Far Waamo (6879)
Somalia, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2001
National site name: Far Waamo
Central coordinates: Latitude: 0.4000, Longitude: 42.2667
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 100
Area of KBA (km2): 2691.41525
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Far Waamo, also known as Dhesheeg Waamo, principally comprises a forest–savanna mosaic surrounding a semi-perennial, shallow, freshwater wetland. The site is located to the south-east of Laag Dheere (site SO022) in the triangular-shaped area of land between the Jubba river to the east and the valley of the lower reaches of Laag Dheere, immediately north of their (intermittent) confluence. Near either end of the base of this inverted triangle lie the towns of Jilib and Afmadow. The wetland area covers c.10,000 ha at its maximum extent and is supplied by Laag Dheere and also occasionally by floodwaters from the river Jubba. Following periods of flooding, water recedes to leave large areas of exposed mud which are particularly attractive to waders. The shoreline is bordered by bushland, some areas of cultivation and Typha beds.
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 and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. In December 1984, counts of only part of the wetland area recorded c.25,000 waterbirds, including Pelecanus onocrotalus, Ardea melanocephala, A. goliath, Bubulcus ibis, Ardeola ralloides, Ixobrychus minutus, Plegadis falcinellus, Platalea alba, Phoenicopterus ruber, Anas hottentota, Himantopus himantopus, Charadrius hiaticula, C. pecuarius, Limosa limosa, Philomachus pugnax, Tringa stagnatilis, T. nebularia, T. glareola, Calidris minuta and C. ferruginea. Afmadow is the only locality in Somalia for Plocepasser donaldsoni, Pseudonigrita arnaudi and Passer eminbey. Non-bird biodiversity: The mammals Loxodonta africana (EN), Diceros bicornis (CR) and Giraffa camelopardalis (LR/cd) occur, or used to do so.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The area has been proposed as a Wildlife Reserve. It is widely used by pastoralists and farmers practising flood-recession agriculture.