Monde Protected Area (8154)
Iran, Islamic Republic of, Middle East

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 1994

National site name: Monde Protected Area

Central coordinates: Latitude: 28.1667, Longitude: 51.3000

System: marine, terrestrial

Elevation (m): 0 to 10

Area of KBA (km²): 424.76324

Protected area coverage (%): 99.89

KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: Lying on the Persian Gulf coast 100 km south-south-east of Bushire, the site comprises the Monde Protected Area which encompasses the lower reaches and delta of the Monde river, the adjacent sandy plains and low rocky hills, and a large creek system and extensive area of well-vegetated coastal dunes to the south. In its lower reaches, the river meanders across a broad sandy plain with steppic vegetation and has created a number of long, thin oxbow lakes with some marsh vegetation and Tamarix scrub. Other habitats include wide sandy beaches, intertidal mudflats with sand spits and low sandy islets, small areas of irrigated wheat cultivation, and low rocky hills almost unvegetated except in gullies. Wetland covers c.26,870 ha. The region is very sparsely populated and little disturbed. The land is publicly owned.

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. An important wintering area for Phalacrocorax carbo, Phoenicopterus ruber, Grus grus (112), shorebirds, gulls and terns. Pterocles alchata breeds. Winter visitors include Tadorna tadorna, Buteo rufinus, Pandion haliaetus and Falco peregrinus. Uncommon passage migrants include Bubulcus ibis and Buteo buteo. Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals: Gazella subgutturosa (rare).

Delineation rationale: 2009-11-30 (BL Secretariat): area of site has been increased from 49951 ha to 53705 ha so as to match the increased size of Mond Protected Area (according to WDPA 2009).

Habitats

Land use: agriculture | nature conservation and research (100%)

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Desert	28
Shrubland	5
Marine Intertidal	28
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	28
Artificial - Terrestrial	5
Marine Neritic	5

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The site was designated a Wildlife Refuge in 1976, downgraded to Protected Area in the 1980s. There is no information on threats.

Additional information