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close| Location | Senegal, Ziguinchor |
| Central coordinates | 16o 46.00' West 12o 40.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A4i |
| Area | 16 ha |
| Altitude | |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2001 |
Ornithological information See Box for key species. Larus audouinii is also recorded from the site, but with no details of numbers or frequency (DPN 1996). There is a record of 10,000 pairs of breeding Sterna caspia, repeated in two IUCN publications, but there are no details of years nor the original source of this count(s) and other estimates put the total breeding population in Senegal at 5,000–6,000 pairs, so this record must be doubtful. Other species recorded include Sterna maxima, S. nilotica, Larus genei, L. cirrocephalus and Pandion haliaetus.
Site description The site lies at the mouth of the Kalissaye river in south-western Senegal (Casamance region) and consists of two sandy islands lying off the Pointe de Sankoye. It lies about 35 km north-west of Parc National de Basse Casamance (site SN014). The strong currents in the estuary modify the mobile sand substrate, changing the shape and size of the islands continually. The vegetation on the islands is characterized by littoral sand-loving species such as Ipomoea pes-caprae, Sporobolus spicatus and Alternanthera maritima. The site was established as a reserve and sanctuary to protect breeding seabirds and sea-turtles.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Reef-egret Egretta gularis | breeding | - | 500 breeding pairs | - | A4i | Least Concern |
| Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus | breeding | - | 6,000 breeding pairs | - | A4i | Least Concern |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reserve ornithologique de Kalissaye | Bird Reserve | 16 | is identical to site | 16 |
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Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) | 9% | |
| Forest | 89% |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| nature conservation and research | - |
Other biodiversity Two species of sea-turtle, Chelonia mydas (EN) and Caretta caretta (EN), are recorded breeding and the mammal Trichechus senegalensis (VU) is reported from the site.
Management considerations Concern has been expressed about the erosion by ocean currents of a sandbar and the islands on which the pelican colony and other species breed. Conflict and unrest which has occurred in the Casamance region in recent years has resulted in the cessation of any counts of breeding birds or monitoring of the conservation status of the reserve, which was closed in 1992 as a result of these problems.
References DPN (1996), Hughes and Hughes (1992), IUCN (1987a), Morel and Morel (1990), WCMC (1989).
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Kalissaye Avifaunal Reserve. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 22/05/2013
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