Western Issyk Kul Lake (27414)
Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2010
National site name: Western Issyk Kul Lake
Central coordinates: Latitude: 42.4483, Longitude: 76.2550
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 1609 to 1609
Area of KBA (km2): 543.52972
Protected area coverage (%): 54.21
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The territory includes dry steppes and semi-deserts, part of Issyk-Kul lake, foothill- adyr areas. Vertical differentiations of relief, heterogeneity of soil conditions make vary landscapes of dry-steppes and stony-deserts. Territory is close to Balykchy city.
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: Criterion A1 is applied to the site because of Pallas’s sandgrouse (Syrrhaptes paradoxys), Saker falcon (Falko cherrug), and wintering species such as Whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus) and White-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla).Criterion A4iii is applied because of high number of wintering waterfowl and waterbirds: Anseriformes, Podicipedidae, Laridae and waders during the passage. According to winter counts every year from 25 to 80 thousand individuals of 30 species winter here.Site hosts 267 bird species. Shallows and inlets are used by birds in winter time. Coot (Fulica atra) and Mallard breed here. IBA is wintering ground for Whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus), Gadwall, Garganey. During the mass passage are seen Northern Pintail, Common Teal and waders. Stony desert areas home of Pallas’s sandgrouse, Lesser short-toed lark, Oenanthe spec.. Foothill-adyr zone hosts Saker falcon, Golden eagle, Egyptian and other vultures. Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals dominating in steppes areas are: European suslik, jerboa, vole, Tolai hare, as well as Long-eared hedgehog, predators’- wolf, fox, manul and weasel. Reptiles are presented with 2 species: Steppe runner and Multi-Ocellated Racerunner. Plants are ephedra, nitaria, Pine, Thermopsis genus and sea buckthorn. Lake Issyk-Kul hosts 28 species of fish and 8 of them are endemics such as Naked Osman, Balkhash Marinka and others
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: At the moment ecosystems of IBA are satisfying, but there is overgrazing. Relatively in good conditions are wetlands, which host birds mainly during the winter.
Land use: hunting (20%) | nature conservation and research (50%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | 24 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 63 | |
| Desert | 6 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Agricultural intensification (B) and human disturbance (B)
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Ardamin I. (1976) Wintering waterfowl in Issyk-Kul. Studies of Issyk-Kul reserve. Frunze “Kyrgyzstan” p. 45-62 Kidiraliev A. (1976) Waterfowl and waterbirds of Issyk-Kul reserve. Studies of Issyk-Kul reserve. Frunze “Kyrgyzstan” p. 24-44 Counts of waterfowl. Chronicle “Nature of Issyk-Kul reserve” 1987 Yanushevich A. I. and others (1959) Birds of Kyrgyzstan, vol. 1
Contributors: Data-sheet compiled 24-09-2006 by S. V. Kulagin (NABU), received by BirdLife Cambridge May 2008, translated by Tsovinar Hovhannisyan in summer 2010, entered into WBDB by Rory McCann in autumn 2010.