Key Biodiversity Areas

Mochrum and Castle Lochs (2674)
United Kingdom, Europe

Site overview


KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Mochrum and Castle Lochs
Central coordinates: Latitude: 54.8470, Longitude: -4.6613
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 74 to 77
Area of KBA (km2): 4.5635
Protected area coverage (%): 99.79
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes

Site details


Site description: Two lochs, with associated wetlands and numerous islands, situated about 3 km from the coast of outer Wigtown Bay. These lochs hold the largest inland Phalacrocorax carbo colony in Great Britain. Sixty different bird species breed within the SSSI.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Delineation rationale: First identified in 1989; dropped in 1992, but reinstated in 2000. Digitised onto 1:50,000 scale OS maps.

Habitats


Land use: agriculture (30%) | water management (70%)
IUCN HabitatCoverage %Habitat detail
Wetlands(Inland)100