Annapurna Conservation Area (14322)
Nepal, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2025
National site name: Annapurna Conservation Area
Central coordinates: Latitude: 28.5333, Longitude: 84.0000
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 790 to 8091
Area of KBA (km2): 7759.3126
Protected area coverage (%): 99.61
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA) was set up in 1986 by the King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation, (KMTNC), a national NGO. It is now the largest protected area in Nepal. The Area lies in central west Nepal around the Annapurna massifs. It includes one of the most impressive mountain cirques in the world, popularly known as the Annapurna Sanctuary which is surrounded by seven peaks over 7000 m. Annapurna I (8091 m), one of the world’s highest mountains, lies within the ACA and Dhaulagiri (8167 m) lies to the west of the area. At the lowest levels of the Conservation Area (about 1000m) there are subtropical forests of broadleaved Schima wallichii, Castanopsis indica, and on dry slopes forests of Chir Pine Pinus roxburghii; alder Alnus nepalensis mainly occurs along rivers and streams. Higher up, these forests are replaced by temperate forests of mixed broadleaves, including the oaks Quercus lamellosa, Q. lanata and Q. semecarpifolia with rhododendron species. In the wettest places, such as in the upper Modi Khola valley, grow bamboo jungles of Arundinaria species. Above these grow coniferous forests, mainly of fir Abies spectabilis, Blue Pine Pinus wallichiana and hemlock Tsuga dumosa. Higher up there are subalpine forests of birch Betula utilis, blue pine and juniper species. Finally rhododendron and juniper scrub grow in the alpine zone. The area to the north of the Himalayas is semi-desert and small, scattered bushes of Caragana species and juniper replace the forests. Biogeographically, the Himalayas can be divided into eastern and western sections. The dividing line between the east and west is the Kali Gandaki Valley that runs north/south through the Conservation Area. Since the late 1970s Pipar has been the site of a partnership between the World Pheasant Association and the villagers of Karuwa, who live closest to Pipar, because of the importance of the area for pheasants.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: <div style="font-style: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">The large number of 504 bird species was listed for ACA by Baral (2018) well over half the species recorded in Nepal. Since then, two additional species have been recorded (Rishi Baral in litt. to C. Inskipp, 6 January 2023), making a total of 506 bird species for ACA. Species typical of both the eastern and western Himalayas occur, as the Area is situated across the biogeographic divide in the mountain chain. Birds in ACA have been well-recorded.</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">ACA supports significant populations of the globally threatened Cheer Pheasant and Steppe Eagle and so qualifies as an IBA based on the globally threatened species criterion.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Other globally threatened species recorded in ACA are: Common Pochard Aytha ferina, Wood Snipe Gallinago nemoricola, Pallas’s Fish Eagle Haliaeetus leucoryphus, Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus, White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis, Slender-billed Vulture <i>Gyps tenuirostris</i>, Red-headed Vulture Sarcogyps monachus, Indian Spotted Eagle Clanga hastata, Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga, Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax, Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca, and Saker Falcon Falco cherrug. Further fieldwork may show ACA supports significant populations of some of these species.</span></div>
Manageability of the site: Site identified based on BirdLife International's Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, under which manageability is strongly recommended but not explicitly documented
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Agro-industry farming | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Agro-industry grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing | |
| Residential & commercial development | Tourism & recreation areas | Ongoing | |
| Transportation & service corridors | Roads & railroads | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: National Trust for Nature Conservation (2015a) Annapurna Conservation Area Project. http://ntnc.org.np/project/annapurna-conservation-area-project Viewed 31 March 201<div>Baral, R. (2018) Birds recorded in Annapurna Conservation <span style="font-size: 10pt; text-align: justify;">Area. National Trust for Nature Conservation, Annapurna Conservation Area Project, Pokhara.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">National Trust for Nature Conservation (2015b). NTNC given mandate to manage ACA for next 5 year. http://ntnc. org.np/news/ntnc-given-mandate-manage-aca-next-5-year Viewed 31 March 2015.</div>
Contributors: Site identified based on Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas by the BirdLife International Partnership