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close| Location | Morocco, Safi |
| Central coordinates | 8o 40.00' West 32o 5.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A1, A4i |
| Area | 600 ha |
| Altitude | 359 - 364m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2001 |
Ornithological information See Box for key species. In wet years Sebkha Zima can attract up to 10,000 wintering waterbirds. Several ducks are regularly seen in flocks numbering over 1,000, including Anas penelope, Anas clypeata, Tadorna tadorna and Anas acuta. Waders such as Calidris and Tringa spp. also visit and winter, as do flocks of Larus spp. numbering several hundred. Only a few species breed, among them Charadrius alexandrinus, Himantopus himantopus and Gelochelidon nilotica.
Site description A large, but temporary, inland wetland lying south-east of Safi near the town of Chemaia, Sebkha Zima lies in a depression and is fed by several rain-dependent streams. The substrate is saline, with around 40% of the bed of the sebkha given over to saltpans, and the wetland is surrounded by a belt of halophytic vegetation. During wet periods a thick cover of filamentous algae develops on soil surfaces, attracting large numbers of waterbirds. However, the Sebkha is often dry by the end of June. Average annual precipitation is 150–200 mm.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea | winter | - | 300 individuals | - | A4i | Least Concern |
| Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris | winter | - | 200 individuals | - | A1, A4i | Vulnerable |
| Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus | winter | - | 5,000 individuals | - | A4i | Least Concern |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| urban/industrial/transport | - |
Other biodiversity None known to BirdLife International.
Management considerations The site is a priority 2 SIBE (No. H30). It has no legal protection and is threatened by the expansion of industrial salt-extraction, which is largely mechanized. Recommended conservation measures include limiting this expansion and restricting access to parts of the site during the breeding season to reduce disturbance of nesting birds.
References BCEOM-SECA (1995b), El Agbani (1997).
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Sebkha Zima. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
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