Ta'izz wadis (8353)
Yemen, Middle East
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2011
National site name: Ta'izz wadis
Central coordinates: Latitude: 13.6230, Longitude: 43.9660
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 1000 to 1400
Area of KBA (km2): 16.38575
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs. 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.
Additional biodiversity: Other birds: Migratory/wintering stop-over site for small numbers of herons, wildfowl and waders.
Delineation rationale: 2009-01-05 (BL Secretariat): the polygon is defined very roughly, 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; the 1994 coordinates lie outside this polygon, so have been shifted to its centre.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: Evans (1994), but note there has been significant drainage in the last 20 years and much of the wet grazing marsh has gone; also the sewage settling pools are heavily polluted.
Land use: agriculture | rangeland/pastureland | tourism/recreation | urban/industrial/transport
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | 45 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 5 | |
| Grassland | 5 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 45 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Threats: highly threatened and greatly impacted by drainage and development. The site no longer holds the range and numbers of species that it did in the 1980s and early 1990s.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pollution | Domestic & urban waste water | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |