Shar Planina Mountain (120)
North Macedonia, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2008
National site name: Šar Planina
Central coordinates: Latitude: 41.9583, Longitude: 20.8183
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 710 to 2748
Area of KBA (km2): 434.53196
Protected area coverage (%): 99.85
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: High mountainous region (includes the peaks of Titov Vrh, Popova Šapka, and Kobilica), with river gorges, cliffs and rocky hillsides, alpine pastures, and woodland (coniferous and deciduous). Land-uses include cattle-grazing and forestry. The area extends into Kosovo (the given area of 12,000 ha includes the part in Kosovo).
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Additional biodiversity: Other breeding species include Pernis apivorus (1-2 pairs), Falco peregrinus (1 pair), Bonasa bonasia, Alectoris graeca, Dryocopus martius, Saxicola rubetra, Lanius collurio and Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax (50-100 pairs), and possibly include Tetrao urogallus, Strix uralensis, Aegolius funereus, Dendrocopos leucotos, Picoides tridactylus and Pyrrhocorax graculus. Gypaetus barbatus (1) and Gyps fulvus (15-20) also occur.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | forestry
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 3 | |
| Other | 1 | |
| Shrubland | 4 | |
| Forest | 33 | |
| Grassland | 49 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: There is uncontrolled hunting in the Macedonian part, and forestry practices and road building are adversely affecting the area. The area is a proposed Regional Park.