to 380
Area of KBA (km2): 5719.45363
Protected area coverage (%): 62.64
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Ily River enters Lake Balkash creating a delta approximately 817,000 hectares in extent (Zhatkanbayev 1991, 1994a). This area consists of an extensive network of river channels, bordered by dense riparian scrub,lakes of standing and running water, reedbeds and desert areas. The wetland area of ca 168,000 hectares is the largest in Kazakhstan (Zhatkanbayev 1991, 1994a).
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 almost completely natural area holds colonies of breeding Dalmatian and White Pelicans (Pelecanus onocrotalus), Spoonbills (Platalea leucorodia) Common, Little, Black and White-winged Black Terns (Sterna hirundo, Sterna albifrons, Chlidonias niger and C. leucopterus), Bitterns (Botaurus stellaris), White-headed Ducks and White-tailed Eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla). The area supports a complex of waterbird species typical of the wetlands of Central Asia. 82 species of non-passerines and 58 species of passerines were recorded by the 'Wings over Kazakhstan 1998' expedition during the breeding season of 1998 (Simon Busuttil et al.). Non-bird biodiversity: Typical vegetation: extensive beds of Phragmites, riparian woodlands of Populus diversifolia, Elaeagnus angustifolia, E. orientalis, Salix wilhelmsiana, S. songarica etc., Tamarix hispida, T. ramosissima, Halimodendron halodendron, with lianas - Clematis orientalis, Cinanchum sibiricum, Calystegia sepium. Typical mammals: Canis lupus, Vulpes vulpes, Sus scrofa, Capreolus sibirica, Ondatra zibetica, Citellus fulvus etc.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: Main types of use - small scale agriculture, fisheries, hunting, and use of water for irrigation. The current extent of the commercial fishery in the delta is relatively small and shouldn’t therefore have a significant impact on prey availability for pelicans. However the fishery on Lake Balkash close to the delta is better developed and growing rapidly as a consequence of the opening up of the fishery to the newly developing private sector.
Land use: agriculture (20%) | fisheries/aquaculture | hunting | nature conservation and research (50%) | tourism/recreation | water management
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 65 | |
| Grassland | 5 | |
| Forest | 5 | |
| Desert | 15 | |
| Shrubland | 10 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Burning is probably the major factor affecting pelicans, other colonial nesting wetland species and White-tailed Eagles. Local people (hunters, fishermen and farmers) burn areas of reed regularly (from every 3-4 years to annually or even more often) to destroy old growth and provide fresh areas for grazing, hunting of muskrat (Ondatra zibetica) and fishing. The burning is uncontrolled and occurs throughout the delta even in the wetter parts. The rice growing area upstream of the delta at Bakhbakty and Akdala has decreased in size since the economic changes engendered by the break-up of the USSR, but now it is increasing again. Large volumes of water are taken from the Ily River for irrigation; before 1990s, pesticide accumulation in pelicans was shown to be approaching lethal levels (A Zhatkanbayev 1990, 1994a). Pesticide usage appears to have fallen with the replacement of state collective farms by co-operatives formed by the farmers left economically stranded by the collapse of collective farming, but the situation should be monitored. Other threats - illegal hunting and disturnance by fishermen, including sport fishing, as well as overgrazing (especially in the riparian forests), illegal cutting of trees.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Unintentional effects: large scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Motivation Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use | Abstraction of surface water (agricultural use) | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression | Increase in fire frequency/intensity | Ongoing |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing | |
| Residential & commercial development | Tourism & recreation areas | Ongoing | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Droughts | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Busuttil, S., et al. (1998). Wings over Kazakhstan 1998 – an ornithological survey of globally threatened species, Kazakhstan. (Report to RSPB. Unpublished). The Red Data Book of Kazakstan. Vol 1. Part 1. Third Edition (1996) (In Russian). Dolgushin, I.A. (1960) [Birds of the Kazakstan. Vol 1] Alma-Ata: Izdatyelstvo Acad. Sci. of Kazak SSR [Publishers of Acad. Sci. of Kazak SSR]. (In Russian). Shnitnikov, V.N. (1949) [Birds of Semirech'e] Moscow - Leningrad: Izdatyelstvo of Acad. Sci. of USSR [Publishers of Acad. Sci. Of USSR]. (In Russian). Shtegman, B.K. (1952) [The history of the creation of the Ile River delta] Geographical anthology. Moscow 1952 (1). (In Russian). Zhatkanbayev, A.Zh. (1990) Persistent pesticides in the ecology of pelicans (Kazakstan, USSR). Pp.347 in Abstracts of the V International Congress of Ecology. Yokohama, August, 23-30, 1990, Japan. Zhatkanbayev, A.Zh. (1991) [The ecology of Dalmatian and white pelicans in the Ile River Delta.] Pp.18-28. in [Rare birds and mammals of Kazakstan (Materials to the second edition of the Red Data Book of Kazak SSR).] Alma-Ata: Izdatyelstvo 'Ghylym' of Kazak SSR [Publishers of Science of Kazak SSR]. (In Russian). Zhatkanbayev, A.Zh. (1993a) The present state of pelican populations (Pelecanus onocrotalus and P. crispus) in Kazakstan in The Bulletin of the British Ornithologist's Club 1994 114(3) Zhatkanbayev, A.Zh. (1994a) Some aspects of the ecology of Pelecanus crispus and P. onocrotalus in the Ile Delta,Kazakstan. Pp.91-95. in Pelicans in the former USSR. IWRB Publ.27 Ed A.J.Crivelli, V.G.Krivenko and V.G. Vinogradov Zhatkanbayev, A.Zh. (1994b) The present state of pelican populations (Pelecanus onocrotalus and P. crispus) in Kazakstan. Pp. 202-205. In The Bulletin of the British Ornithologist's Club 1994 114(3) Zhatkanbayev, A.Zh. (1994c) Present status of pelicans in the Ile Delta, Kazakstan pp 60 - 63 in Pelicans in the former USSR Ed A.J.Crivelli, V.G.Krivenko and V.G. Vinogradov