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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2011 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('key species') at the site:

Species	Red List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala	EN	breeding (2007)	1 breeding pairs	A1
Greylag Goose Anser anser	LC	passage (2007–2008)	500–15,000 individuals	A4i
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons	LC	passage (1990–2005)	2,000–6,000 individuals	A4i
Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus	VU	passage (1990–2005)	10–70 individuals	A1
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus	LC	non-breeding (2007–2009)	250–500 individuals	A4i
Common Crane Grus grus	LC	passage (1990–2005)	500–2,000 individuals	A4i
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus	NT	passage (2007–2008)	130–310 individuals	A1, A4i
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus	NT	breeding (2005–2009)	100 breeding pairs	A1, A4i
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	passage (1990–2010)	50,000–60,000 individuals	A4iii

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2011. The most recent assessment (2010) is shown below.

Pressure (threats to the key species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Biological resource use	happen­ing now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	moderate deteri­oration (10–30% in 3 gener­ations)	high
Natural system modifications	happen­ing now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Transportation and service corridors	happen­ing now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Residential and commercial development	happen­ing now	few individ­uals/small area (<10%)	moderate deteri­oration (10–30% in 3 gener­ations)	low
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happen­ing now	few individ­uals/small area (<10%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Pollution	happen­ing now	few individ­uals/small area (<10%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Human intrusions and disturbance	happen­ing now	few individ­uals/small area (<10%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Climate change and severe weather	likely in short term (within 4 years)	few individ­uals/small area (<10%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the key species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Not assessed	Not assessed	Not assessed	not assessed

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
-	Yuzhnyi	Zakaznik (IV)	42

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Wetlands (inland)	73	Fens, transition mires & springs; Standing brackish & salt water; Water-fringe vegetation
Grassland	11	Steppes & dry calcareous
Artificial/Terrestrial	10	Arable land; Forestry plantations; Other urban & industrial areas
Unknown	5
Forest	1

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	50
fisheries/aquaculture	40
hunting	40
rangeland/pastureland	10
agriculture	9
not utilised	6
tourism/recreation	5
unknown	5
forestry	1
urban/industrial/transport	1

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Holes of the Karasuk river downstream (Russia (Central Asian)). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/holes-of-the-karasuk-river-downstream-iba-russia-(central-asian) on 15/01/2025.