Amanos Mountains (820)
Turkey, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2016
National site name: Amanos Dağları
Central coordinates: Latitude: 36.8167, Longitude: 36.2833
Elevation (m): 0 to 2262
Area of KBA (km2): 3724.74237
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A high mountain ridge that forms the boundary between Mediterranean Turkey and the Syrian plateau. Wet areas at low altitude are clothed with dense deciduous forest; Pinus forest dominates the lower serpentine slopes. Extensive Quercus scrub occurs on the drier landward slopes, with dry grasslands and Cedrus at higher elevations. Human use of the area is limited to sheep-grazing and forestry. This area was treated in the previous international IBA inventory (Grimmett and Jones 1989) as Belen Geçidi (Belen pass) (former site TR059).
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs. 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: The majority of birds passing through site 005 (Bosphorus) during autumn and spring cross the Nur mountains, along with Turkish breeders. The only comprehensive autumn count was undertaken at the Belen pass over five weeks in 1976; few spring records are available. 6,203 Pelecanus onocrotalus, 3,303 Ciconia nigra, 82,887 C. ciconia and 26,756 raptors (mainly Pernis apivorus, Accipiter brevipes and Aquila pomarina) were counted. 9,950 Ciconia ciconia were counted over the Belen Pass on one day in spring 1992.
Delineation rationale: Area changed from 21,500 ha to 362,500 ha (Kiliç & Eken 2004). The Amanos (Nur) mountain range streching for 175 kilomtere from the Kahramanmaraş Sır Dam Lake to the coasts of Samandağ of Hatay province. The Amanos Mountains are among the first one hundred forest to be protected in Europe. It's very important for wildlife with its unfilied forests, variety of habitat, unique geological structure, steep rock cliffs and mountains, together with its sheltering valleys.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | forestry (50%) | not utilised (50%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 74 | |
| Grassland | 25 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 1 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: No serious threats are known at the site.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression | Increase in fire frequency/intensity | Ongoing |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing | |
| Residential & commercial development | Tourism & recreation areas | Ongoing | |
| Energy production & mining | Mining & quarrying | Ongoing | |
| Energy production & mining | Renewable energy | Ongoing |