Sites - Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

Ornithological information See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. In December 1984, counts of only part of the wetland area recorded c.25,000 waterbirds, including Pelecanus onocrotalus, Ardea melanocephala, A. goliath, Bubulcus ibis, Ardeola ralloides, Ixobrychus minutus, Plegadis falcinellus, Platalea alba, Phoenicopterus ruber, Anas hottentota, Himantopus himantopus, Charadrius hiaticula, C. pecuarius, Limosa limosa, Philomachus pugnax, Tringa stagnatilis, T. nebularia, T. glareola, Calidris minuta and C. ferruginea. Afmadow is the only locality in Somalia for Plocepasser donaldsoni, Pseudonigrita arnaudi and Passer eminbey.

Site description Far Waamo, also known as Dhesheeg Waamo, principally comprises a forest–savanna mosaic surrounding a semi-perennial, shallow, freshwater wetland. The site is located to the south-east of Laag Dheere (site SO022) in the triangular-shaped area of land between the Jubba river to the east and the valley of the lower reaches of Laag Dheere, immediately north of their (intermittent) confluence. Near either end of the base of this inverted triangle lie the towns of Jilib and Afmadow. The wetland area covers c.10,000 ha at its maximum extent and is supplied by Laag Dheere and also occasionally by floodwaters from the river Jubba. Following periods of flooding, water recedes to leave large areas of exposed mud which are particularly attractive to waders. The shoreline is bordered by bushland, some areas of cultivation and Typha beds.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Land use

Other biodiversity The mammals Loxodonta africana (EN), Diceros bicornis (CR) and Giraffa camelopardalis (LR/cd) occur, or used to do so.

Management considerations The area has been proposed as a Wildlife Reserve. It is widely used by pastoralists and farmers practising flood-recession agriculture.

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Far Waamo. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/05/2013

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