Réserve Intégrale du Lac Tonga

Réserve Intégrale du Lac Tonga

Country:
Algeria
Site number:
281
Area:
2,700.0 ha
Designation date:
11-04-1983
Coordinates:
36°51'22"N 08°30'02"E
  • pêche d'anguille au lac Tonga
  • Aulnaie du Tonga
  • Lac Tonga

Materials presented on this website, particularly maps and territorial information, are as-is and as-available based on available data and do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.


The Site is an extensive wetland complex which includes a seasonal freshwater lake, wooded hills, wet forest, and a sand dune system, all located within El Kala National Park in the extreme north-east of the country. The lake is linked to the Mediterranean Sea and provides important habitat for aquatic plants. It is the most important nesting site in North Africa for a multitude of species including colonies of herons and egrets, western marsh harrier, and a wide range of waterbirds including rare and globally threatened species. Local communities engage in livestock grazing and seasonal cultivation. Management issues include the regulation of fishing and use of the lake water for irrigation, and restoration of the lake’s natural hydrological functions. The Site was added to the Montreux Record in 1993 because the lake was covered by emergent aquatic plants, leaving little open water. A significant decrease in the water supply to the lake has led to changes in its ecological character.

Administrative region: El Tarf

Last publication date: 06-04-2018
Ramsar Information Sheet (RIS)
Archived RIS
Site map
Additional reports and documents
    Taxonomic lists of plant and animal species occurring in the site
Others
Ramsar Advisory Missions