Western cliff faces of the Ustyurt Plateau (20779)
Kazakhstan, Central Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2006
National site name: Western cliff faces of the Ustyurt Plateau
Central coordinates: Latitude: 44.8667, Longitude: 53.7667
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): -32 to 225
Area of KBA (km2): 7632.73503
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The IBA covers the very western and most gentle “chink” (cliff) of the vast Ustyurt Plateau, extending to the Mertvyi Kultuk saltmarsh (Mangystau and Beyneu districts). The site consists of a limestone-gypsum desert plateau and neighbouring plains with steep cliffs. The surface of the plateau is slightly undulating clay northern desert with fragments of semidesert. The vegetation is mainly Artemisia-Salsola associations. Below is the vast Mertvyi Kultuk saltmarsh which is now under water and a sea bay created by the rising level of the Caspian Sea.
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: The IBA holds a complex of species of the northern desert, with a high density of raptors.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: Limestone quarrying for building in the towns of Beyneu and Say-Utes takes place in a small part of the site.
Land use: energy production and mining | urban/industrial/transport
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Desert | 65 | |
| Forest | 10 | |
| Shrubland | 3 | |
| Rocky Areas(e.g., inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | 23 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The main threats are: Illegal capture of Saker Falcons; Disturbance from limestone quarrying (in a limited area); Development of infrastructure for petroleum (oil) production, which may cause disturbance and habitat destruction in some places.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Motivation Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Gathering terrestrial plants | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Nomadic grazing | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Transportation & service corridors | Utility & service lines | Ongoing | |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Work & other activities | Ongoing | |
| Residential & commercial development | Commercial & industrial areas | Ongoing | |
| Energy production & mining | Oil & gas drilling | Ongoing | |
| Energy production & mining | Mining & quarrying | Ongoing | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Droughts | Ongoing | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Temperature extremes | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Karyakin I., Levin A., Novikova L., Pazhenkov A. (2004). Saker in the North-Western Kazakhstan: results of the 2003-2004 surveys. – Falco. № 24: 11-13. Karyakin, I.V., Levin, A.S., Novikova, L.M. and Pazhenkov, A.S. (2005). Saker Falcon in Western Kazakhstan: results of research of 2003-2004. - In: Raptors conservation. № 2: 42-55 (in Russian).