Jabal Samhan (8239)
Oman, Middle East
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 1994
National site name: Jabal Samhan
Central coordinates: Latitude: 17.2000, Longitude: 54.9167
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 1800
Area of KBA (km2): 4704.40399
Protected area coverage (%): 93.17
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A tract of elevated limestone highlands, rising abruptly as an escarpment from the coastal plain and sloping more gently towards the interior plains, everywhere deeply incised by tortuous canyons and ravines, up to 1,000 m deep and often very steep or vertical. Elevations range from sea-level up to c.1,800 m. The mountain lies parallel to the south-west monsoon winds of summer, and the vegetation does not benefit as much from their moisture as the mountains of Jabal al Qara and Jabal al Qamar to the west. The vegetation is mostly a sparse, low shrub layer typified by Euphorbia balsamifera, with grass and occasional trees or bushes of Acacia, Commiphora, Boswellia, Boscia and Dracaena. This is unusually wild and uninhabited country, with no settlements and few motorable tracks: most of the area is impassable by road and is relatively little used by pastoralists (otherwise the main land-use in the region). There are at least two antiquity sites.
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. A very important natural wildlife refuge. It is mostly unexplored due to the extreme difficulty of access. Non-bird biodiversity: Flora: there is a high degree of endemism. Mammals: the major Omani populations of Panthera pardus (rare) and Capra nubiana (I) are here. Vulpes cana (K), Gazella gazella (V) and possibly Canis lupus (V) also occur.
Habitats
Land use: rangeland/pastureland
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 4 | |
| Desert | 37 | |
| Caves & Subterranean Habitats (non-aquatic) | 19 | |
| Shrubland | 37 | |
| Rocky Areas(e.g., inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | 4 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The area is a proposed National Nature Reserve.