Pirsagat Islands and Los Island (175)
Azerbaijan, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2000
National site name: Pirsaat adaları
Central coordinates: Latitude: 39.8333, Longitude: 49.5000
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): -27 to -10
Area of KBA (km2): 2.625
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Pirsagat islands (six main limestone ones and many smaller rocks) form part of the Baku archipelago (which also includes the volcanic Los island) and extend as a chain from the Cape of Pirsagat into the Caspian Sea. They are rented by the Hunters' Society of Azerbaijan. There was formerly oil-drilling on Los island.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Additional biodiversity: A total of about 5,500-6,000 pairs of seabird breed; 4,000+ on Pelikanyi, 1,000+ on Baburyi, 300 on Los. Gulls in 1989 included 28 pairs of Larus melanocephalus (the only colony in the Caspian Sea) and other breeding terns in the same year were Gelochelidon nilotica (75 pairs; first recorded breeding in Azerbaijan), Sterna hirundo (1,000+ pairs) and S. albifrons (25 pairs). Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Branta ruficollis (vagrant, probably a common migrant formerly).
Habitats
Land use: hunting | tourism/recreation | urban/industrial/transport
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 100 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Threats come from egg-collection, disturbance caused to breeding birds by fishermen, hunting (autumn) and pollution from the oil industry.