Current view: Text account
Site description (2007 baseline):
Site location and context
The area covers a 1-2 km wide strip of low lying coast ranging in altitude from -26m to -10m at the frontier post of Gamyshly. The coast consists of a 50 to 100m wide sandy strip with hilly ridges of fixed sand and saltmarsh inland.
Several vegetative communities occur varying with substrate and distance from the sea - tidally flooded wet saltmarshes; unflooded saltmarshes; saline shelly sands; semi-saline and shelly sands; semi-fixed hilly sand ridges; fixed sands. All areas are affected by fluctuations in sea level.
The avifauna includes not less than 280 species, of which 240 (86%) are passage-wintering birds, including 120 (43%) which are waterbirds. These represent 46 and 23% of the total avifauna of Central Asia respectively.
Passeriformes ae the most common (96 species), followed by Haematopodidae (45), Anseriformes (28), Falconiformes (27) and Laridae (16). Most typical, only on migration, are coots and ducks (Netta rufina, Aythya ferina, Anas platyrhynchos, Aythya fuligula, Aythya marila, Anas penelope, etc.), plus waders, gulls and terns.
The IBA is located on a major flyway along the east coast of the Caspian. In spring there is a high turnover rate of birds, with migration lasting from the middle of March to the end of April. In autumn the migration shows several peaks and extends from the end of August to the beginning and middle of November.
The following species listed in the Red Data Book of Turkmenistan (1999) have been recorded: Platalea leucorodia, Phoenicopterus roseus, Anthropoides virgo, Buteo buteo, Pandion haliaetus, Haliaeetus leucoryphus, Falco peregrinus, Circaetus gallicus, Burhinus oedicnemus, and also the non-migratory Aquila chrysaetos, Falco cherrug and Bubo bubo. The globally threatened Vanellus gregarius and Aquila heliaca have also been recorded.
Criterion A4iii is applicable for 15-20 species which occur in winter and on migration.
The following A1 species have been recorded but current data does not justify designating the site under this criterion - Oxyura leucocephala, Anser erythropus, Marmaronetta angustirostris and Aythya nyroca.
Non-bird biodiversity: The fauna includes 40 species of mammal, half of which are rodents (21 species), the others are predators (8), chiropterans (5), insectivores (4) and ungulates (2). Reptiles are represented by 30 species, the most significant are snakes Natrix natrix and Natrix tessellata and the Central Asian agama (Agama sanguinolenta).
The flora includes more than 370 species of higher plants. The vegetation of the coast is represented by halophytic and salsolas communities. Some sandy areas have fixed vegetation, but this is rare with ephedra, a few species of Calligonum, Salsola richteri, and saxaul (Haloxylon persicum). Carex physodes together with sparse ephemerals also occurs rarely.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
At present, the ecosystem of the IBA is considered to be in a safe condition. The greatest threats are considered to be pollution of the coast by household rubbish, illegal hunting and illegal fishing and natural events (storms and floods).
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
During the second half of the last century extensive ornithological works were carried out by employees of the Khazar reserve, but in spite of this the IBA is still unprotected and is not listed in the protected areas of Turkmenistan. Almost annual counts of passage-wintering waterfowl were carried out from 1971-2005 under the direction of Vasilev V.I. On adjoining desert areas employees of the Turkmenbashy antiplague stations carried out surveys, especially from 1960-1990, of the distribution and number of mammals of region, particularly rodents and predators.
Not protected.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Garadashly - Ekerem (Turkmenistan). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/garadashly--ekerem-iba-turkmenistan on 22/11/2024.
