Lotfatabad and Darregaz area (8103)
Iran, Islamic Republic of, Middle East
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 1994
National site name: Lotfatabad and Darregaz area
Central coordinates: Latitude: 37.5167, Longitude: 59.3333
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 380 to 420
Area of KBA (km2): 33.20366
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A small area of sandy plains on the southern edge of the Kara Kum desert, around the small town of Lotfatabad and village of Shilagan on the Turkmenistan border. This is one of only two places in north-east Iran where the international border extends down from the hills to incorporate a section of the sparsely vegetated sandy plains of the Kara Kum desert. Much of the area is under irrigated cultivation (vegetable gardens, vineyards and wheat fields), and ponds and ditches support dense herbaceous vegetation with some Salix.
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: See box for key species. One of only two localities in Iran where Parus bokharensis has been recorded. Other breeding species include Accipiter badius, Sturnus roseus and Emberiza bruniceps. Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Desert | 48 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 48 | |
| Artificial - Aquatic | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: No conservation measures are known to have been proposed and there is no information on threats to the site.