Shcherbakty Lakes (21904)
Kazakhstan, Central Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1c
Year of last assessment: 2006
National site name: Shcherbakty Lakes
Central coordinates: Latitude: 51.3500, Longitude: 78.2500
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 145 to 166
Area of KBA (km2): 29.2846
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The IBA consists of a group of 3 lakes to the west and south-west of Scherbakty village (by the shore of the lake of the same name), in Lebyazinskiy district. The first is 2 km to the west and the last, and most remote, is 6 km to the south. Overall the lake complex extends over a distance of 10 km. The approximate area occupied by the lakes is 2.7 x 1.3 km (maximum 3.2 x 1.8 km,), 1.2 x 0.5 km (1.4 x 0.7 km), and 2.8 x 1.7 km (3.2 x 2.2 km). The lakes are closed, bitter-salty in separate natural depressions with poorly developed littoral vegetation. Only on the eastern bank of the southerly lake is there any substantial growth of reeds, forming a system of inlets and spits. The surrounding landscape is primarily abandoned crop fields with patches of trees.
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: The site supports a small breeding waterbird community but is important during migration as a stopover site.
Other site values: Mixed - partly state, partly private (farmers).
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: Moderate grazing by cattle, sheep and horses over 10-15% of the area. A minor part of the area (less than 5%) are cereal fields.
Land use: agriculture | rangeland/pastureland (15%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | 1 | |
| Forest | 1 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 78 | |
| Grassland | 20 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Possible threats are disturbance and hunting during autumn migration. Currently these occur at a moderate scale, with no or an imperceptible impact.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Small-holder farming | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Motivation Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Transportation & service corridors | Roads & railroads | Ongoing | |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Work & other activities | Ongoing |