Data Zone
The site was identified as important in 2004 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.
Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species'):| Species | Current IUCN Red List Category | Season | Year(s) | Population estimate at site | IBA criteria met |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala | EN | passage | 2004 | 48 individuals | A1 |
| Greylag Goose Anser anser | LC | passage | 2004 | 215,000 individuals | A4i |
| Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons | LC | passage | 2004 | 85,000 individuals | A4i |
| Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus | VU | passage | 2004 | 13 individuals | A1 |
| Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula | LC | passage | 2004 | 660 individuals | A4i |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | n/a | passage | 2004 | 309,030 individuals | A4iii |
The current IUCN Red List category may differ from that which was valid at the time of IBA criteria assessment (2004).
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2015 | very unfavourable | medium | not assessed |
| Was the whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | habitat | good | |
| State (condition of the trigger species' habitats) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Habitat | Habitat detail | Reference area (ha) | Actual area (ha) | Habitat quantity (% remaining) | Habitat quality (carrying capacity) | Result |
| Artificial/Terrestrial | Arable land | 0 | 0 | good (> 90%) | good (> 90%) | favourable |
| Artificial/Terrestrial | Highly improved reseeded grasslands | 0 | 0 | good (> 90%) | good (> 90%) | favourable |
| Grassland | Steppes & dry calcareous | 0 | 0 | good (> 90%) | poor (40-69%) | unfavourable |
| Wetlands (inland) | Standing fresh water | 0 | 0 | very poor (< 40%) | very poor (< 40%) | very unfavourable |
| Wetlands (inland) | Water-fringe vegetation | 0 | 0 | very poor (< 40%) | moderate (70-90%) | very unfavourable |
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Agricultural expansion and intensification | livestock farming and ranching (includes forest grazing) - small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | happening now | small area/few individuals (<10%) | no or imperceptible deterioration | low |
| Climate change and severe weather | drought | likely in short term (within 4 years) | some of area/population (10-49%) | slow but significant deterioration | medium |
| Human intrusions and disturbance | work and other activities | happening now | small area/few individuals (<10%) | no or imperceptible deterioration | low |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected-area designation | Management planning | Other conservation action | Result |
| Not assessed | Not assessed | Not assessed | not assessed |
| Habitat (IUCN level 1) | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | Dry grassland on sandy soils, Mesophile grassland & tall grass steppe, Steppes & dry calcareous | - |
| Wetlands (inland) | Standing fresh water, Water-fringe vegetation | - |
| Artificial/Terrestrial | Arable land, Highly improved reseeded grasslands | - |
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| agriculture | - |
| rangeland/pastureland | - |
| hunting | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Zharkol Lakes. Downloaded from
http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/zharkol-lakes-iba-kazakhstan on 01/10/2023.
