Current view: Text account
Site description (2014 baseline):
Site location and context
The site is located in the Zagros mountain range, where the geology is siltstone and sandstone, and the soil type is sandy clay. About 60% of the area near the streams was unvegetate
Additional Important Bird Observations: A total of 60 species was observed during the surveys. In addition to those in the table four Irano-Turanian and one Eurasian Steppe and Desert biome-restricted species were breeding.
Other Important Fauna: Data were collected only in 2010. Significant mammals reported by locals at the site were Syrian Brown Bear Ursus arctos syriacus. Significant reptile found at the site was Anatolian Lizard Apathya cappadocica urmiana. A significant amphibian found at the site was the globally Vulnerable Azerbaijan Newt Neurergus crocatus. No fish samples were collected.
Additional Plant & Habitat Information: This site contains a good population of Pistacia eurycarpa, and Crataegus azarolus, which are economically and culturally important.
Two sub-sites are contained in this area Gara Mountain and Garagu. The overall main habitat types found were mountain forest vegetation (primarily oak forests) and mountain riverine forest
The town of Chamanke, withing an area of valleys and farmlands is located within the western edge of the delineated site. The Mani Maze Stream flowing near Chamanke is used as a source of water by the villages of Meze, Baramuinke, Kharinke and Bebad Islam and for the Shirin bottled water factory in Chamanke. The site is a popular tourist destination for residents of the nearby city of Dohuk. The towns of Tajilka and Ashawa are located in the northwest, where there are two streams (both former water quality sampling sites). Ashawa is a public resort. One of Saddam Hussein’s former palaces is located inside the western edge of the delineation, and according to media reports in 2012 there is interest in developing the palace as a tourist site.
Garagu consists of a gorge, with a stream flowing through it, in a rocky part area of the Gara Range. The villages of Garagu, Babire, Kani Balar, Kala Shikho and Warmel are nearby. It is a popular picnicking site.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Human intrusion from tourism is a very high threat and related pollution was considered a high threat to the site. Compared to the large area of the delineation, agriculture is not extensive and is mainly concentrated near Ashawa and Tajilka town and the valleys near the stream, so it was considered a medium threat only. There are small dams on both these streams, forming small lakes that have impacted the ecological conditions of the area and likely affect water quality and the habitat, possibly increasing erosion and changing water flows that in turn may affect the stream fauna. At Ashawa sampling site, where water comes from a spring on Gara Mountain, a village above is dumping sewage to the waterway.
There are landmines in the Chamanke area. Road construction has occurred over a large part of the valley in Amadiya during the last three years and transportation corridors (e.g. dirt road leading to the picnic site of Mani Maze stream south of the delineated area) were assessed as a high threat.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Gara Mountain and Garagu (Iraq). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/gara-mountain-and-garagu-iba-iraq on 23/11/2024.
