Uureg Lake (16321)
Mongolia, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Uureg Lake
Central coordinates: Latitude: 50.1167, Longitude: 90.9500
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 1425 to 1911
Area of KBA (km2): 276.49839
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Uureg Lake is situated in a tectonic, semidesert hollow located between Tsagaanshuvut and Turgen mountains of Sagil and Turgen soums. The lake is fed mainly by the Kharig River from Russia. There are meadows on the northwestern side of the lake. The lake is frozen from October to May. There are two small barren rocky islands in the lake. The lake is surrounded by semi-desert and arid desert steppe vegetation. The main land use is livestock grazing.
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: Globally Threatened species using the site are Swan Goose Anser cygnoides (EN), Pallas’s Fish-eagle Haliaeetus leucoryphus (VU) and Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni (VU). The site supports species typical of the Eurasian steppe and desert and Eurasian high montane biomes. Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea regularly occurs in numbers exceeding 1% of the flyway population. Non-bird biodiversity: Red Fox Vulpes vulpes and Pallas's Cat Felis manul occur in the area surrounding the lake.
Delineation rationale: 16/08/10 - 2005 name - Uureg Nuur
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 50 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 50 |