Zuvintas Biosphere Reserve (214)
Lithuania, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2004
National site name: Zuvintas (Zuvinto biosferos rezervatas)
Central coordinates: Latitude: 54.4667, Longitude: 23.5333
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 100 to 120
Area of KBA (km2): 185.00001
Protected area coverage (%): 99.71
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A complex of raised bogs, marshes, forests, meadows and a large, shallow, overgrown, nutrient-rich lake.
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: An important wetland for a wide variety of breeding and migrating waterbirds (including good numbers of Anser fabalis and A. albifrons on passage). Acrocephalus paludicola has greatly decreased since 1980, when there were 25-30 pairs. This is the best breeding site for Porzana parva and P. porzana in Lithuania. Breeding species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Crex crex (3-5 calling males), Gallinago media. More than 10 pairs of Aythya nyroca bred in the 1970s but no recent data are available.
Delineation rationale: Raudonikis (2004): Zaltytis (IBA 2000; LT029 / SitRecID 228) has been merged into the significantly larger site Zuvintas Biosphere Reserve (IBA 2000/2004; LT030 / SitRecID 214).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (20%) | forestry | nature conservation and research (100%) | rangeland/pastureland (15%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 15 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 31 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 20 | |
| Forest | 33 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The abundance of breeding ducks and waders has declined due to nutrient pollution of the wetland by human activities (`Other' threat).