Ventejís mountain (2023)
Spain, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2011
National site name: Macizo de Ventejís
Central coordinates: Latitude: 27.7833, Longitude: -17.9167
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 650 to 1100
Area of KBA (km2): 12.87949
Protected area coverage (%): 86.10
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A mountainous area surrounded by plains, situated in the north-east of El Hierro. Scrub, heath and grassland are interspersed with small woods of Pinus canariensis and introduced P. radiata and Eucalyptus. Human activities include stock-farming.
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.
Additional biodiversity: The site is important for endemic subspecies of various passerines and holds the most significant Corvus corax population in the Canaries.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (26%) | forestry
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | 26 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 16 | |
| Grassland | 26 | |
| Rocky Areas(e.g., inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | 16 | |
| Forest | 16 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The abandonment of livestock-rearing affects some species, such as the carrion-feeding Corvus corax. Gravel-pits cause degradation of the habitat, and illegal hunting poses an additional threat.