Madaba - Hisban (8196)
Jordan, Middle East
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2016
National site name: Madaba - Hisban
Central coordinates: Latitude: 31.7868, Longitude: 35.7628
Elevation (m): 900 to 900
Area of KBA (km2): 259.25208
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Plains of former steppeland, e.g. between Jiza and Hisban and between Rabba and Shihan, now almost wholly converted to dry cultivation of cereals. There is also some irrigated agriculture.
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) KBA identified in the CEPF Ecosystem Profile of the Mediterranean Hotspot (2017). Taxonomy, nomenclature and global threat category follow the 2016 IUCN Red List.
Additional biodiversity: See box for key species. The area has been little investigated ornithologically. Winter visitors include Eudromias morinellus (formerly very common, now possibly much reduced). Non-bird biodiversity: Flora: Colchicum tunicatum (endemic), Romulea bulbocodium (rare), Globularia arabica (rare).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | rangeland/pastureland | urban/industrial/transport
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 50 | |
| Grassland | 50 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Expansion and intensification of agriculture, and over-extraction of groundwater for irrigation, are all critical problems. The very heavy level of grazing and built development are major problems, as is abandonment of traditional management locally. The site is not well characterized at the moment, and is very little known ornithologically. The lack of surveys to identify the extent of remaining semi-natural grassland, and the composition of the bird community, hinder evaluation of conservation priorities in Jordan.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Shifting agriculture | Ongoing |
Additional information
Contributors: Data-sheet compiled by Ali Sutari (per Adnan Budieri).