Wad Initi (6646)
Mauritania, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2001
National site name: Wad Initi
Central coordinates: Latitude: 17.5000, Longitude: -7.5000
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 300 to 320
0KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The site is a large sand-filled wadi near the ancient town of Oualâta. Situated in the Dahr Oualâta escarpment, it is a zone of lowland depressions and ephemeral wetlands on the plains, interspersed with permanent wells. The mountains contain deep permanent rock-pools or gueltas. The vegetation of the area includes Hyoscyamus muticus, Tamarix sp., Acacia raddiana, Capparis decidua, Leptadenia pyrotechnica, Maerua crassifolia, Salvadora persica, Balanites aegyptiaca, Panicum turgidum and Cenchrus biflorus.
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.
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: No information.