Gorski Kotar and Northern Lika (24009)
Croatia, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2010
National site name: Gorski kotar i sjeverna Lika
Central coordinates: Latitude: 45.2990, Longitude: 14.8750
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 12 to 1527
Area of KBA (km2): 2237.42392
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The area includes extensive mountain area of Gorski Kotar and NW Lika with prevailing forest habitats and Primorje with mixture of forest and opened sub-Mediterranean habitats. The dominant habitat is mixed beech-fir forests. Other forest habitats are black pine forests, hop-hornbeam forest, dwarf pine scrub and submediterranean forests and scrub. Cliffs, rocky habitats and meadows are also abundant, especially in the coastal zone. The main threats are intensified forest management, changes in traditional farming, excessive or illegal hunting and unregulated recreational activities and tourism.
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.
Delineation rationale: Area changed from 272551 ha to 243284 ha, as part of 2010 revision of IBAs/proposed SPAs.