Data Zone
Country/territory: Belarus
IBA criteria met: A1, B2, B3 (2005)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 16,225 hectares (162.25 km2)
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2017 | not assessed | very high | not assessed |
| For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here | |||
Site description (2002 baseline)
Zvanets fen mire is located in the interfluve of the Dnieper-Bug Canal and its tributaries: Belooziorsk and Orekhov Canals. This is Europe's largest mesotrophic fen mire with numerous mineral islands.
Key biodiversity
A total of 110 bird species breed on the mire, of which 21 are listed in the National Red Data Book. The site is internationally significant because it supports one of the largest populations of the globally threatened Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola, Corncrake Crex crex, and Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga. The site hosts more than 1% of the European populations of Bittern Botaurus stellaris, and Water Rail Rallus aquaticus. The site is of national importance for the conservation of Common Crane Grus grus, Snipe Gallinago gallinago, and Curlew Numenius arquata.
Non-bird biodiversity: 67 upper vascular plant species requiring various protection are found at the IBA, including 23 listed in the National Red Data Book. Most of these plants occur on the mineral islands, which are unique islands of outstanding flora diversity amid the vast uniform wetland. The mire hosts 10 vegetation communities rare for Europe and Belarus which were once widely spread across Polesie. Two mammal, 15 terrestrial and three water invertebrate species from the National Red Data Book occur on the IBA.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Balota Zvaniec (Belarus). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/balota-zvaniec-iba-belarus on 23/12/2024.