Retezat Mountains (456)
Romania, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Munţii Retezat
Central coordinates: Latitude: 45.3388, Longitude: 22.8283
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 629 to 2496
Area of KBA (km2): 378.24028
Protected area coverage (%): 99.14
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A mountainous area in the south-eastern Carpathians supporting a diversity of habitat-types. Fagus and Abies forests predominate with dwarf Pinus scrub at the treeline and alpine pastures above that.
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: This is an important site for species associated with open alpine habitats and extensive montane Fagus and coniferous forests.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (10%) | nature conservation and research (95%) | tourism/recreation (5%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 78 | |
| Rocky Areas(e.g., inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | 10 | |
| Grassland | 9 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: No serious threats are known at the site. The World Bank (GEF) began sponsoring a programme of research and management in 1999; a management plan exists for the site.