email a friend
printable version
close| Location | Madagascar, Antsiranana |
| Central coordinates | 48o 46.00' East 13o 7.00' South |
| IBA criteria | A1, A2, A3, A4i |
| Area | 61,220 ha |
| Altitude | 5 - 10m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2001 |
Ornithological information See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. Forty-eight species are known from the site, of which seven are endemic to Madagascar. The site supports the largest congregations of Dromas ardeola and Sterna saundersi known in Madagascar.
Site description This site consists of a strip of mangrove located along the western coast and stretching over 90 km between Antsatsaka (25 km north of Ambanja) in the south, and Bobasakoa (45 km north-west of Ambilobe) in the north. Ambaro Bay lies off its southern part. Ampasinantenina (Port Saint Louis) peninsula divides the site into two parts, where the city of Antsohimbondrona is directly linked to Ambilobe by a tar road 30 km long. In addition to the mangrove, this site includes mudflats (1 km wide at low tide), lakes and saltmarshes. The main rivers in the area, the Bobasakoa, Andranomandevy, Mananjeba, Mahavavy, Itasy and Ambazoana, flow from north to south into the Mozambique Channel. Several of them (some nutrient-poor) rise from the underground waters of the Ankarana massif. The mangrove woodland is mainly composed of Avicennia and Rhizophora trees (5–10 m high).
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madagascar Teal Anas bernieri | resident | 1999 | present [units unknown] | - | A1, A2, A3 | Endangered |
| Madagascar Heron Ardea humbloti | resident | 1999 | present [units unknown] | - | A1, A2, A3 | Endangered |
| Madagascar Fish-eagle Haliaeetus vociferoides | resident | 1999 | present [units unknown] | - | A1, A2, A3 | Critically Endangered |
| Crab Plover Dromas ardeola | winter | 1999 | 900 individuals | - | A4i | Least Concern |
| Lesser Crested Tern Sterna bengalensis | winter | 1999 | 350 individuals | - | A4i | Least Concern |
| Saunders's Tern Sterna saundersi | winter | 1999 | 236 individuals | - | A4i | Least Concern |
| Sickle-billed Vanga Falculea palliata | resident | 1999 | present [units unknown] | - | A3 | Least Concern |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| forestry | - |
| other | - |
| Notes: Collection of eggs and young of breeding birds. | |
Management considerations This mangrove woodland is threatened by intensive cutting in some areas, and breeding-bird colonies are affected by the collection of eggs and young birds.
References Durand et al. (1966).
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: Ambavanankarana wetlands. 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
|
|