Data Zone
Country/territory: Saudi Arabia
Subnational region(s): Jizan
IBA Justification: B3 (1994)
Area: 21,000 hectares (210.00 km2)
| Conservation status of the Important Bird Area (IBA) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2013 | not assessed | low | very low |
Site description (1994 baseline)
A rugged mountain with an extensive summit plateau of sedimentary rock at c.1,800-2,000 m, c.80 km south-south-east of Abha. Just to the south is the very deep, steep-sided Lajb gorge. There was apparently thriving Juniperus woodland on the plateau until a series of drought years in the 1960s killed off most of the trees, which have been left standing however. The main human activities are livestock grazing and small-scale terraced agriculture.
Key biodiversity
The site has been little investigated, but there is known to be an important population of the isolated endemic race Pica pica asirensis (at least 30 pairs), and many of the other high-altitude south-west Arabian endemics presumably also occur.
Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals: Panthera pardus (rare; possibly extinct).
Acknowledgements
Data-sheet compiled by A. Stagg and P. Symens.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Jabal Qaha - Lajib gorge (Saudi Arabia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/jabal-qaha--lajib-gorge-iba-saudi-arabia on 13/01/2025.