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Site description (2014 baseline):
Site location and context
This is a mountainous area and the habitat is mountain forest vegetation with oak forest and mountain riverine forest, found around the streams formed by snow melt from the top of the mountain. The site is located in the Zagros range, where the geology consists of basic igneous rocks, radiolarian chert, siliceous and calcareous shale, and metamorphic schist and limestone of unknown age, and the soil type is sandy clay.
Additional Important Bird Observations: During the surveys, 37 bird species were observed. In addition to those in the table above four Mediterranean and one Eurasian High-Montane biome-restriced species were recorded but at levels that did not trigger inclusion under A3 criterion. The European Roller Coracias garrulus and Eastern Cinereous Bunting Emberiza semenowi (the latter mentioned in the table above) are Near Threatened.
Other Important Fauna: According to local reports Wild Goat Capra aegagrus (Vulnerable) is present in small numbers on the mountain and appears to have decreased in number as a result of extensive hunting. During the interview survey, locals reported that Grey Wolf Canis lupus attacks their herds every year, and also reported a sighting of a Brown Bear Ursus arctos in 2009. No fish surveys were undertaken but electro-fishing was observed during a trip on the river in 2011 and fish stocks in the river were reported as good.
Additional Plant & Habitat Information: This site contains a good population of Pistacia eurycarpa, P. khinjuk, Rheum ribes, Morus alba, Morus nigra, and Crataegus azarolus, which are important both economically and for local heritage.
The Lesser Zab River passes through the area on the north side of Assos Mountain and portions of its upper reaches are included in the delineation. Here the river is fast flowing, moving through a narrow gorge as the river leaves the Iranian border and heads west-northwest towards Lake Dukan. The land eventually widens out into more open land dotted with villages and agricultural fields. There are several villages (Isawe, Ashkana, Barozh, Priska and Gwaran to the north of the mountain and Kurkur, Kani Tu, Awazhe, Loter, Sofian and Bardashan to the south). Livestock grazing and small-scale agriculture are the main land management practices.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
As the Lesser Zab River approaches Rania, a very high threat in the river basin comes from gravel mining, which removes riparian habitat as well as removes and/or re-suspends gravel and sediment that can adversely impacts to fish spawning, groundwater and can damage riverside infrastructure due to erosion. Also a dam has been approved for construction on the Lesser Zab River in the near future, which constitutes a very high threat because of its potential to dramatically affect the biodiversity of the river and lower slopes of Assos Mountain. Hunting also constitutes a very high threat to wildlife in this region because hunters come to Assos from the cities and towns around the area. Fishing is often by electro-fishing (three groups observed during one trip on the river were exclusively electro-fishing). It was reported that the forestry police will fine people for this and thus most people engaged in this activity do it within the gorge where access to the river is limited. There are also issues of urban growth and recreational use such as housing construction, which were assessed as high threats.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Assos Mountain (Iraq). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/assos-mountain-iba-iraq on 22/11/2024.
