Kuh-i Dena, and Yasuj and Sisakht area (8132)
Iran, Islamic Republic of, Middle East
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 1994
National site name: Kuh-i Dena, and Yasuj and Sisakht area
Central coordinates: Latitude: 31.0000, Longitude: 51.4167
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 1450 to 4404
Area of KBA (km2): 865.08915
Protected area coverage (%): 81.33
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Lying c.180 km north-west of Shiraz, the site comprises the Kuh-i Dena massif in the central Zagros Mountains. The region extends from the forested valleys and foothills at c.1,450 m in the region of Yasuj and Sisakht in the south to the summit of Kuh-i Dena, at 4,404 m the highest peak in the Zagros. The topography is very dissected, with rugged limestone ridges separating steep-sided valleys, and many perennial springs, streams and rivers. The lower slopes and valleys have mature Quercus forest and some wheat cultivation; there is Pistacia-Amygdalus scrub and some Juniperus on the upper slopes, and alpine tundra and permanent snow fields on the highest summits. Around springs and along river banks are stands of Salix and Populus with some dense herbaceous vegetation. There are several small villages in the valleys, and livestock grazing occurs. Land ownership is public.
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 region supports the typical avifauna of the Zagros oak forest and montane habitats. Other breeding species include Dendrocopos medius, Sylvia hortensis, Parus lugubris, Lanius nubicus, Petronia xanthocollis, Montifringilla nivalis, Serinus pusillus and Emberiza buchanani. Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | forestry | rangeland/pastureland
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 28 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 5 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 5 | |
| Rocky Areas(e.g., inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | 5 | |
| Grassland | 28 | |
| Shrubland | 28 |
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.