Mehrouyeh Wildlife Refuge (8145)
Iran, Islamic Republic of, Middle East
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 1994
National site name: Mehrouyeh Wildlife Refuge
Central coordinates: Latitude: 28.1000, Longitude: 57.4167
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 650 to 690
Area of KBA (km2): 88.58701
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Semi-desertic and wooded plains at the base of the eastern Zagros Mountains, c.65 km south-south-west of Jiroft. Much of the centre and south of the reserve is occupied by a broad belt of excellent Prosopis woodland with scattered Tamarix. This gives way to open Tamarix woodland with a grassy understorey in the north, and sandy plains with Salsola, Haloxylon and scattered Tamarix shrubs along the northern boundary. To the south is a boulder-strewn outwash plain and a range of barren, rocky hills. There are several small villages in the reserve, with some irrigated cultivation. The Bandar Abbas to Jiroft road passes along the north-west boundary of the reserve. Cultivated areas (mostly in the south of the reserve) comprise date gardens and irrigated wheat fields.
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 is characteristic of the coastal lowlands of south-east Iran, with common breeders including Francolinus pondicerianus, Hypocolius ampelinus, Hippolais rama, Turdoides caudatus, Lanius vittatus and Petronia xanthocollis. The reserve lies in the zone of hybridization between Dendrocopos syriacus and D. assimilis, with hybrid types predominating. A brief survey in May 1975 recorded 32 species in the reserve. Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals: the very rare Baluchistan race of Selenarctos thibetanus (V) is known to have occurred in the 1970s. Other mammals include Vulpes rueppellii (K) and Gazella dorcas fuscifrons (V).
Delineation rationale: 2009-11-30 (BL Secretariat): area of site has been increased from 7468 ha to 7535 ha, so as to match the current size of the Wildlife Refuge (according to WDPA 2009).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | nature conservation and research (100%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 5 | |
| Forest | 5 | |
| Shrubland | 5 | |
| Desert | 85 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The entire area has been protected as a Wildlife Refuge since 1971. No threats are known.