Vadehavet (Wadden Sea) (2968)
Denmark, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2000
National site name: Vadehavet
Central coordinates: Latitude: 55.2667, Longitude: 8.5333
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 1
Area of KBA (km2): 701.87692
Protected area coverage (%): 99.72
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Wadden Sea is characterized by intertidal mud and sandflats between the mainland and the barrier islands. The flats are traversed by deeper water channels. There are coastal marshes grazed by sheep and cattle and reclaimed coastal marshland behind the dykes with permanent grass and some arable land.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Additional biodiversity: An extremely important staging area: at least 20 waterbird species congregate in internationally important numbers in winter or on passage, totalling hundreds of thousands of birds. Circus aeruginosus, C. pygargus, Recurvirostra avosetta, Philomachus pugnax, Sterna hirundo, S. paradisaea and S. albifrons, listed on Annex I of the EC Birds Directive, breed at the site, some in large numbers.
Delineation rationale: Type 1 marine IBA: suitable for the seaward extension approach. Type 2 marine IBA: non-breeding (coastal) congregations.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Intertidal | 25 | |
| Marine Neritic | 75 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Intentional use: large scale (species being assessed is the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Problematic native species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Domestic & urban waste water | Sewage | Ongoing |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing |