Tatra mountains (939)
Poland, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2010
National site name: Tatry
Central coordinates: Latitude: 49.2500, Longitude: 19.9167
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 844 to 2499
Area of KBA (km2): 213.4049
Protected area coverage (%): 98.11
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Tatra National Park covers the whole of the Polish part of the Tatras range (Western Tatras), the youngest and highest mountains in Poland (up to 2,499 m). At lower altitudes there is heavily modified subalpine spruce Picea forest, followed by upper subalpine forest, then the mountain pine Pinus mugo zone, followed by alpine pastures and rock towers at the highest elevations. There is a great variety of land-forms with many mountain lakes (High Tatras) and karst features (Western Tatras; e.g. caves). The site is contiguous with the `Tatry' IBA across the border in Slovakia.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Additional biodiversity: Breeding species include Crex crex (of global conservation concern but not meeting IBA criteria) and two of the 10 species in Europe that are restricted to the European high-mountain biome when breeding (Prunella collaris in especially good numbers). A total of 200 species have been recorded.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (15%) | forestry (5%) | nature conservation and research (70%) | tourism/recreation (10%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 1 | |
| Grassland | 5 | |
| Rocky Areas(e.g., inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | 24 | |
| Forest | 70 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Threats include air and water pollution (air-borne deposits from industry upwind), tourism/recreation, transportation, infrastructure development up to the Park border, and a proposal to hold the Winter Olympic Games here.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use | Dams (size unknown) | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Persecution/control | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Excess energy | Noise pollution | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Unintentional effects: large scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Unspecified species | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Problematic native species/diseases | Unspecified species | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Domestic & urban waste water | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Air-borne pollutants | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Ongoing | |
| Residential & commercial development | Commercial & industrial areas | Ongoing | |
| Residential & commercial development | Tourism & recreation areas | Ongoing | |
| Energy production & mining | Mining & quarrying | Ongoing | |
| Transportation & service corridors | Flight paths | Ongoing | |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing | |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Work & other activities | Ongoing | |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | War, civil unrest & military exercises | Ongoing | |
| Pollution | Garbage & solid waste | Ongoing | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Storms & flooding | Ongoing |