email a friend
printable version
CN274
Cao Hai Nature Reserve
Location China (mainland), Guizhou
Central coordinates 104o 15.00' East  26o 50.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A4i, A4iii
Area 12,000 ha
Altitude 2,020 - 2,854m
Year of IBA assessment 2009





Site description Located in the west of Weining County. Cao Hai is a freshwater lake at 2,170 m, with a rich growth of water plants in the lake, and marshes and meadows.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus unknown  2008  present [units unknown]  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea unknown  2008  present [units unknown]  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Gadwall Anas strepera unknown  2008  present [units unknown]  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope unknown  2008  present [units unknown]  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Baer's Pochard Aythya baeri unknown  2008  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Critically Endangered 
Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca unknown  2008  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Vulnerable 
Common Coot Fulica atra unknown  2008  present [units unknown]  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Black-necked Crane Grus nigricollis unknown  2008  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A4i  Vulnerable 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds unknown  2008  present [units unknown]  -  A4iii   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Caohai Nature Reserve 12,000 is identical to site 12,000  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Wetlands (inland)   -
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial)   -

Other biodiversity The amphibian Rana weiningensis is endemic to this area.

Conservation response Established as a nature reserve in 1985, and upgraded to a national nature reserve (12,000 ha) in 1992. Cao Hai was designated in 2004 as a ‘Wetland of International Importance’ (or Ramsar site) under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

Contribute  Please click here to help BirdLife conserve the world's birds - your data for this IBA and others are vital for helping protect the environment.

Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Cao Hai Nature Reserve. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/05/2013

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife