Current view: Text account
Site description (1994 baseline):
Site location and context
The site comprises the Bahu Kalat Protected Area in the extreme south-east corner of Iranian Baluchistan along the Pakistan border. The reserve comprises arid mountain and semi-arid desert habitats straddling the Sarbaz river (25°40'N 61°00'E). Erratic winter rains in the interior of Baluchistan produce some surface flow in most years and occasional torrential floods, but for much of the year the river holds only a series of deep, stagnant pools; there is up to 2,900 ha of 'wetland' habitat. In the south, the reserve includes a stretch of Arabian Sea coast, with high cliffs, long sand beaches and dunes, as well as the estuarine system of the Sarbaz river in Govatar Bay (Khor Govater, 25°10'N 61°30'E, 11,560 ha). A large stand of mangrove
Avicennia marina at the river mouth has some of the largest mangrove trees in the country. There are extensive intertidal mudflats, and a tiny rocky islet offshore provides a roost for large numbers of seabirds. The climate is extremely hot all year, with very low winter rainfall; the south-west monsoon keeps humidity high in summer but heavy rain is unusual. The fauna and flora are characteristically Indo-Malayan. A high water-table in the main valley supports open woodland of
Acacia,
Prosopis,
Ziziphus,
Tamarix and
Phoenix, with stands of oleander
Nerium and fan-palms along the river bed. Away from the river the vegetation is extremely sparse, and much of the reserve is almost devoid of plant life except after the very infrequent rains. There is a small fishing village near the river mouth and some livestock grazing in the reserve, but the area is remote and very sparsely populated.
See box for key species. The avifauna of the lower Sarbaz valley is typical of the lowlands of Baluchistan, and has much stronger affinities with the Indo-Malayan fauna than with the Palearctic. Characteristic species include
Butastur teesa,
Aquila rapax,
Gyps bengalensis,
Francolinus pondicerianus,
Turnix sylvatica,
Pterocles exustus,
Athene brama,
Caprimulgus mahrattensis,
Dendrocopos assimilis,
Calandrella raytal,
Saxicola caprata,
Lanius vittatus,
Acridotheres tristis,
Passer pyrrhonotus and
Lonchura malabarica; all except
G. bengalensis are known or thought to breed. Other notable breeding species include
Hieraaetus fasciatus,
Pterocles senegallus,
P. lichtensteinii,
Anthus similis,
Hippolais rama, and
Petronia xanthocollis. Winter visitors include
Accipiter badius,
Phoenicurus erythronotus,
Sylvia nana and
Phylloscopus inornatus humei. The habitats at the mouth of the Sarbaz river are an important wintering area for
Phalacrocorax carbo,
Pelecanus crispus,
Platalea leucorodia and a variety of shorebirds and gulls. Large numbers of terns occur on passage, including many
Sterna bergii. Breeding birds on the coast include
Ardeola grayii,
Burhinus recurvirostris,
Dromas ardeola and
Sterna saundersi.
Pandion haliaetus occurs in winter, and is thought to breed. At least 204 species have been recorded in the reserve.
Non-bird biodiversity: Reptiles: the Sarbaz river has a thriving population of Crocodylus palustris (V), at its western limit. Mammals: Caracal caracal (rare), Lynx lynx, Gazella bennetti (V), Capra hircus aegagrus (rare) and Ovis ammon (rare), and the rare Baluchistan race of Selenarctos thibetanus (V) is believed to occur.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The entire area was designated the Bahu Kalat Protected Area in 1971, later re-named the Gandu (Gando) Protected Area. No threats are known.
Data-sheet compiled by Dr D. A. Scott, reviewed by Dept of Environment.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Bahu Kalat (Gandu) Protected Area (Iran, Islamic Republic of). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/bahu-kalat-(gandu)-protected-area-iba-iran-islamic-republic-of on 23/12/2024.
