Lac Horo (6611)
Mali, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2001
National site name: Lac Horo
Central coordinates: Latitude: 16.2167, Longitude: -3.9167
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 260 to 260
Area of KBA (km2): 24.13382
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Lac Horo is a semi-permanent wetland located 60 km south-west of the town of Goundam at the northern end of the Inner Delta of the Niger, some 20 km south-west of Lac Télé (site ML004), but not directly connected with it. Under natural conditions the lake retained flood water from the Niger throughout the dry season in years of good rainfall, but otherwise dried out completely by April. Now the lake is separated from the river by a dam and sluice gate through which the flow of water from the river is controlled. The sluice is opened in mid-November to allow flood water to fill the lake and closed again when the desired level is reached. The lake edges support beds of Typha sp. and Polygonum senegalensis and open water is colonized by Nymphaea sp. and Vossia cuspidata.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Additional biodiversity: See Box for key species. In addition, two species of the Sahel biome (A03) have been recorded from this site (see Table 2). Total counts of waterfowl made in nine years during the period 1972–1987 varied between 25,419 (1983) and 127,823 (1985). Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | fisheries/aquaculture | nature conservation and research | water management
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 22 | |
| Forest | 48 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 11 | |
| Shrubland | 18 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Lac Horo was designated a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention in 1987. The cultivation of millet over much of the area around the lake is bound to cause some disturbance to waterbirds and may make the site less attractive to waders, although Philomachus pugnax may prefer this man-modified habitat. In addition, the lake is fished and uncultivated parts of the margins are grazed.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Work & other activities | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Jones (1993), Skinner (1987).