Mount Velebit (3603)
Croatia, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2010
National site name: Velebit
Central coordinates: Latitude: 44.4930, Longitude: 15.3710
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 1755
Area of KBA (km2): 2035.14168
Protected area coverage (%): 99.91
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This area comprises the largest Croatian mountain with diverse habitats (forest, open, rocky and mixed habitats). The majority of important bird species inhabit forests – fir-beech in the northern part and beech in the southern part. Very important spruce forests (Stirovaca, Lomska duliba etc.), as well as black pine and hop-hornbeam forests are found here. Rocky habitats with exposed cliffs are best developed in Velika and Mala Paklenica. It is one of the most important breeding areas for Capercaillie, Pygmy and Tengmalm’s Owl, White-backed Woodpecker and Ortolan Bunting in Croatia. Birds are threatened mainly by 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 3617 ha to 206771 ha (Radovic, Kralj, Tutis, Radovic & Topic, 2005). Area changed from 206771 ha to 203608 ha, as part of 2010 revision of IBAs/proposed SPAs.
Habitats
Land use: tourism/recreation
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 50 | |
| Rocky Areas(e.g., inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | 50 |