IRREPLACEABLE
1 I N V A S I V E N O N -
N A T I V E / A L I E N
S P E C I E S / D I S E A S E S 3
This refers mostly to incidences of predation at nesting
colonies, but also includes habitat alteration, especially
in wetlands, caused by non-native aquatic species.
Invasive species are a particular problem for threatened
seabirds worldwide, and a global assessment of threats
to seabirds and published in 2012 listed more than 70
priority islands globally, most of them IBAs, that are
seabird breeding colonies requiring urgent management
of invasive alien mammal species. Includes the killing or trapping of wild animals or animal
products for commercial, recreation, subsistence,
research or cultural purposes, or for control/persecution,
as well as accidental mortality and bycatch. Lake
Ol’Bolossat IBA in Kenya is one example where the
hunting of Grey Crowned-cranes Balearica regulorum
and collection of their eggs has been shown to affect
their reproductive success.
H U N T I N G A N D
C O L L E C T I N G O F
T E R R E S T R I A L A N I M A L S
invasive non-native/alien species/diseases
annual & perennial non-timber crops
hunting & collecting terrestrial animals
dams & water management/use
livestock farming and ranching
recreational activities
fire & fire suppression
work and other activities
logging& wood harvesting
drought
agricultural & forestry effluents
other ecosystem modifications
housing and urban areas
fishing & harvesting aquatic resources
habitat shifting and alteration
tourism and recreation areas
domestic & urban waste water
problematic native species/diseases
mining and quarrying
roads and railroads
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
Number of IBAs
2
A N N U A L A N D
P E R E N N I A L N O N -
T I M B E R C R O P S
This category concerns the impacts of agricultural
crops (food, fodder, fiber and fuel), but not timber
operations. This is one of the key threats affecting the
Guadalquivir Marshes (Doñana) IBA, one of the largest
wetlands in Europe, and the most important wetland in
Spain for breeding, passage and wintering waterbirds
and passerines. Over 360 species have been recorded,
and wintering waterbird numbers amount to 400,000
individuals, climbing to over six million birds during
migration periods. The site is an IBA in Danger, and
one of the biggest threats relates to the expansion
and intensification of agriculture, particularly the
uncontrolled use of pesticides and over-exploitation of
groundwater for irrigation.
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4
D A M S & W A T E R
M A N A G E M E N T /
U S E
Referring to changing water flow patterns from their
natural range of variation. An example is The Coorong
IBA, a coastal lagoon in South Australia. Historically
the site was flooded by overland flows of freshwater
from a large catchment. These catchments are now
interrupted by increasing irrigation schemes resulting in
no freshwater available for the natural flood areas. This
affects the abundance of breeding waterbirds such as
Fairy Terns Sternula nereis, and other migratory species.
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