Key Biodiversity Areas

Lahepera lake (295)
Estonia, Europe

Site overview


KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2003
National site name: Lahepera järv
Central coordinates: Latitude: 58.5667, Longitude: 27.2167
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 30 to 30
Area of KBA (km2): 2.57091
Protected area coverage (%): 99.12
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes

Site details


Site description: A shallow lake with reedbeds on the western shore of Lake Peipsi in eastern Estonia. The main economic activity is fishing.
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: An important staging and breeding area for several waterbird species. Significant proportion (³1%) of national population breeding at site: Larus minutus (50-60 pairs).

Habitats


Land use: agriculture (2%) | fisheries/aquaculture (35%) | forestry (1%) | nature conservation and research (100%) | tourism/recreation
IUCN HabitatCoverage %Habitat detail
Artificial - Terrestrial1
Wetlands(Inland)97
Forest1

Threats


Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Major threats are posed by intensive fishing, unsustainable hunting, and tourism. Research involves monitoring of migrating waterbirds.