Abu Zad (8310)
Syria, Middle East
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2016
National site name: Abu Zad
Central coordinates: Latitude: 33.7612, Longitude: 36.1808
Elevation (m): 1500 to 2462
Area of KBA (km2): 100.73096
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: An upland area at the southern end of the Jibal al-Sharqi (Anti-Lebanon) range, 50 km by road from Damascus, and centred on Abu Zad, a small village with small orchards and very small fields lying at 1,500 m above the resort village of Bludan. The nearby village of Halbun is at 1,700 m. To the west, vertical cliffs fall to Zabadani far below, and mountains to the north-east rise steeply to 2,462 m within c.10 km. The land above the village is open, with sparse grassland, scattered scrub and bare rock, and is snow-covered in winter.
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. A diverse assemblage of breeding species characteristic of upland Mediterranean habitats which are rare and local in the Middle East. Other confirmed or probable breeding species include Circaetus gallicus, Buteo rufinus, Aquila chrysaetos, Alectoris chukar, Hirundo rupestris, Melanocorypha bimaculata, Lullula arborea, Eremophila alpestris, Monticola saxatilis, Sylvia hortensis, Lanius collurio, Pyrrhocorax graculus (seen in winter 1938/39), Rhodopechys githaginea and Emberiza melanocephala. Winter visitors include Prunella collaris. Non-bird biodiversity: No information.
Habitats
Land use: hunting | rangeland/pastureland | tourism/recreation | urban/industrial/transport
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Rocky Areas(e.g., inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | 5 | |
| Grassland | 90 | |
| Shrubland | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: In the mid-1970s there was some shooting of passerines in the orchards, but the uplands did not appear under any threat. The area around Bludan is a popular site for second homes, and built development is increasing: Bludan has grown enormously in the last 20 years and is now joined to Zabadani below.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Small-holder farming | Only in the future |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Work & other activities | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Baumgart and Kasparek (1992), Macfarlane (1978).
Contributors: Data-sheet compiled by M. I. Evans.