Taigam Lake (28314)
Mongolia, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Taigam Lake
Central coordinates: Latitude: 46.3667, Longitude: 97.3667
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 1780 to 1780
Area of KBA (km2): 41.38403
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Taigam Lake (also known as Bayansan Lake) is a saline lake and located very close to Delger soum centre in Gobi-Altai aimag. The northwestern part of the lake is covered with dense tussocks of tall grass, while the rest is covered with short steppe and semi-desert vegetation.
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: Taigam Lake is an important site for Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus (VU) on migration (especially given the critical situation of the east Asian population of the species, which has declined to less than 100 birds). Other Globally Threatened species occurring at the site are Pallas’s Fish-eagle Haliaeetus leucoryphus (VU), Saker Falcon Falco cherrug (EN) and Relict Gull Larus relictus (VU). Nationally threatened species occurring there are Mute Swan Cygnus olor and Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus. Large numbers of waterfowl use the site during migration, including Greylag Goose Anser anser and Bar-headed Goose A. indicus. Taigam Lake supports more than 1% of the flyway populations of Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna, Ruddy Shelduck T. ferruginea and Common Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus. Non-bird biodiversity: The site is not known to have special significance for species other than birds.