Zholdyrbas Lake (20682)
Uzbekistan, Central Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1c, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2006
National site name: Zholdyrbas Lake
Central coordinates: Latitude: 43.4975, Longitude: 59.8175
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 50 to 50
Area of KBA (km2): 293.73078
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The lake is situated in a former gulf of the Aral Sea at the mouth of the Kazakhdar’ya river. The water is brackish. In addition to river water, the site is also fed by thermal springs. A large dam which will separate the lake from the former sea is under construction. The water level in the lake has substantially stabilized. The lake is rather shallow, consisting of hundreds of open water area of different size and extensive reedbeds. On the shore there are large thickets of tamarisk. Soils are saline and sandy. A state forestry and hunting farm is located on the site and fishing and hunting are actively carried out. The lake is rather remote, the nearest settlement, Kazakhdar’ya, is situated 30 km away. However, during floods, it is necessary to travel 80-90 km to reach the site.
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 a large system of reservoirs with a rich fauna of waterbirds. All of the main species of reedbeds and shallow lakes breed: Phalacrocoraх carbo, Phalacrocoraх pygmaeus, Ardeidae, Platalea leucorodia, Plegadis falcinellus, Fulica atra, Anatidae. The rich fauna of wetland Passeriformes includes Remiz macronyx, Panurus biarmicus, Acrocephalus sp., and Locustella luscinioides. Of waders only Himantopus himantopus, Vanellus leucura and Charadrius alexandrinus nest, but on migration about 40 species of waders have been recorded. Predatory birds include Circus aeruginosus (numerous) and many Haliaeetus albicilla occur on migration and in winter. Zholdurbas lake is an unique place in Uzbekistan where Botaurus stellaris regularly nests. Non-bird biodiversity: There are numerous commercially-traded mammals: Sus scrofa, Canis aureus, Felis libyca and Ondatra zibethicus. In the large thickets of tamarisk are numerous Lepus capensis tolai and Vulpes vulpes. Gazella subgutturosa is common, with breeding females with young noted. Being part of the former bed of the Aral Sea, the terrestrial fauna is rather poor.
Delineation rationale: Coordinates and area of this IBA were calculated with ArcGIS.
Habitats
Land use: fisheries/aquaculture (70%) | hunting (100%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Desert | 10 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 70 | |
| Shrubland | 20 |
Threats
| 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) | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression | Increase in fire frequency/intensity | Only in the future |
| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use | Large dams | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Unintentional effects: large scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Nomadic grazing | Ongoing |
| Climate change & severe weather | Droughts | Only in the future |
Additional information
References: Materials of field researches in August 2005 and June 2006. IBA project Field researches and processing of humeral bones, collected on Zholdirbas during autumn hunting in 2003-2004.