Lake Ohrid and surrounding area (2900)
Albania, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2016
National site name: Liqeni i Ohrit
Central coordinates: Latitude: 40.9826, Longitude: 20.6734
Elevation (m): 750 to 750
Area of KBA (km2): 110.67098
Protected area coverage (%): 99.40
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A large freshwater lake shared with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (site 005); its total area is 34,800 ha. The lake has deep waters and stony shores with no reedbeds or other emergent vegetation. On the Albanian side all the surrounding area is cultivated, mainly with corn and wheat. The lake is used for many purposes, of which fisheries are the most important.
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. KBA identified in the CEPF Ecosystem Profile of the Mediterranean Hotspot (2017). Taxonomy, nomenclature and global threat category follow the 2016 IUCN Red List.
Additional biodiversity: This is an important site for wintering waterfowl, the most numerous species being Fulica atra. Counts were carried out in 1995 and 1996 (numbers given refer to waterfowl numbers for the Albanian part of the lake only); 31,000 individuals (19 species) in 1995, 46,000 individuals (17 species) in January 1996 and 28,018 individuals (17 species) in 1997.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (5%) | fisheries/aquaculture (85%) | forestry (5%) | hunting (10%) | tourism/recreation (5%) | urban/industrial/transport (5%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 10 | |
| Forest | 5 | |
| Shrubland | 5 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 81 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The shores of Lake Ohrid are degraded, mainly as a result of cattle-grazing and the close proximity of a road. These factors mean that breeding possibilities for waterbirds are minimal along the whole shore. The lake is a proposed World Heritage Site. With an age of 2-4 million years, this is one of the most ancient lakes in the world, harbouring many endemic species among its aquatic fauna.