Orsoya Fish-ponds (417)
Bulgaria, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2005
National site name: Ribarnitsi Orsoya
Central coordinates: Latitude: 43.7908, Longitude: 23.0853
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 30 to 39
Area of KBA (km2): 4.75448
Protected area coverage (%): 99.64
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The former Orsoya marshes, on the bank of the River Danube, which have been converted to fish-ponds and overgrown by stands of Phragmites and Typha. In deep parts of the ponds there are water-lilies Nymphoides and Nymphaea. The ponds are surrounded by meadows, scrub and trees. Land-uses include fish-farming, haymaking, and hunting.
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: This site is important for species of global conservation concern (Aythya nyroca and Phalacrocorax pygmeus), and supports large numbers of breeding Ixobrychus minutus. Breeding species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Crex crex (uncommon).
Habitats
Land use: fisheries/aquaculture (60%) | hunting (70%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 5 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 70 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 5 | |
| Grassland | 20 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The main problem is the cutting and burning of reedbeds during the breeding season.