Kurtusuv - Khovudan (20724)
Turkmenistan, Central Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2006
National site name: Kurtusuv - Khovudan
Central coordinates: Latitude: 37.7483, Longitude: 58.3262
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 600 to 2535
Area of KBA (km2): 371.80391
Protected area coverage (%): 42.05
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Kurtusuv - Khovudan IBA is situated 10 km to the south of Ashgabat, and combines a strict protection area (19,059 hectares) with the buffer zone of the Kopetdag state reserve (23,000 hectares). The area of the IBA constitutes 15.1% of the total area of the Central Kopetdag (279,100 hectares). The site covers a group of canyons of various length (from 7 to 15 km), mainly with a northeast orientation.
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: The avifauna includes 177 species (13 orders, 31 families). Nesting birds – 97 species, non-migratory – 49 species, passage-nesting – 48 species, migratory – 17 species, wintering birds – 7 species and passage – 6 species. Passeriformes (16 families, 49 genus, 81 species) and Falconiformes (2 families, 12 genus and 22 species) are most representative in terms of the number of species. The different habitats (semidesert, tugai, stony-rocky, etc.) of the IBA support numerous communities of birds which reflect the original avifauna of the Central Kopetdag (Mishenko, 1986). The site supports several nesting species listed in the Red List of IUCN (2004): Aegypius monachus, Falco naumanni plus species listed in the Red Data Book of Turkmenistan (1999): Circaetus gallicus, Aquila chrysaetos, Falco peregrinus, Gypaetus barbatus and Bubo bubo. Several of these species conform to the criterion А1. Criterion А3 applies for biome-restricted species (Biome CA 06): Ammoperdix griseogularis, Oenanthe finschii, Oenanthe picata, Emberiza buchanani and Sitta tephronota; (Biome CA 04b): Columba eversmanni, Ammomanes deserti, Hippolais rama, Scotocerca inquieta, Rhodospiza obsoleta, Emberiza bruniceps and Sylvia nana. Biome CA05 - Tichodroma muraria and Mycerobas carnipes also occur. Aquila nipalensis, Aquila heliaca, Pterocles orientalis, Oenanthe deserti and Lanius excubitor occur on passage. Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals are represented by more than 29 species (Zykov, Korshunov, 1986; Mammals of Turkmenistan, 1995). Hyaena hyaena, Panthera pardus, Ovis vignei and Capra aegagrus are listed in the Red Data Book of Turkmenistan (1999). Amphibians: Bufo viridis turanensis; reptiles - 26 species. The flora of the IBA is represented by 886 species (412 genus and 74 families).
Habitats
Land use: military (20%) | nature conservation and research (75%) | urban/industrial/transport (5%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | 13 | |
| Rocky Areas(e.g., inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | 35 | |
| Desert | 24 | |
| Forest | 17 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 5 | |
| Grassland | 6 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Part of the IBA includes the Kopetdag reserve. Anthropogenic pressures include overgrazing, illegal hunting and firewood collection, there is also climate change and severe weather.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Wood & pulp plantations | Agro-industry plantations | Ongoing |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Work & other activities | Ongoing | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Habitat shifting & alteration | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Atayev, Ch.А. (1985). Reptiles of mountains of Turkmenistan. Ashgabat. Ylym. p. 344 (in Russian). Efimenko, N.N. (1988) .Numbers and distribution of Falconiformes in Kopetdag reserve // Proceedings of the Turkmen Academy of Sciences, Biology Sciences. - №5. P. 77-80. (in Russian). Efimenko, N.N. (1989). Materials to a cadastre of rare species of birds of Kopetdag reserve // Soviet-union conference on a problem of a cadastre and the account of animals of the world. (Thesis of reports). part 3. Ufa. P. 81-83. (in Russian). Efimenko, N.N. (1989). Ecology of nesting species of Falconiformes in Kopetdag reserve // Proceedings of the Turkmen Academy of Sciences, Biology Sciences. - №5. P. 41-48. (in Russian). Efimenko, N.N. (1990). Long-term dynamics of numbers of Falconiformes in territory of the Central Kopetdag. P. 230-233 « USSR reserves - their present and the future ». Novgorod. V. 3. (in Russian). Efimenko, N.N. (1990). Nested ecology of Falco peregrine (Falco peregrinus brookei Sharpe, 1873) in the Central Kopetdag // Proceedings of the Turkmen Academy of Sciences, Biology Sciences., № 3. P. 38-42. (in Russian). Efimenko, N.N. (1990). Modern distribution and dynamics of number rare Falconiformes of the Central Kopetdag // Rare and insufficiently known birds of Central Asia. Materials of 3rd Soviet ornithological Conference – Tashkent : P. 65-67. (in Russian). Efimenko N.N. (1992) To biology of nesting of birds of prey of the Central Kopetdag. Ornithological researches in reserves: Problems of reservation matter: Collected articles. Мoscow.: 89-113. (in Russian). Efimenko, N.N. (1992а). Observations of rare species of mammals in Central Kopetdag // News Proceedings of the Turkmen Academy of Sciences, Biology Sciences., № 3. P.71-73. (in Russian). Efimenko, N.N. (1998.) Falcon (Falco peregrinus) in Turkmenistan - p.102-103. Thesis of National conference on September, 29-30th, 1998 Ashgabat. (in Russian). Efimenko, N.N. (2004). Monitoring of ecosystem elements of Kopetdag state reserve (Turkmenistan) p. 24. - « Reserves and national parks ». - Мoscow: Biodiversity protection Center. 42. (in Russian). Efimenko, N.N. (2004.) Peregrin in Turkmenistan // «Strepet». Т.2, Russia. (in Russian). Zykov A.E., Korshunov V.M. (1986). The annotated list of mammals of the Central Kopet Dagh // Nature of the Central Kopetdag. Ashgabat. Ylym. p. 162-183. (in Russian). Mishenko Yu.V. (1986) Specific structure and vertically-biotopic distribution of birds of the Central Kopetdag p. 120-162; « Nature of the Central Kopetdag » - Ashgabat: Ylym. (in Russian). Kamahina G.L. (2005). Flora and vegetation of the Central Kopetdag (the present, the past and the future) – Ashgabat. (in russian). Rajapov M. National action plan on environmental protection of the President of Turkmenistan Saparmyrat Turkmenbashy (2002). Ashgabat. (in Russian, Turkmen, English). Rajapov M. Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for Turkmenistan. Ashgabat, 2002. (in Russian, Turkmen, English). Rajapov M. Turkmenistan. Country Study on the Status of Biodiversity. Ashgabat, 2002. (in Russian, Turkmen, English).