Lake Abe wetland system (6242)
Ethiopia, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 1996
National site name: Lake Abe wetland system
Central coordinates: Latitude: 11.2667, Longitude: 41.7500
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 240 to 240
Area of KBA (km2): 852.79339
Protected area coverage (%): 7.73
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Awash river ends in a chain of saline lakes of which the largest are Gamari, Afambo, Bario and Abe. These all lie to the east of Asaita, the regional capital. Lake Afambo is about 30 km east of Asaita, and Lake Abe is on the eastern border with Djibouti, 600 km north-east of Addis Ababa. On the ground it is difficult to distinguish Lake Abe from Lake Afambo. Lake Abe comprises 34,000 ha of open water and 11,000 ha of the surrounding saltflats that can extend for 10 km from the edge of the water. Records give a maximum depth of 37 m (mean 8.6 m). However, the water-level is gradually dropping due to droughts and abstraction of water upstream. The Awash enters Lakes Abe and Afambo on their north-western shores and is the only source of fresh water for these lakes. Very little is known of the vegetation except that the surrounding shrubs and bushes are all highly salt-tolerant.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)
Additional biodiversity: See Box for key species. Only a small percentage of the site has been properly surveyed, but good numbers of many congregatory wetland species are known to use the area, including Dendrocygna viduata, Pelecanus onocrotalus, Ardeola ralloides, Bubulcus ibis, Egretta garzetta and Leptoptilos crumeniferus. The site is also an important staging point on the migration route to and from the Arabian peninsula, and thus is used by many Palearctic species both in spring and autumn. Such species include Acrocephalus griseldis, although its current status at the site is unknown. This area is known to support populations of a number of the Somali–Masai biome species Non-bird biodiversity: Gazella spekei (VU), Gazella dorcas (VU) and Dorcatragus megalotis (VU) all occur in the Lakes Abe and Afambo area.
Habitats
Land use: not utilised
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 48 | |
| Shrubland | 1 | |
| Grassland | 3 | |
| Desert | 5 | |
| Rocky Areas(e.g., inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | 40 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The main problem affecting this area is the development of irrigated farms further up the Awash valley leading to a reduced inflow of water and consequent reduction in the size of the lakes. The area is also being opened up with new roads that may attract more people with an inevitable impact on the ecology of the area.