Safed Koh (8011)
Afghanistan, Central Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 1994
National site name: Safed Koh
Central coordinates: Latitude: 33.9992, Longitude: 70.3278
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 2000 to 3000
Area of KBA (km2): 2060.3035
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The upper zone of a range of mountains south-east of Kabul and bordering the North-West Frontier province of Pakistan, from 2,000 m to over 3,000 m. There are forests of Cedrus deodara, Pinus gerardiana and P. excelsa.
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: A poorly studied region at the western limit of many Himalayan forest birds. See box for key species; others known to occur and presumed to breed are Buteo rufinus, Tetraogallus himalayensis, Lophophorus impejanus, Psittacula himalayana, Picus squamatus, Anthus similis, A. roseatus (breeds over Pakistan border), Prunella strophiata, Turdus rubrocanus, Phylloscopus chloronotus (breeds over Pakistan border), P. occipitalis, P. subviridis, Muscicapa sibirica, M. ruficauda, Ficedula superciliaris, Aegithalos leucogenys, Parus melanolophus, P. rufonuchalis, Sitta leucopsis, S. cashmirensis, Certhia himalayana, Garrulus lanceolatus, Nucifraga caryocatactes, Corvus macrorhynchos, Dicrurus leucophaeus, Mycerobas carnipes and M. icterioides. Most of above is based on Wardlaw-Ramsey (1879) during his stay in the Hariab valley. Koelz made a brief visit in 1937 (to Khudi Khel). Other species known to occur just over the border in Pakistani Safed Koh include Delichon dasypus, Tarsiger cyanurus, Phylloscopus magnirostris and Carpodacus thura; the occurrence of Garrulax albogularis, Carduelis spinoides and Callacanthis burtoni in the Safed Koh range needs confirmation. Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Delineation rationale: 2010-07-16 (BL Secretariat): coordinates adjusted more towards the centre of the mountain range.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | forestry | hunting | rangeland/pastureland
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Rocky Areas(e.g., inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | 5 | |
| Forest | 45 | |
| Grassland | 45 | |
| Shrubland | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: No formal conservation measures are known to have been taken. Up-to-date knowledge of the condition of habitat and fauna is completely lacking. However, deforestation is almost certain to be a critical problem, and Lophophorus impejanus has probably already disappeared through hunting. The lack of protected areas severely compromises the survival of any remaining significant areas of forest.
Additional information
References: Wardlaw-Ramsey (1879, 1880).