Port-Bergé Wetlands NPA and extension (6542)
Madagascar, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2014
National site name: NAP Zone Humide de Port-Bergé et extension
Central coordinates: Latitude: -15.4167, Longitude: 47.7333
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 50 to 80
Area of KBA (km2): 1406.82662
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This vast complex of wetlands lies on the flood-plain of the Bemarivo river, and includes water-bodies near Mahajamba (Lakes Andranolava, Mafana and Faly, and the Bekapila flood-plain), water-bodies near Port-Bergé (Lakes Besisika, Matsaborifanjava, Ampahaka and Ampombitika-Bezanadaoka—the only large and deep lake—and the Sofia river), and Lake Bekatra near Antsohihy. Lake-margin vegetation includes beds of Cyperus and reed Phragmites. Agriculture predominates in between the wetlands, particularly rice-fields, but there are also areas of dense, dry deciduous forest, savanna (sometimes with palms Bismarckia), and areas dominated by the non-native bush Mimosa pudica.
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) KBA identified in the CEPF Ecosystem Profile of the Madagascar and Indian Ocean Islands Hotspot (2014). Taxonomy, nomenclature and threat status follow the 2013 IUCN Red List.
Additional biodiversity: See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. Sixty-eight species are known from the site, of which 14 are endemic to Madagascar. A nesting colony of Mycteria ibis is known from the region, and other species such as Ardea humbloti may nest locally.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 50 | |
| Forest | 50 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Wild duck, e.g. Dendrocygna viduata and D. bicolor, are regularly hunted. The conversion of lake-margins to rice-fields also constitutes a threat.
Additional information
References: Evans et al. (1994).