Current view: Text account
Site description (2007 baseline):
Site location and context
The IBA covers a 150 km section of the southwest scarp of the Ustyurt plateau, from Garabogazgol Bay and 50 km to the southeast along a low ridge known as "Ersary-baba mountain".
The avifauna of the IBA includes 200 species. Rare migrants listed in the Red Data Book of Turkmenistan (1999) are: Aquila chrysaetos, Falco cherrug, Bubo bubo, Haliaeetus leucoryphus, Circaetus gallicus and Buteo buteo.
Criterion А1 applies for: Aquila heliaca, Falco naumanni,Circus macrourus and Falco cherrug.
Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals - more than 40 species, half from which are rodents (20 species), the others are predators (8), chiropterans (5), insectivores (4), ungulates (2). Reptile are represented by 30 species.
Flora: more 370 species of higher plants have been recorded. The vegetation in the depressions is represented by halophytes and salsolas. Fixed sand support a few species of Calligonum and the rare Salsola richteri and Xaloxylon sp.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Currently the ecosystems of the IBA are considered to be in a stable condition because of the remoteness of the site from populated areas. Potential threats are illegal hunting - trapping of saker falcons and their nestlings.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
The only work carried out is that of the zoologists of the Dashoguz antiplague stations studying the number of rodents (1960-1980).
Not protected.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Ersarybaba - Akkyr (Turkmenistan). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/ersarybaba--akkyr-iba-turkmenistan on 22/12/2024.
