Riksu coast (287)
Estonia, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2003
National site name: Riksu rannik
Central coordinates: Latitude: 58.1833, Longitude: 22.0667
System: marine, terrestrial
Area of KBA (km2): 16.95123
Protected area coverage (%): 98.25
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A complex of shallow (<4 m) sea bays on the western coast of Saaremaa island, with small offshore islets, vast coastal meadows, saltmarshes and a shallow lake. The main economic activities are fishing and grazing of sheep and cattle.
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.
Additional biodiversity: Riksu coast is an important staging area for migrating Branta leucopsis.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (20%) | fisheries/aquaculture (70%) | forestry (2%) | hunting | nature conservation and research (99%) | tourism/recreation
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Neritic | 69 | |
| Shrubland | 6 | |
| Forest | 2 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 4 | |
| Grassland | 13 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 6 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Threats are posed by unsustainable hunting, tourism, overgrowth of coastal meadows by reed Phragmites as a result of undergrazing, and intensive fishing. Research involves monitoring of migrating and wintering waterbirds.