Girkan forest (160)
Azerbaijan, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2004
National site name: Girkan forest
Central coordinates: Latitude: 38.6500, Longitude: 48.7167
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 15 to 1000
Area of KBA (km2): 238.53723
Protected area coverage (%): 97.04
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Ancient broadleaved forests, mainly situated on the Ulyasy ridge, part of the Talysh mountains, but one small area (81 ha only) is in the lowlands. There is also a reservoir (400 ha).
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. KBA identified in the CEPF Ecosystem Profile of the Caucasus Hotspot (2003, updated 2004). Taxonomy, nomenclature and threat category follow the 2002 IUCN Red List.
Additional biodiversity: Breeding birds include Ciconia nigra (probably still 1 pair), Hieraaetus pennatus (1+ pair), Otus scops and four woodpeckers, Dendrocopos syriacus and D. medius being common. Milvus milvus: status uncertain, mainly a very rare winter visitor. The site holds a good representation of restricted-range subspecies (chiefly passerines).
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 33 | |
| Forest | 67 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: All land-uses are prohibited. Some illegal tree-cutting and firewood-collection take place, but this was not deemed a threat, nor were other threats evident, in 1991. The Girkan goryhy formerly called Girkanskiy Zapovednik, founded in 1936, is the only real nature reserve in the Talysh mountains.