email a friend
printable version
close| Location | Tunisia, Medenine |
| Central coordinates | 11o 15.00' East 33o 0.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A4i, A4iii |
| Area | 23,000 ha |
| Altitude | 0 - 10m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2001 |
Ornithological information See Box for key species. It is an important wintering and passage site for waterbirds including Anas penelope, A. acuta, A. clypeata, Grus grus, Numenius arquata, N. phaeopus, N. tenuirostris (a group of 32 was reported in 1979), Larus melanocephalus, L. minutus, L. ridibundus, L. genei, L. fuscus, L. cachinnans, Sterna nilotica and S. caspia. Larus cachinnans, Sterna hirundo and S. albifrons all breed.
Site description Also known as Bhiret el Bibane (the Sea of Bibane), the site is situated on the south-eastern coast, 10 km north of Ben Guerdane, 20 km south of Zarzis and 15 km from the Libyan border. It is a coastal lagoon 32 km long and up to 10 km wide, with an average depth of 4 m. It is linked to the sea by a series of small channels, the largest of which is 800 m wide.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus | winter | - | 1,000-3,000 individuals | - | A4i | Least Concern |
| Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo | winter | - | 3,000-10,000 individuals | - | A4i | Least Concern |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | winter | - | 20,000 individuals | unknown | A4iii |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bahiret el Bibane | Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) | 39,266 | protected area contains site | 23,000 |
|
| Réserve de Chasse Bhiret El Bibane | Other Area | 0 | is identical to site | 23,000 |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| fisheries/aquaculture | - |
Other biodiversity None known to BirdLife International.
Management considerations Traditional fishing is the main human activity in the lagoon and may be a cause of disturbance to waterbirds.
References Denizot and Guelorget (1981), Gaultier (1988a), Gretton (1991), Hughes et al. (1997).
Contribute Please click here to help BirdLife conserve the world's birds - your data for this IBA and others are vital for helping protect the environment.
Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Bibane. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
|
|