High mountains of Ibb (8351)
Yemen, Middle East
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2011
National site name: High mountains of Ibb
Central coordinates: Latitude: 13.9290, Longitude: 44.2250
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 1500 to 3000
Area of KBA (km2): 1632.6565
Protected area coverage (%): 0.08
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A highland area (1500-3000 m), from a little north of Ibb to the small town of Dhi Sufal to the south west, with the town of Jiblah (2000 m) and Jabal al-Ta'kar (up to 3100 m) in between). Occasionally visited since Evans (1994) but not surveyed.
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 (those with particularly restricted ranges are tagged with Irr1, i.e. meeting the KBA Irreplaceability 1 criterion) and may be categorised as globally threatened once assessed (thus meeting the KBA Vulnerability criterion), based on existing regional or national Red List assessments: Acacia yemenensis, Aeonium sp., Ceropegia foliosa (Irr1), Ceropegia sepium (Irr1), Cichorium bottae, Crepis sp. B (Irr1), Crinum album (Irr1), Cynoglossum sabirense, Festuca cryptantha, Helichrysum arwae, Kniphofia sumarae, Nepeta woodiana (Irr1), Oreoschimperella arabiae-felicis (Irr1), Pimpinella menachensis, Pimpinella woodii (Irr1), Plectranthus ovatus, Scutellaria arabica, Senecio harazianus, Senecio sumarae, Swertia woodii.
Delineation rationale: 2009-01-05 (BL Secretariat): the original IBA polygon was defined roughly in Google Earth, according to the coordinates, site area and site description (altitude range, habitats and other features discernible in Google Earth), as given in the 1994 IBA book. 2013-07-10 (BL Secretariat): coordinates shifted and site extent of 25,000 ha has been increased to 160,000 ha, following westward (Jabal Hubaysh, Jabal Numa'an, Jabal Himyar) and eastward (Jabal Ba'dan, including Jabal Manar) extensions of the boundary polygon by Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (as measured in GIS, rounded to nearest 10%).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | forestry | rangeland/pastureland | tourism/recreation
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 5 | |
| Grassland | 5 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 75 | |
| Forest | 5 | |
| Rocky Areas(e.g., inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | 5 | |
| Shrubland | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Threats: Recent significant changes to habitat through fragmentation as a result of road building and associated infrastructure. Intensive use of pesticides for Qat
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |