Kokoro wetland (6721)
Niger, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2001
National site name: Kokoro wetland
Central coordinates: Latitude: 14.2000, Longitude: 0.9000
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 250 to 250
Area of KBA (km2): 15.90586
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Kokoro wetland lies 150 km north-west of Niamey and 30 km north-east of Téra, next to the village of Kokoro and 10 km west of Namga wetland (site NE004). It is a large, shallow (0.5–1.0 m), wetland occupying part of an ancient valley surrounded by sand-dunes, some granite outcrops of Precambrian age and flat-topped hills carved from Tertiary sediments. It is a semi-permanent wetland, containing water 7–12 months of the year. At its greatest extent it is 13 km long and occupies 2,100 ha. Between 1961–1990 annual rainfall at Kokoro averaged approximately 380 mm. However, total rainfall at Kokoro varies enormously from year to year, which affects the size of the wetland (700–1,800 ha at the times of the waterbird censuses). Historically, the valley probably fed into the Niger river, from which it is now blocked at its eastern end by sand-dunes. The water of the wetland is brackish and of neutral pH, with low levels of nitrogen and high levels of phosphorus in the very sandy sediment. The substrate at the southern end contains a lot of clay and is vegetated mostly with Ludwigia adscendens. There is also some Typha sp. in the south-east. The northern end is quite sandy and covered by e.g. Echinochloa obtusifolia and Cyperus distans. The relatively small amounts of deeper, open water contain water-lilies Nymphaea lotus and N. caerulea. At the western end there is a tree-covered flood-plain several kilometres in length, where Acacia nilotica is the most common species. Smaller areas of flood-plain with trees are also found at the eastern end and fringing the southern margin.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Additional biodiversity: See Box for key species. Waterbird counts made in January–February 1994–1998 and April 1997 are the only known ornithological data. Coverage was usually only partial, except when the water-level was very low. In total, 44 species of waterbird have been recorded. In January 1999 the total count was 50,191. In addition to those listed below, other notable counts include 1,000 Dendrocygna bicolor in February 1996, 2,500 Dendrocygna viduata in February 1995, 889 Plectropterus gambensis in February 1997, 251 Plegadis falcinellis in February 1995, and up to 440 Sarkidiornis melanotos and 257 Himantopus himantopus in February 1996. In addition, two Circus macrourus were seen in February 1997. Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | fisheries/aquaculture
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 75 | |
| Grassland | 25 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: In 2001, Kokoro wetland was designated as a Ramsar Site. The wetland is owned by the government, but may be used by the local population under supervision. Towards the end of the dry season the wetland virtually becomes a flooded meadow, used heavily by cattle. Livestock increase the nutrient loading of the wetland and the phosphorus content of the sediments is relatively high. There is little doubt that this increases the primary and secondary production of the wetland, but whether this is leading to eutrophication is not clear. Livestock also affect the vegetation through grazing or overgrazing and trampling. The wetland is also fished using cast nets and fixed lines. The lake was stocked with fish in 1986, but only Protopterus annectens remains. Expansion of agricultural activities along the borders may be a future threat, but there is, at present, little sign of this. Similarly, the limited amount of collection of natural products does not appear to be having much impact. Sand-dunes threaten the wetland at its northern border and have been the target of a dune-fixation programme. Hunting could become a problem although, as at many wetlands, the local population discourages hunting by outsiders. Kokoro and Namga (site NE004) wetlands will be the subject of an integrated wetland management and development project, as part of a GEF-financed migratory waterbird project for the African-Eurasian flyway.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Small-holder farming | Only in the future |
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Other ecosystem modifications | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Brouwer and Mullié (1995), Hirigoyen (1989), Mullié and Brouwer (1994a,b), Mullié et al. (1999).