Mechka Fish-ponds (428)
Bulgaria, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2005
National site name: Ribarnitsi Mechka
Central coordinates: Latitude: 43.6755, Longitude: 25.6695
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 20 to 151
Area of KBA (km2): 27.38001
Protected area coverage (%): 94.19
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Fish-ponds overgrown with reeds, situated close to the bank of the River Danube. The aquatic vegetation is dominated by Phragmites, Trapa, Nymphaea, as well as by Typha in some places. In the western part of the ponds there is a seasonally flooded forest of Fraxinus, Tilia, Ulmus and Acer, as well as a small river fully overgrown with shrubs, acacia and grass. The ponds are surrounded by dry hills overgrown with acacia and steppe-like vegetation. Human activities includes fishery, reed-cutting (`Other' land-use, below), and hunting.
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: The ponds are of global importance for breeding and migrating Aythya nyroca, migrating Phalacrocorax pygmeus and wintering Pelecanus crispus, and are one of the most important sites in Bulgaria for breeding Ixobrychus minutus. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Anser erythropus (max. 1 in winter), Branta ruficollis (max. 20 in winter), Haliaeetus albicilla (1 breeding pair; 2-7 birds along river in winter), Aquila heliaca (max. 2 on passage), Acrocephalus paludicola (max. 1 on passage). Significant proportion (³1%) of national population breeding at site: Tadorna ferruginea (1 pair), Porzana pusilla (1 pair).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (16%) | fisheries/aquaculture (60%) | hunting (70%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 67 | |
| Grassland | 6 | |
| Artificial - Aquatic | 5 | |
| Forest | 13 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 10 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The main problems are reed-cutting and the drying-out of ponds during the breeding season.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target) | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Unintentional effects: large scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Gathering terrestrial plants | Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target) | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Other ecosystem modifications | Ongoing | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Droughts | Ongoing |