Data Zone
Country/territory: Nigeria
IBA criteria met: A3 (2001)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 3,000 hectares (30.00 km2)
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2019 | not assessed | high | low |
| For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here | |||
Site description (2001 baseline)
The site is an area of Guinea Savanna on the slopes and top of a mid-altitude ridge of the Jos Plateau, beside the Jos–Kagoro road, about 70 km from Jos. The vegetation comprises gallery forests sorrounded by grasslands. The Assop river, which feeds the picturesque rapids and falls, drains part of the Jos Plateau.
Key biodiversity
See Box and Table 3 for key species. Over 165 birds have been recorded. In addition, the recently described Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis and its brood-parasite Vidua maryae may occur. Nationally uncommon species include Muscicapa gambagae, apparently a common breeder, as well as Hieraaetus pennatus, Agapornis pullaria, Lybius bidentatus, Cossypha polioptera and Vidua wilsoni. Two species of the Guinea–Congo Forests biome (A05) have also been recorded (see Table 3).
Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Assop Falls and hills (Nigeria). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/assop-falls-and-hills-iba-nigeria on 22/12/2024.