Xayar forest and wetland (15450)
China (mainland), Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Xayar forest and wetland
Central coordinates: Latitude: 41.0000, Longitude: 83.0833
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 940 to 1000
Area of KBA (km2): 3559.13213
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Located between Aksu and Korla cities, 80 km south of Kuqa, 250 km east of Aksu and 500 km south-west of Urumqi. The IBA is surrounded by high mountains which range from 4,000-8,000 m. The Tarim River is the longest inland river in China, but human activities have already depleted the water resources in its lower course, including at Lop Nur which was once the largest lake in Xinjiang.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)
Additional biodiversity: Non-bird biodiversity: There were records of Panthera tigris before the 1950s, but it is now locally extinct. Other animals include Vulpes vulpes, Camelus bactrianus, Cervus elaphus and Gazella subgutturosa. The area also support the fish Pelochelys bibroni, but it is almost extinct there.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | 33 | |
| Desert | 33 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 33 |