Data Zone
Country/territory: Iraq
IBA criteria met: A1, A3 (2014)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 7,027 hectares (70.27 km2)
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2014 | not assessed | high | not assessed |
| For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here | |||
Site description (2014 baseline)
This site is a valley where several streams flow east through a range of mountains that lies to the west. Safin Mountain extends along its eastern side
Key biodiversity
Additional Important Bird Observations: A total of 69 species was observed. In addition to those listed in the table, the site also held one Sahara-Sindian Desert biome-restricted species. The Eastern Cinereous Bunting Emberiza semenowi and European Roller Coracias garrulus (both Near Threatened) were obseved in the breeding season.
Other Important Fauna: Mammal data were collected at this site only in 2010. A local claimed that he had seen a brown bear Ursus arctos in 2009. He also claimed that the Endangered Persian Leopard Panthera pardus saxicolor was present before the beginning of the civil war in 1994. Reptile observed was Urmia Rock Lizard Apathya cappadocica urmiana. No fish survey was made because the streams were not large enough.
Additional Plant & Habitat Information: This site contains a good population of pistachio (Pistacia eurycarpa, and P. khinjuk), a plant that is important both economically and for the local heritage. Also Gundelia tournefortii, which is important as a traditional food and Hordeum bulbosum and Vitis vinifera, which are important genetic resources.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Doli Smaquli and Ashab (Iraq). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/doli-smaquli-and-ashab-iba-iraq on 22/12/2024.