Kole Hashmat Khan (8008)
Afghanistan, Central Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 1994
National site name: Kole Hashmat Khan
Central coordinates: Latitude: 34.5000, Longitude: 69.2000
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 1790 to 1800
Area of KBA (km2): 1.56466
Protected area coverage (%): 99.72
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The only wetland remaining from the once extensive Kabul marshes, on the south-east outskirts of Kabul city on the Kabul-Gardez highway, at c.1,800 m. Kole Hashmat Khan is a small, shallow (c.1.5 m max. depth) L-shaped lake, c.2.5 km long and 300-1,000 m wide. It lies in a basin surrounded by the foothills of the Hindu Kush, and the north-east shore opens into the Logar valley, being connected to the Logar river by a small stream; to the east the hills slope down into the subtropical Jalalabad valley, whereas to the west the hills rise steeply into the Paghman mountains (5,000 m). Past drainage and irrigation have reduced the water in both the lake and the Logar river. Both may become virtually dry in hot summers and the lake is typically frozen for two to three months during winter. In the 1970s the edges of the lake incorporated quite extensive Phragmites reedbeds and were grazed by livestock. There was a large area of basic cultivation between the lake and the village (c.300 people). Southern fields were property of the public bath and the northern fields were owned by local residents. Nomads moved through with their animals each spring, and the area was quite popular for picnicing. Nearby are the popular shrine of Jubur Ansar and the old fortress of Qala-i-Hashmat Khan.
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: The site is used as a migration staging post by waterfowl en route from Pakistan/India to Central Asia and Siberia. A figure of over 30,000 waterbirds has been implied (Day 1988), but this misinterprets data of Niethammer (1967) who states that a total of 32,700 individual birds were seen during a two-year study. Figures quoted below are typical, and at least 157 species have been recorded. Small numbers of waterbirds breed. Other breeding species in the 1960s and/or 1970s included Podiceps nigricollis (30 pairs), Netta rufina (possibly), Aythya ferina (2 pairs) and Porzana pusilla (probable). Acrocephalus scirpaceus apparently bred in 1967, which would be the sole known Afghan site (nests were found but identification needs confirmation). Moderate numbers of waterfowl occur on passage and in winter, including Podiceps nigricollis (233, March), Anas clypeata (471, March), Aythya ferina (2,210, March), Fulica atra (10,000, March), Tringa glareola (500, August) and Chlidonias hybridus (150, May). The lake is frozen in winter and its value for waterfowl then is limited; species include Fulica atra (5,000 in winter). Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | hunting | nature conservation and research (100%) | rangeland/pastureland | tourism/recreation | water management
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 70 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 30 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Previously a 'royal hunting preserve', it was declared a waterfowl reserve in the 1930s, with restricted hunting. When the monarchy was abolished in 1973 the site was placed under control of the Republican Guard and the Department of Forests and Range. By 1978 the lake was administered by the Presidential Office (Department of Ceremonies of Arg-i-Jamhouriat) and was state property. Current protection of the area is presumed to be non-existent. Human pressures in the 1970s included water-diversion from the source stream for irrigation, excessive hunting, pollution from commercial laundry businesses, indiscriminate shooting, egg-collecting, reed-cutting and much general disturbance of birds (some deliberate), especially severe and widespread in summer when water levels were low. Cyprinid fish have been introduced, including Carp Cyprinus carpio. The site has excellent potential for conservation education. Conversion of the old fort on the site into a hotel, restaurant or visitors' centre is a possibility in the future, with an attendant risk of pollution or excessive disturbance of wildlife locally if development is not carried out with care.
Additional information
References: Day (1988), Niethammer (1967), Puget (1971), Rahim and Larsson (1978).