Ras al-Ayn (8292)
Syria, Middle East
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 1994
National site name: Ras al-Ayn
Central coordinates: Latitude: 36.8333, Longitude: 40.0833
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 400 to 450
Area of KBA (km2): 1265.7581
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A vast area of steppe around the border settlement of Ras al-Ayn, through which the seasonal Khabur river flows in winter and spring, north-west of Al-Hasakah. Much of the steppe along the Khabur valley is now under irrigated cultivation of wheat and cotton. Trees and scrub occur along the Khabur river, especially at Ras al-Ayn where there is a patch of c.100 ha of dense Salix bushes, fed by a very powerful, sulphurous hot spring.
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. Streptopelia turtur is a passage migrant in large numbers at Ras al-Ayn. Anser albifrons occurs in winter. There is almost no information on the site since the mid-1970s. Likely species are indicated by extrapolating from the adjacent Ceylanpinar area in Turkey (see Grimmett and Jones 1989). Other likely breeding species include Buteo rufinus, Aquila chrysaetos, Burhinus oedicnemus, Pterocles alchata and Merops superciliosus, as well as a variety of waterfowl along the Khabur river. Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals: Gazella subgutturosa (rare) may still occur. Reptiles: Varanus griseus (rare) may still occur.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | hunting | rangeland/pastureland
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 5 | |
| Shrubland | 5 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 85 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The widespread conversion since the 1970s of semi-natural steppe or traditional dryland farming areas to permanent, irrigated cultivation of wheat and cotton monoculture, with associated use of pesticides, has probably led to declines in bustard populations, as it has elsewhee. In the mid-1970s 10,000 ha in this area were irrigated and a further 39,000 ha were earmarked for irrigation. The Khabur river is apparently now saline, presumably as a result of waste-water discharge from irrigation projects. The Salix woodland at Ras al-Ayn is considered likely to be still intact.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Only in the future |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Work & other activities | Only in the future |