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close| Location | Benin, Atlantique,Mono |
| Central coordinates | 1o 57.00' East 6o 30.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A1, A4i |
| Area | 45,000 ha |
| Altitude | 0 - 10m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2001 |
Ornithological information See Box for key species. The records of Sterna balaenarum come from the Bouche du Roi, part of the Aho delta where there is a channel to the sea. Large flocks of Chlidonias niger forage on the lake. In addition, three species of the Sudan–Guinea Savanna biome (A04) have also been recorded; see Table 2.
Site description This triangular area, in the south-west of the country, comprises the marshes of the lower Kouffo river, Lake Ahémé, into which the river drains, and the ‘Aho complex’ consisting of marshes beside the Aho river, which carries water from the lake to the sea, and the coastal strip between the towns of Grand-Popo to the west and Ouidah to the east. The south of Lake Ahémé is fringed with Typha australis and the Aho supports mangroves (Rhizophora sp. and Avicennia sp.), maintained by seasonal influxes of brackish water.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Tern Sterna maxima | winter | 1996 | 502 individuals | - | A4i | Least Concern |
| Damara Tern Sterna balaenarum | winter | - | 200 individuals | - | A1, A4i | Near Threatened |
| Yellow-billed Shrike Corvinella corvina | resident | 1998 | - | - | Least Concern | |
| Piapiac Ptilostomus afer | resident | 1998 | - | - | Least Concern | |
| Splendid Sunbird Nectarinia coccinigaster | resident | 1998 | - | - | Least Concern |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basse Vallée du Couffo, Lagune Côtiere, Chenal Aho, Lac Ahémé | Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) | 47,500 | protected area contains site | 45,000 |
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Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) | 2% | |
| Unknown | 1% | |
| Wetlands (inland) | 32% | |
| Shrubland | 19% | |
| Forest | 43% |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| fisheries/aquaculture | - |
| forestry | - |
| nature conservation and research | - |
Other biodiversity The fish Trichechus senegalensis (VU) was reported from Lake Ahémé in the mid-1970s.
Management considerations The area was declared a Ramsar Site in January 2000. Threats include hunting, pollution, mangrove destruction and deforestation but some human activities, particularly the building of platforms for fishing, are beneficial to many piscivorous birds.
References Hagemeijer et al. (2000a,b), Wetlands International (1998).
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Lake Ahémé and Aho complex. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 26/05/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
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