• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
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• Reference and further resources

Site description (2007 baseline)
The site is composed of mountainous areas in the eastern part of Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park. The national park is an area of natural beauty and an invaluable natural and cultural resource. The site is characterized as a high upland (around 1,000 m in elevation) with dry stream beds, punctuated by mountain ranges rising to 2,835 m, mountain massifs, hummocks and rocky outcrops. The site plays an important role in protecting the biodiversity of the region. Currently, the national park is used by over 1,000 herding households and 200,000 to 300,000 head of livestock. Controlling livestock grazing is diffi cult because of political and social constraints, but the park administration has started adopting a participatory approach towards management planning with local herders. Apart from a few tourist camps and one small natural history museum, there are no permanent structures within the park. Illegal and unregulated mining, livestock grazing and uncontrolled tourism are potential threats to the site.

Key biodiversity
Globally Threatened bird species found at the site comprise Saker Falcon Falco cherrug (EN), Lesser Kestrel F. naumanni (VU) and White-throated Bushchat Saxicola insignis (VU). The Near Threatened Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus also occurs. Nationally threatened species found at the site include Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus and Mongolian Accentor Prunella koslowi, a restricted-range species. The site also supports species restricted to the Eurasian high montane (alpine and Tibetan) biome, such as Altai Snowcock Tetraogallus altaicus.

Non-bird biodiversity: Several mammal species of conservation concern survive at the site, including Siberian Ibex Capra sibirica, Snow Leopard Uncia uncia (EN), Argali Ovis ammon (NT), Eurasian Lynx Lynx lynx, Pallas’s Cat Felis manul (NT) and Stone Marten Martes foina.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Govi Gurvan Saikhan Mountain (Mongolia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/govi-gurvan-saikhan-mountain-iba-mongolia on 23/11/2024.