Kauno Marios water reservoir & eastern coastal zone (238)
Lithuania, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2004
National site name: Kauno marios (Kauno marios ir rytine ju pakrante)
Central coordinates: Latitude: 54.8500, Longitude: 24.1333
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 40 to 70
Area of KBA (km2): 63.26215
Protected area coverage (%): 99.45
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This site covers the upper part of a reservoir used for generating hydroelectric power, and includes some islands as well as surrounding forests, swamps and meadows.
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: There are important numbers of breeding Botaurus stellaris and Alcedo atthis. Breeding species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Haliaeetus albicilla (1-2 pairs) and Crex crex (a few calling males). Other notable breeding species include Aythya ferina (min. 20 pairs) and Dendrocopos medius (min. 6 pairs).
Habitats
Land use: fisheries/aquaculture | forestry | nature conservation and research | tourism/recreation | water management
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 2 | |
| Grassland | 1 | |
| Forest | 16 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 81 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Due to hydropower generation, the water-levels of the reservoir fluctuate between day and night by as much as 0.5 m, although by less in summer. A serious impact on birds is predicted, although this has not yet been investigated.