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The site was identified as important in 2008 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species') at the site:

Species	Red List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis	VU	passage	1998–2003	250-999 birds	A1, A4i
Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus	VU	passage	1998–2003	< 50 birds	A1
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna	LC	passage	2002–2006	1,300–1,500 birds	A4i
Siberian Crane Leucogeranus leucogeranus	CR	winter	1998–2003	1 birds	A1
Demoiselle Crane Anthropoides virgo	LC	passage	1998–2003	2,800–8,000 birds	A4i
Common Crane Grus grus	LC	passage	1998–2003	4,200–12,000 birds	A4i
Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax	NT	breeding	1998–2000	< 50 pairs	A1, A3
Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius	CR	breeding	1998–2003	< 50 birds	A1, A3
Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca	VU	non-breeding	1998–2003	frequent	A1
Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus	NT	breeding	1998–2003	15 pairs	A1, A3
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage	1998–2003	20,000–50,000 birds	A4iii

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2008) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2008. The most recent assessment (2004) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Introduced vegetation	moderate (70-90%)	poor (40-69%)	very poor
Artificial/Terrestrial	good (> 90%)	poor (40-69%)	poor
Grassland	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	poor
Wetlands (inland)	good (> 90%)	moderate (70-90%)	moderate
Shrubland	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	good

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	now	some of popn/area (10-49%)	moderate decline (10-30% over 10 yrs)	high
Climate change and severe weather	now	some of popn/area (10-49%)	slow decline (1-10% over 10 yrs)	medium
Agricultural expansion and intensification	now	few individuals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1-10% over 10 yrs)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Not assessed	Not assessed	Not assessed	not assessed

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
2008	Zharsor-Urkash	State Nature Sanctuary	83
2009	Zharsor-Urkash Lake System	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	100

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Grassland	75	Humid; Steppes & dry calcareous
Wetlands (inland)	20	Standing brackish & salt water; Fens, transition mires & springs; Standing fresh water; Water-fringe vegetation
Shrubland	5	Low bushes
Artificial/Terrestrial	-	Arable land
Introduced vegetation	-

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	10

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Zharsor-Urkash Salt Lakes (Kazakhstan). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/zharsor-urkash-salt-lakes-iba-kazakhstan on 01/12/2024.