Mooteh Protected Area (8118)
Iran, Islamic Republic of, Middle East

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 1994

National site name: Mooteh Protected Area

Central coordinates: Latitude: 33.6667, Longitude: 50.8333

System: terrestrial

Elevation (m): 1770 to 2930

Area of KBA (km²): 2071.60948

Protected area coverage (%): 96.14

KBA classification: Regional

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: The site lies in an intermontane basin on the western edge of the Central Plateau, c.135 km north-west of Isfahan. About half is mountainous (peaks rising to 2,930 m) or rolling foothills (2,000-2,225 m), and the remainder comprises open plains in four valley regions (1,770-2,000 m). The dominant plant community throughout most of the site is tragacanthic steppe with Artemisia. Land ownership is public. Livestock are grazed.

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: See box for key species. The avifauna of the reserve is characteristic of the extensive semi-arid steppic plains which fringe the central desert basin of Iran. Other breeding species include Aquila chrysaetos, Falco tinnunculus, Pterocles orientalis (particularly common), Columba livia, Streptopelia decaocto, Athene noctua, Coracias garrulus, Upupa epops and Lanius excubitor (presumed). Passage migrants include Falco peregrinus, and F. pelegrinoides is an occasional visitor. Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals: Capra hircus aegagrus (rare), Ovis ammon (rare, estimated 700–800 in 1970), Gazella subgutturosa (rare, c.5,000), Lynx lynx (rare), Canis lupus (V), Acinonyx jubatus (V; an occasional visitor in the mid- and late 1970s, but has not been observed in recent years).

Habitats

Land use: nature conservation and research (100%) | rangeland/pastureland

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Grassland	100

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: A Protected Region of 343,940 ha was established in 1964, primarily for the protection of the gazelle. This was reduced to 291,920 ha in the early 1970s, and re-notified partly as a Wildlife Refuge (132,720 ha) and partly as a Protected Area (159,200 ha). The reserve was further reduced to 200,000 ha in the 1980s, and the Wildlife Refuge was downgraded to Protected Area. There is very heavy grazing by domestic sheep and goats throughout the well-watered parts of the reserve. Sheet erosion has been very damaging to mountain slopes in a number of parts of the reserve.

Additional information