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MG038
Bemamba Wetland Complex
Location Madagascar, Mahajanga
Central coordinates 44o 22.00' East  18o 46.00' South
IBA criteria A1, A2, A3, A4i
Area 41,500 ha
Altitude 2 - 5m
Year of IBA assessment 2001

Asity Madagascar (Affiliate)



Ornithological information See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. One hundred and thirteen species are known from the site, of which 31 are endemic to Madagascar. Bemamba is the only site recently known for Amaurornis olivieri, and it is also of primary importance for Anas bernieri. There are also large breeding colonies of other waterbirds. This is the only site which holds all of the restricted-range species characteristic of the western wetlands of Madagascar.

Site description The site is located 60 km from Antsalova and 8 km from the Mozambique Channel. It comprises a vast complex of shallow lakes (less than 2 m deep) and marshes on alluvial soil, located to the west of the Bemaraha Tsingy National Park (IBA MG037). In the north and the east, the Beboka and Soahany rivers feed the complex. Water-bodies in the northern part are freshwater and seasonal, not holding water after July, while the central and southern water-bodies are permanent but increasingly saline towards the south. The wetlands in the north have been converted to rice-fields, while the central area is almost entirely covered by very dense, 2-m-high beds of reed-mace Typha, and the southern area by Typha, rushes Juncus, aquatic grasses and reeds.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Madagascar Teal Anas bernieri resident  1992-1994  30 individuals  -  A1, A2, A3, A4i  Endangered 
Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor non-breeding  1992-1994  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Near Threatened 
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus non-breeding  1992-1994  1,265 individuals  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Madagascar Heron Ardea humbloti resident  1992-1994  50 individuals  -  A1, A2, A3, A4i  Endangered 
Great Egret Casmerodius albus non-breeding  1992-1994  500 individuals  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Black Heron Egretta ardesiaca non-breeding  1992-1994  2,000 individuals  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Madagascar Fish-eagle Haliaeetus vociferoides resident  1992-1994  4 individuals  -  A1, A2, A3  Critically Endangered 
Madagascar Harrier Circus macrosceles resident  1992-1994  uncommon [units unknown]  -  A1  Vulnerable 
Sakalava Rail Amaurornis olivieri resident  1995  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Endangered 
Madagascar Plover Charadrius thoracicus resident  1992-1994  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Vulnerable 
Madagascar Jacana Actophilornis albinucha resident  1992-1994  common [units unknown]  -  A2  Near Threatened 
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida non-breeding  1992-1994  600 individuals  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Giant Coua Coua gigas resident  1992-1994  uncommon [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Coquerel's Coua Coua coquereli resident  1992-1994  uncommon [units unknown]  -  A2, A3  Least Concern 
Red-capped Coua Coua ruficeps resident  1992-1994  common [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Schlegel's Asity Philepitta schlegeli resident  1992-1994  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Near Threatened 
Sickle-billed Vanga Falculea palliata resident  1992-1994  common [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Sakalava Weaver Ploceus sakalava resident  1992-1994  uncommon [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture -
fisheries/aquaculture -
forestry -
hunting -
other -
Notes: Palm-wine production; egg collection.

Other biodiversity Lemurs: Hapalemur griseus occidentalis (VU), Propithecus verreauxi deckeni (VU), Phaner furcifer (nt). Carnivore: Cryptoprocta ferox (VU). Reptile: Erymnochelys madagascariensis (EN).

Management considerations In 1990, a cyclone partially blocked the Soahany river and this significantly reduced the inflow of fresh water. The conversion of marshes to rice-fields, fishing, deforestation, and palm-wine production are responsible for the destruction of large areas of vegetation. This is exposing the lakes to increased sedimentation, resulting from soil erosion, which constitutes a serious threat to the wetlands and their fauna. There is also considerable pressure on large waterbird colonies through hunting and egg-collection.

References Andrianarimisa (1992), Green et al. (1994), Langrand (1987), Nicoll and Langrand (1989), Rabarisoa et al. (1995), Ramanampamonjy (1995), Safford (1993), Scott and Lubbock (1974), Watson et al. (1993), Young and Safford (1995), Young et al. (1993).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Bemamba Wetland Complex. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013

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