Îles Kerkennah (6943)
Tunisia, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2016
National site name: Îles Kerkennah
Central coordinates: Latitude: 34.7157, Longitude: 11.1727
Elevation (m): 0 to 13
Area of KBA (km2): 153.33086
Protected area coverage (%): 19.70
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Kerkennah islands form an archipelago, 20 km east of the town of Sfax, in the tidal Gulf of Gabès. The archipelago is composed of two main islands, Chergui and Gharbi, and 12 smaller ones. Relief is low; the highest point is only 13 m above sea-level. Common plant species include Phoenix dactylifera, Nitraria nitraria, Salicornia radicans, Imperata cylindrica and Zygophyllum album.
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. KBA identified in the CEPF Ecosystem Profile of the Mediterranean Hotspot (2017). Taxonomy, nomenclature and global threat category follow the 2016 IUCN Red List.
Additional biodiversity: See Box and Table 2 for key species. See under Kneiss (site TN032) for a general presentation of the ornithological importance of the Gulf of Gabès. The Kerkennah archipelago is an important wintering area for Phalacrocorax carbo and gulls and terns, including Larus genei, L. fuscus, L. cachinnans, Sterna caspia and S. sandvicensis. Species that breed on the islands include Falco tinnunculus, Cursorius cursor, Merops apiaster and Lanius excubitor. In addition, the islands are an important stop-over site each spring and autumn for hundreds of thousands of migrant passerines. Non-bird biodiversity: The gerbil Gerbillus simoni zakariai is endemic to Kerkennah.
Delineation rationale: Type 2 marine IBA: non-breeding (coastal) congregations.
Habitats
Land use: hunting
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 100 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The islands threatened by erosion by the sea, particularly if sea-levels rise.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Marine & freshwater aquaculture | Scale Unknown/Unrecorded | Only in the future |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |
| Residential & commercial development | Tourism & recreation areas | Only in the future | |
| Energy production & mining | Oil & gas drilling | Only in the future | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Droughts | Only in the future |
Additional information
References: Association Les Amis des Oiseaux and Medmaravis (1995), Association Les Amis des Oiseaux (2000), Azafzaf (1999b , 2000), Gaultier (1981, 1986, 1988b), Hughes et al. (1997), Maamouri and Hugues (1991), Ministère de l’Agriculture, Direction Générale des Forêts (2000), Nouira (1986, 1992), Oueslati (1995), Thomsen and Jacobsen (1979), Waechter (1980).