Hotan Oasis (15459)
China (mainland), Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Hotan Oasis
Central coordinates: Latitude: 37.5833, Longitude: 80.0000
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 1200 to 2000
Area of KBA (km2): 1922.22814
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Located 30-50 km north of Hotan City and 1,000 km south-west of Urumqi. The Karakax and Yurungkax rivers flow through the oasis, and join at the Hotan River to flow northward into the Taklimakan Desert. The IBA is an important passage area for birds.
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: Historical record of Panthera tigris, but it is now locally extinct. Other animals include Vulpes vulpes, Gazella subgutturosa, Euchoreutes naso and Dipus sagitta.
Delineation rationale: Boundary digitized by Tris Allinson at Birdlife International using Google Earth. Accuracy difficult to determine.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 50 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 50 |