• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

Site description (2002 baseline)
Belovezhskaia Pushcha is Europe's last largest complex of primeval forests, typical of the forests that once covered middle Europe. Belovezhskaia Pushcha retains virgin forests with its typical flora and fauna. Ancient forests dominate by area, which is untypical for Belarusian woods. The average age of the trees is 90 years old, but trees that are 200-250 years old are very common.

Key biodiversity
A total of 253 bird species have been recorded. Almost all 75 bird species listed in the National Red Data Book occur. The site hosts the following globally-threatened species: White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla, Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga, and Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola.

Non-bird biodiversity: The fauna of the Park includes 59 mammal, 28 fish, 11 amphibian and 7 reptile species. European Bison Bison bonasus is the pride and beauty of the IBA. At present, there are about 300 individual bisons in the Park. The high soil diversity means that the Park has an outstanding variety of plants. The vascular plant species includes about 900 species, with more than 40 of those listed in the National Red Data Book. Tree species include Silver Fir Abies alba, Durmast Oak Quercus petraea, Wych Elm Ulmus glabra, and Marn Elm Ulmus laevis. The rare shrub species listed in the National Red Data Book include Common Ivy Hedera helix, German Broom Genista germanica, and Whortleberry Willow Salix myrtilloides.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Bielaviežškaja Pušča (Belarus). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/bielaviežškaja-pušča-iba-belarus on 24/11/2024.