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close| Location | Senegal, St Louis |
| Central coordinates | 16o 30.00' West 15o 55.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A4i |
| Area | 2,000 ha |
| Altitude | |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2001 |
Ornithological information See Box for key species. The site is particularly important for the large numbers of breeding and wintering gulls and terns, including breeding Sterna nilotica at the southern limit of its breeding range. Larus audouinii (LR/cd) is recorded regularly in small numbers along the river and lagoons (maximum 17 birds recorded from the Langue de Barbarie and St Louis lagoons [part of site SN005] combined in 1994). Sterna sandvicensis and S. albifrons are also recorded wintering in numbers which exceed IBA thresholds, but these records cover the whole coastline from St Louis to Kayar (i.e. also including site SN005, Guembeul Avifaunal Reserve and St Louis lagoons). The site is frequently used by wintering Phoenicopterus ruber; which move between this and all the other sites in the delta area of the Senegal river (i.e. sites SN001 to SN005 inclusive) and south-western Mauritania. Wintering Pandion haliaetus are common. Egretta gularis is recorded breeding (126 pairs in 1998). There is considerable interchange of birds of several species between this site and site SN005, which lies to the north, further upstream along the extensive Senegal river mouth.
Site description The Langue de Barbarie National Park lies south-west of the Guembeul Avifaunal Reserve (part of site SN005), about 25 km from St Louis. It consists of a 20-km length of intertidal flats and sand-dunes on a spit formed across the mouth of the Senegal river. It includes both marine and riverine (brackish) waters. The terrestrial part of the park is formed by three main islands, the Ile de Gandiole (2 ha) being the largest. The vegetation on the infertile sandy soils is Sahelian in composition and includes the species Ipomoea pes-caprae, Alternanthera maritima, Sporobolus spicatus and Sesuvium portulacastrum. There are no trees.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grey-headed Gull Larus cirrocephalus | winter | 1997 | 1,838 individuals | - | A4i | Least Concern |
| Grey-headed Gull Larus cirrocephalus | breeding | 1998 | 3,000 breeding pairs | - | A4i | Least Concern |
| Slender-billed Gull Larus genei | winter | 1988 | 1,000 individuals | - | A4i | Least Concern |
| Slender-billed Gull Larus genei | breeding | 1991 | 2,850 breeding pairs | - | A4i | Least Concern |
| Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica | breeding | 1984 | 200 breeding pairs | - | A4i | Least Concern |
| Caspian Tern Sterna caspia | winter | 1997 | 424 individuals | - | A4i | Least Concern |
| Caspian Tern Sterna caspia | breeding | 1991 | 150 breeding pairs | - | A4i | Least Concern |
| Royal Tern Sterna maxima | breeding | 1991 | 2,650 breeding pairs | - | A4i | Least Concern |
| Little Tern Sterna albifrons | breeding | 1998 | 35 breeding pairs | - | A4i | Least Concern |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Langue de Barbarie | National Park | 2,000 | is identical to site | 2,000 |
|
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) | 52% | |
| Wetlands (inland) | 5% | |
| Shrubland | 5% | |
| Grassland | 35% |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| nature conservation and research | - |
| tourism/recreation | - |
Other biodiversity The marine fauna includes the turtles Chelonia mydas (EN), Dermochelys coriacea (EN), Eretmochelys imbricata (CR) and Caretta caretta (EN).
Management considerations The National Park is zoned and managed by a conservator and staff, and access is restricted to prevent disturbance to breeding birds. Conservation management efforts are limited by lack of funds. The site is close to the town of St Louis and attracts significant numbers of tourists and birdwatchers.
References Delaporte and Dubois (1990), Hughes and Hughes (1992), Keijl et al. (1999).
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Parc National de la Langue de Barbarie. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 22/05/2013
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