Jabal Sis (8312)
Syria, Middle East
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 1994
National site name: Jabal Sis
Central coordinates: Latitude: 33.3000, Longitude: 37.3667
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 600 to 975
Area of KBA (km2): 537.769226
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD’
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A huge, extinct volcanic crater, the largest of many within a huge basalt lava field which covers much of southern Syria and northern Jordan. Jabal Sis (Sies) lies near the eastern edge of the basalt, 100 km east-south-east of Damascus and 55 km south of the main road running east from Damascus to Iraq. The volcano rises about 100 m above the surrounding plain. Spring rain lies in small lakes and pools in scattered pans of impermeable clay, and there is a rain-fed lake at the foot of Jabal Sis itself. Vegetation is sparse. The terrain is impassable to vehicles except along tracks, of which there are few. Nomadic pastoralists graze large flocks in the area in spring and early summer.
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. Proven or probable breeding species include Cursorius cursor (common), Charadrius leschenaultii (see box; large numbers have been seen at rain-flooded pans in March and May: almost certainly a breeding summer visitor), Eremophila bilopha, Oenanthe deserti, Corvus ruficollis and Rhodopechys githaginea. The area also holds a thinly spread resident population of a dark form of Oenanthe lugens, which occurs only on the basalt plains of Syria, Jordan and northern Saudi Arabia. Pterocles orientalis (150, December) and P. alchata (c.300, March) occur in good numbers in winter/spring. Non-bird biodiversity: No information.
Habitats
Land use: hunting | rangeland/pastureland
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 5 | |
| Desert | 95 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The area is too remote and inhospitable to be much threatened, though the bringing in of water in barrels has increased grazing and there is some shooting of sandgrouse in winter.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target) | Only in the future |
| Climate change & severe weather | Temperature extremes | Only in the future |
Additional information
References: Macfarlane (1978).