Ben Wyvis (2425)
United Kingdom, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Ben Wyvis
Central coordinates: Latitude: 57.6815, Longitude: -4.5752
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 220 to 1046
Area of KBA (km2): 21.74887
Protected area coverage (%): 99.84
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The only major mountain massif in the eastern Highlands north of the Great Glen. Its size, altitude and location give it a unique character midway between the continental Cairngorm massif and the oceanic mountains of the western Highlands. Summit heath and bryophyte-rich snowbed areas complement montane and submontane dwarf shrub heath, upland Betula forests and blanket bog. The site holds an assemblage of breeding upland birds.
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: First identified in 1992; reduced boundary to match SPA in 2007. 2000 area, 5500ha. SPA boundary used from JNCC; digitised at 1:10,000 scale.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | hunting
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 25 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 25 | |
| Grassland | 25 | |
| Shrubland | 25 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing |