Lakes Anony and Erombo (6597)
Madagascar, Africa

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2014

National site name: Lacs Anony et Erombo

Central coordinates: Latitude: -25.1340, Longitude: 46.5100

System: marine, terrestrial

Elevation (m): 0 to 100

Area of KBA (km²): 31.89043

KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: The two lakes are located on the southern coast of Madagascar, in the lower Mandrare valley, c.75 km from Tolagnaro. Lake Anony is brackish and tidal, being linked to the sea by a channel. Lake Erombo is shallow and dries up outside the rainy season. The surrounding vegetation is xerophilous bushland, which is dense on the northern and eastern banks of Lake Anony, with a canopy 4.5 m high dominated by Didierea and Alluaudia. In the west, between Anivorano and Antsavelo villages, the bush lies on old dunes, dominated by succulent bushes Euphorbia. Some baobabs Adansonia and Salvadora scrub also occur, and there is a vast industrial plantation of sisal Agave near the lake.

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. During the rainy season, Lake Erombo holds large numbers of waterbirds. Clumps of Euphorbia are the favourite habitat of Monticola imerinus. This is the only site in the region that is known to hold Tachybaptus pelzelnii. The bushland is a foraging area for forest birds. Many migratory Palearctic species have been recorded at the site.

Habitats

Land use: agriculture | fisheries/aquaculture | hunting

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Commercial fishing and hunting take place in the lower Mandrare valley. Phoenicopterus ruber is among the preferred quarry.

Additional information