Current view: Text account
Site description (2016 baseline):
Site location and context
Beydaglari is in the west of Antalya and northeast of Finike. The crest of the range stretches along the western shore of the Gulf of Antalya. With altitudes ranging between 600 and 3086 meters, the young Beydaglari zone generally consists of limestone and serpentine structure. The KBA is surrounded by Akçay and Alakir River valleys to the south and east, by the Elmalı Plateau to the west and Korkuteli Plateau to the north. The northeastern border includes the Bereket Mountain, which has been separated from the main mountain chain by a deep valley. Tekedorugu, Bakirlidag, Tahtalidag and Kizlarsivrisi summits are particularly remarkable. The highest peak in the mountains is Mt. Kizlarsivrisi (3086 m) (
Eken et al. 2006).
The site is a key area for Mediterranean and Alpine biome restricted bird species, including Krüper's Nuthatch and Rüppel's Warbler. Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), the globally threatened Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) and Bearded Vulture (Gypaetos barbatus) are some other key bird species at the site. A new salmon species, Alakır Salmon (Salmo kottelati) has recently been discovered in the area endemic to the Alakir River basin. The valley constitutes also a possible range of the Brown Fish Owl (Ketupa zeylonensis) of the Taurus Mountains listed critically endangered at the European scale according to BirdLife International.
KBA is one of the most important areas for threatened endemic plants in Anatolia. Great variety of restricted range and threatened plants grow in limestone and serpentine rocks of the river basin. Six plant species' world distributions are confined to Beydaglari, which are Asparagus lycicus, Aethionema lycium, Anchusa limbata, Cephalaria peshmenii, Hypericum huber-morathii, Seseli ramosissimum.
Beydaglari is also important for mammals. Wild goat (Capra aegagrus), Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx) and an Anatolian endemic, the Wooly dormouse (Dryomys laniger) are key mammal species at the site.
The southern and eastern slopes with Mediterranean climate host rich maquis clusters and red pine, while black pine and cedar communities extend as the altitude rises above 1000 meters. The northern slopes with a terrestrial climate embrace mountainous and alpine grasslands. Alakır Valley is located in the western rim of the Beydaglari KBA and hosts outstanding diversity of freshwater and terrestrial biodiversity.
Husbandry, forestry, agriculture and tourism are the main activities at the site.
Saklıkent ski centre is in this area and it has small accommodation facilities and restaurants. The KBA offers peculiar morphological characteristics for geologists and geographers (Eken et al. 2006).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Six hydropower projects in the Alakir Valley are the key threat to the site, posing major pressure on several of trigger species.
Mining, quarrying, tourism and urbanization are other threats at the KBA. For instance, in the Saklıkent region, Saklıkent Building Society initiated construction of 480 villas.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
Doğa, BirdLife Turkey, has been one of the supporters of a long lasting legal defense against the hydropower plants planned in the valley through the Alakir River Fellowship. As a result, two hydropower investments in the area are suspended.
In April 2016, the high court of Turkey stopped all hydropower projects in the Alakir Valley. The court also concluded that the area should be declared a protected area for its outstanding value for freshwater and terrestrial biodiversity.
The area is partially protected as SIT (Law on Protection of Cultural and Natural Assets No. 2863) of which the boundaries are currently under revision.
Site access / Land-owner requests
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Bey Mountains (Türkiye). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/bey-mountains-iba-türkiye on 22/12/2024.
