Pink Lake (Esperance) (26313)
Australia, Australasia

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Global KBA criteria: D1a

Year of last assessment: 2009

National site name: Pink Lake (Esperance)

Central coordinates: Latitude: -33.8420, Longitude: 121.8283

System: marine, terrestrial

Elevation (m): 0 to 10

Area of KBA (km²): 10.37634

Protected area coverage (%): 0.08

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: The IBA consists of Pink Lake, a coastal brine lake located approximately 6 km west of Esperance in south-western Western Australia. It is 1 km south-west of Lake Warden IBA. The Esperance region experience a temperate Mediterranean-type climate with warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. Pink Lake is inundated by surface inflow and groundwater. The lake is near-permanent with infrequent periods of drying in autumn. The bed of the lake is formed of silt and clay above underlying siltstone, claystone and sandstone. The waters of the lake sustain high concentrations of the salt-tolerant algae Dunaliella salina, the presence of which renders the lake a pinkish colour, and the cyanobacterium Microcoleus vaginatus. The margins of the lake support samphire vegetation including at least one species of Halosarcia. A small commercial salt-field consisting of eight salt evaporation ponds is located in the north-eastern section of the lake and sometimes supports Hooded Plovers. A buffer of native vegetation more than 1 km wide occurs in south-west parts of the site, but narrower elsewhere; this vegetation has supported some restricted-range species.

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: At least 14 species of bird waterbird occur at Pink Lake (Atlas of Australian Birds Database). Non-bird biodiversity: A single invertebrate species, a protozoan in the genus Cladostricha, has been recorded at the lake (Handley 1991).

Other site values: Crown Land managed by state government (Department of Environment and Conservation and Department for Planning and Infrastructure) and local government; and private (leasehold) land managed by WA Salt Supply. No access to commercial salt works.

Habitats

Land use: energy production and mining | nature conservation and research | not utilised

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Artificial - Aquatic	4
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	96

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Monitor the impact of vehicular access on the numbers of birds. Monitor any expansion of the salt works.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases	Named species	Ongoing
Pollution	Domestic & urban waste water	Type Unknown/Unrecorded	Ongoing
Pollution	Agricultural & forestry effluents	Nutrient loads	Only in the future
Energy production & mining	Mining & quarrying		Only in the future
Human intrusions & disturbance	Recreational activities		Ongoing

Additional information

References: Bureau of Meteorology (2007) Climate of Esperance. Downloaded from http://www.bom.gov.au/weather/wa/esperance/climate.shtml in November 2007. DEWHA (2008) A Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia. Pink Lake - WA029. Downloaded from http://www.environment.gov.au/water/publications/environmental/wetlands/database/ in November 2007. Esperance Visitor Centre (2007) Natural Attractions. Downloaded from http://www.visitesperance.com/visitesperance.asp in November 2007. Handley, M.A. (1991) The Biota of Inland Salt Lakes of the Kambalda Region and Coastal Salt Lakes of Esperance, Western Australia - a Comparative Study. Dissertation for Bachelor of Applied Science, Curtin University of Technology. Newbey, B.J. (1996) Report on Hooded Plover Project June 1994 to March 1996 RAOU (WA Group). Supplement to Western Australian Bird Notes 79. Singor, M. (1999) Hooded Plover Report No. 2 1996-1999. Supplement to Western Australian Bird Notes 90.