Peloritani mountains (2828)
Italy, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2015
National site name: Monti Peloritani
Central coordinates: Latitude: 38.2167, Longitude: 15.5167
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 1286
Area of KBA (km2): 263.93271
Protected area coverage (%): 99.39
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A mountain area in north-east Sicily, west of the town of Messina, dominated by maquis, garrigue, broadleaved evergreen woodlands and agricultural land. The main land-uses are cultivation and stock-rearing.
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.
Additional biodiversity: A very important `bottleneck' site for migrating raptors, where more than 20,000 pass regularly in spring, especially Pernis apivorus (mean minimum of 6,032 pass per spring).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (80%) | forestry (20%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 29 | |
| Shrubland | 32 | |
| Marine Oceanic | 16 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 16 | |
| Other | 6 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 1 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The main threats are fires and illegal hunting. In the past there was intense hunting of migrating raptors, which has now largely decreased. A major threat is the building of forestry roads. There are anti-poaching activities.