Wadi Turabah and Jabal Ibrahim (8276)
Saudi Arabia, Middle East
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2011
National site name: Wadi Turabah and Jabal Ibrahim
Central coordinates: Latitude: 20.5080, Longitude: 41.1960
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 1600 to 2604
Area of KBA (km2): 551.33772
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The site lies 80 km north of al-Baha and 150 km south-east of Taif, between the Bani Saad-al-Baha escarpment road and the Taif-al-Baha road. Jabal Ibrahim (Jabal Batharah, 5,000 ha, up to 2,604 m) is a granite mountain rising c.1,000 m above the surrounding rocky hills and giving rise to several streams which provide a permanent flow for Wadi Turabah and its tributaries (west end 20°27'N 41°05'E, east end 20°37'N 41°18'E). Habitats include: bare granite domes and slabs; well-vegetated granite boulder slopes with montane woodland, including Juniperus; wadis with abundant Ficus and Ziziphus trees; and Acacia woodland.
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 process of compiling the CEPF Ecosystem Profile of the East Afromontane Hotspot. Species taxonomy and threat category was based on IUCN Red List 2010-4. The site holds a significant population of the following plant species which, although not yet Red-List-assessed at the global level, are endemic to the Hotspot and may be categorised as globally threatened once assessed (thus meeting the KBA Vulnerability criterion), based on existing regional or national Red List assessments: Allium asirense, Crucianella arabica, Cynoglossum bottae, Pimpinella menachensis, Swertia woodii.
Additional biodiversity: See box for key species. The site's location and interesting mix of habitats provide an avifauna with Afrotropical elements as well as most of the south-west Arabian endemics, and breeding birds thus include Scopus umbretta (c.30 birds present), Aquila verreauxii, Halcyon leucocephala, Monticola rufocinereus, Phylloscopus umbrovirens and Emberiza tahapisi. Up to 20 Ciconia nigra overwinter. Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals: Papio hamadryas (endemic) and several (heavily persecuted) large carnivores. Fish: Cyprinion mahalensis, Garra buettikeri and Barbus apoensis (all endemic). Flora: Jabal Ibrahim is of high botanical interest.
Delineation rationale: 2009-10-12 (BL Secretariat): Jabal Ibrahim straightforward to delineate, but Wadi Turabah less easy to identify and bound; the original coordinates seem suitable. 2013-07-10 (BL Secretariat): coordinates adjusted and site extent of 5000 ha has been updated to 42000 ha (as measured in GIS from the most recent boundary polygon [created by Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, incorporating PA proposed by SWC], rounded to nearest 10%).
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | 80 | |
| Savanna | 5 | |
| Rocky Areas(e.g., inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | 5 | |
| Forest | 5 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The site is proposed as a Natural Reserve, Biological Reserve and Resource Use Reserve in the NCWCD System Plan for Protected Areas. Some nature conservation public awareness activities have been undertaken, but large numbers of visitors and hunters are not reached by this method. Many camps of nomadic pastoralists are now appearing more permanent and buildings are being erected, even though ownership of the area remains unknown, and the complexities of land ownership and utilization mitigate against rapid establishment of a protected area. There is a threat from overgrazing locally, as from settlement and building in key areas.
| 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 |
Additional information
References: Eichacker (1990), Newton and Newton (1993), Schulz et al. (undated).
Contributors: Data-sheet compiled by Dr Stephen F. Newton.