Tombouctou (6607)
Mali, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2001
National site name: Tombouctou
Central coordinates: Latitude: 16.9167, Longitude: -3.0833
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 260 to 271
Area of KBA (km2): 1918.23555
Protected area coverage (%): 9.80
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The site lies immediately north of the town of Tombouctou in central Mali, on the Sahel–Sahara boundary. Provisional boundaries are defined by the rivers Tassakan and Niger from El Mensara to Korioumé, the track from Korioumé to Tombouctou, the Araouane road north from Tombouctou as far as its junction with the track to Râs-el-Mâ, near El Hajjou, then west towards Râs-el-Mâ as far as the administrative boundary between Tombouctou and Goundam Districts and from there south-south-east to El Mansara. The site includes cultivation and scrub woodland along the course of the Niger and its tributary the Tassakan, fixed dunes and ephemeral interdunal slacks. Parts of the site are sparsely vegetated with grasses and shrubs.
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. Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Desert | 21 | |
| Grassland | 77 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The site is affected by heavy grazing and the collection of fuelwood. Much riverine habitat has been cleared for agriculture.