Douz Laâla (6957)
Tunisia, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1d
Year of last assessment: 2001
National site name: Douz Laâla
Central coordinates: Latitude: 33.4667, Longitude: 8.9667
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 30 to 50
Area of KBA (km2): 0.16754
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Douz Laala is a small thickly vegetated depression, immediately to the south of Snam (site TN041), surrounded by oases and agricultural fields and bounded to the west by fixed sand-dunes. The water is fresh to brackish, and derives from drainage from the surrounding oasis and from winter rainfall, varying in depth, from c.1 m in winter to less than 30 cm in summer. The dominant plants are Phragmites communis, Tamarix africana and Juncus species.
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. See under Ghidma (site TN042) for the ornithological importance of the small oasis wetlands near Douz. This site, with its thick vegetation, holds many of the species typical of the Douz oases. Waterbirds recorded include Tachybaptus ruficollis, Egretta garzetta, Tadorna tadorna, Aythya nyroca, Fulica atra, Porphyrio porphyrio, Himantopus himantopus and Charadrius alexandrinus. Between 5–10 pairs of Aythya nyroca were recorded breeding here in 1996. Many passerines, such as Locustella luscinioides and Acrocephalus scirpaceus, occur on spring migration and may stay to breed. In addition, six species of the Sahara–Sindian biome have been recorded at this site (see Table 2). Non-bird biodiversity: Both Gazella dorcas (VU) and G. leptoceros (EN) have been recorded.
Habitats
Land use: hunting
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The site is privately owned and unprotected. Hunting of waterbirds, particularly ducks, and cutting of reeds are the main threats.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |
| Transportation & service corridors | Roads & railroads | Ongoing | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Droughts | Only in the future |
Additional information
References: Gaultier (1988a), Hughes et al. (1997).