Dar es Salaam coast (6984)
Tanzania, Africa

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2004

National site name: Dar es Salaam coast

Central coordinates: Latitude: -6.8333, Longitude: 39.3167

System: marine, terrestrial

Area of KBA (km²): 399.23443

Protected area coverage (%): 6.70

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: The city of Dar es Salaam sits on a natural harbour backed by low hills. The IBA runs from the open bay of Ras Kiramoni in the north, up to and including Ndege Beach, to Ras Ndege, east of Mbwamaji village—a total length of 40 km. The inland limit of the site is the high-tide mark, but this is extended in places to include mangroves and salt-workings. To the seaward side the site extends out to the 12 km international limit. This allows inclusion of important feeding grounds for several seabirds which rarely venture inshore of the coral reef. Within the IBA are tidal mudflats, river inlets, saltpans, extensive mangroves, coastal thicket and several offshore islands which create a remarkably diverse coastal environment. With a tidal range of nearly four metres, up to 25 km² of exposed sand and mud can be available to birds at low tide.

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. KBA identified in the process of compiling the 2003 CEPF Ecosystem Profile of the Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal Forests Hotspot (which was later [in 2005] split into two Hotspots, the East Afromontane and the Coastal Forests of Eastern Africa). Species taxonomy and threat category was based on IUCN Red List 2002.

Additional biodiversity: See Box for key species. A total of 457 species have been recorded from the site. The area is of major importance to migratory waders from northern Eurasia, supporting about 30,000 birds. This includes large numbers of Calidris ferruginea, Calidris minuta and Pluvialis squatarola. Large flocks of some species, notably Tringa nebularia and Charadrius mongolus, are a feature of the return migration to northern latitudes during March and April. The only local population of Egretta ardesiaca feeds at Msasani Bay and probably breed in the freshwater swamps adjacent to the now defunct Msasani saltpans, an area of low-lying land unsuitable for building which is, nonetheless, rapidly being urbanized. The offshore island of Mbudya provides safe nest-sites for Platalea alba, Egretta dimorpha and Threskiornis aethiopicus. Sterna dougallii bred on islets off the harbour entrance in the 1960s. There are populations of an Acrocephalus warbler on the offshore islands that may not be Acrocephalus scirpaceus. Records of Acrocephalus griseldis suggest that several winter in coastal scrub near Mbezi Beach and Jangwani Beach wherever there is thick cover and a source of fresh water. Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.

Delineation rationale: Type 2 marine IBA: non-breeding (coastal) congregations.

Habitats

Land use: urban/industrial/transport

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	5
Marine Neritic	45
Forest	5
Marine Intertidal	45

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Virtually the whole of the inner harbour from Kurasini to Mtoni was until, quite recently, lined with protective mangroves and supported sizeable populations of waterbirds. It is now badly polluted and degraded. The mangroves of Msimbazi Creek have been largely cleared and are subject to uncontrolled pollution from such areas as the Muhimbili Hospital complex. Remaining mangrove forests should be fully protected and an effort made to rehabilitate those now degraded.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Pollution	Domestic & urban waste water	Type Unknown/Unrecorded	Ongoing
Residential & commercial development	Housing & urban areas		Ongoing
Human intrusions & disturbance	Work & other activities		Ongoing
Transportation & service corridors	Roads & railroads		Ongoing
Energy production & mining	Mining & quarrying		Ongoing

Additional information