Aguelhok (6606)
Mali, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2001
National site name: Aguelhok
Central coordinates: Latitude: 19.0833, Longitude: 1.1833
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 350 to 600
Area of KBA (km2): 8414.38504
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The site lies immediately to the south of the town of Aguelhok in the south-western foothills of the Adrar des Iforhas (or Ifôghas), towards the northern end of the Tilemsi valley in the north-east of the country. Provisional boundaries run east from just south of Aguelhok to Adrar Ichoualen, south-west to Oued Hamoum, west through Oued Ibdeken across the Tilemsi valley turning north to Asler and thence to the southern edge of the scarps of Kreb Terech and so east back towards Aguelhok. It thus encompasses areas of stark, rocky hills, sheer cliffs, regs, hamadas, sand desert and, in parts of the Tilemsi valley, alluvial soils which, depending upon rainfall, support annual grasslands.
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 and Table 2 for key species. It is likely that further surveys would reveal more species characteristic of the Sahara–Sindian biome. Non-bird biodiversity: The mammals Addax nasomaculatus (CR) and Ammotragus lervia (VU) used to occur and some of the latter may do so still. The flora is a mixture of Saharan and Sahelian species and may contain Saharo montane endemics.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Desert | 80 | |
| Grassland | 1 | |
| Rocky Areas(e.g., inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | 17 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Overgrazing and fuelwood-collection is a problem in the more vegetated areas of the Tilemsi valley.