Lomovete (406)
Bulgaria, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2005
National site name: Lomovete
Central coordinates: Latitude: 43.6750, Longitude: 26.1070
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 30 to 304
Area of KBA (km2): 278.71321
Protected area coverage (%): 93.54
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A complex of river valleys, of the Beli Lom, Cherni Lom, Malki Lom and Rusenski Lom rivers, south-east from the town of Ruse. Limestone cliffs form vertical canyons up to 100 m deep. Forests of Quercus, Carpinus, Fraxinus and Tilia predominate, and there are also plantations of Robinia and Pinus, meadows, and arable land. The riverbanks are overgrown with Salix and Populus. The main human activities are forestry, cultivation, livestock-grazing and recreation.
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: Important numbers of a wide variety of large raptors breed here, as well as Tadorna ferruginea. Breeding species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Aquila heliaca (1 pair), Falco naumanni (2-3 pairs). Significant proportion (³1%) of national population breeding at site: Ciconia nigra (2 pairs).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (8%) | fisheries/aquaculture (1%) | forestry (70%) | hunting (50%) | tourism/recreation (75%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 10 | |
| Grassland | 8 | |
| Rocky Areas(e.g., inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | 7 | |
| Shrubland | 2 | |
| Forest | 70 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 3 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Illegal human activities in the protected area, such as building, driving of vehicles, use of pesticides and wood-cutting, are the main problem, and the regulations protecting the area are often violated.