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TN028
Bouhedma
Location Tunisia, Sidi Bouzid
Central coordinates 9o 30.00' East  34o 30.00' North
IBA criteria A3
Area 16,488 ha
Altitude 90 - 840m
Year of IBA assessment 2001

Association "Les Amis des Oiseaux"



Ornithological information See Box and Table 2 for key species. This is one of only two IBAs in Tunisia at which Ramphocoris clotbey occurs. In addition, Aquila chrysaetos and Falco biarmicus erlangeri breed in the park. There is a population of Struthio camelus, reintroduced in the 1980s, as was Numida meleagris.

Site description Situated 60 km south of the town of Sidi Bouzid, Bouhedma National Park represents an ecosystem unique in Tunisia. The vegetation of the park is woodland in which Acacia raddiana occurs in association with Periploca laevigata and Rhus tripartitum. The main peak within the park, Djebel Bouhedma, which reaches 840 m, supports a vegetation dominated by Olea europaea, Juniperus phoenicea and Pistacia atlantica. On the surrounding plains Arthrophytum scoparium and A. schmittiamum are conspicuous elements.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Barbary Partridge Alectoris barbara resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Pharaoh Eagle-owl Bubo ascalaphus resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Red-necked Nightjar Caprimulgus ruficollis breeding  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Greater Hoopoe-lark Alaemon alaudipes resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Thick-billed Lark Rhamphocoris clotbey resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Bar-tailed Lark Ammomanes cinctura resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Temminck's Lark Eremophila bilopha resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans breeding  1999  unknown [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Tristram's Warbler Sylvia deserticola resident  1999  unknown [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Fulvous Chatterer Turdoides fulva resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Spotless Starling Sturnus unicolor resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Moussier's Redstart Phoenicurus moussieri resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
White-tailed Wheatear Oenanthe leucopyga resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucura resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Red-rumped Wheatear Oenanthe moesta resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica breeding  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Trumpeter Finch Bucanetes githagineus resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Bou-Hedma National Park 16,488 is identical to site 16,488  
Parc national de Djebel Bou-Hedma UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve 16,988 protected area contained by site 11,625  

Local conservation groups The local conservation group below is working to support conservation at this IBA.

Name Year formed
AAO/ Sfax Regional Branch 2000

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Shrubland Scrub - woodland  major

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
nature conservation and research -
tourism/recreation -

Other biodiversity The mammals Ammotragus lervia (VU) and Gazella dorcas (VU) have been recorded. There are reintroduced populations of Oryx dammah (EW) and Addax nasomaculatus (EN).

Management considerations The site was declared a National Park in 1980; it is also a Biosphere Reserve. Threats to areas surrounding the park including overgrazing, wood-cutting and poaching.

References Blanc and Snane (1980), Caieb and Boukhris (1998), Dalensi (1998), GTZ (1994), Karem et al. (1993), Ministère de l’Environnement et de l’Aménagement du Territoire (1999), Nabli (1989).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Bouhedma. 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