Data Zone
The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2006 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.
Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species') at the site:| Species | Red List | Season (year/s of estimate) | Size | IBA criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saker Falcon Falco cherrug | EN | breeding (2004) | 40 breeding pairs | A1 |
Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2006. The most recent assessment (2014) is shown below.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2014 | very unfavourable | high | low |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | habitat | good | |
| State (condition of the trigger species' populations) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Actual vs Reference (units) | % remaining | Result | ||
| Mute Swan Cygnus olor | 150 / 25 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus | 5 / 2 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula | 15 / 1 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator | 25 / 1 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna | 6 / 4 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina | 50 / 10 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Common Pochard Aythya ferina | 10 / 2 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula | 70 / 2 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope | 50 / 1 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Mallard Anas platyrhynchos | 70 / 2 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Anas crecca | 30 / 2 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis | 10 / 3 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus | 5 / 1 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Black-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles orientalis | 15 / 2 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Eurasian Coot Fulica atra | 700 / 2 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Great White Egret Ardea alba | 52 / 2 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo | 150 / 10 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago | 20 / 1 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Slender-billed Gull Larus genei | 50 / 1 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Mew Gull Larus canus | 3,000 / 1 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans | 2,000 / 1 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| White-tailed Sea-eagle Haliaeetus albicilla | 30 / 1 (individuals) | 100 | favourable | ||
| State (condition of the trigger species' habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Habitat | Quantity (% remaining) | Quality (% carrying capacity) | Result |
| Artificial/Terrestrial | moderate (70-90%) | moderate (70-90%) | unfavourable |
| Forest | moderate (70-90%) | good (> 90%) | near favourable |
| Desert | good (> 90%) | moderate (70-90%) | near favourable |
| Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | good (> 90%) | good (> 90%) | favourable |
| Shrubland | good (> 90%) | good (> 90%) | favourable |
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Climate change and severe weather | happening now | majority/most of area/population (50-90%) | slow but significant deterioration | high |
| Energy production and mining | happening now | some of area/population (10-49%) | moderate to rapid deterioration | high |
| Human intrusions and disturbance | happening now | some of area/population (10-49%) | slow but significant deterioration | medium |
| Biological resource use | happening now | some of area/population (10-49%) | slow but significant deterioration | medium |
| Pollution | happening now | some of area/population (10-49%) | slow but significant deterioration | medium |
| Residential and commercial development | happening now | some of area/population (10-49%) | slow but significant deterioration | medium |
| Transportation and service corridors | happening now | small area/few individuals (<10%) | no or imperceptible deterioration | low |
| Agricultural expansion and intensification | happening now | small area/few individuals (<10%) | no or imperceptible deterioration | low |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation | No management plan exists but the management planning process has begun | Some limited conservation initiatives are in place | low |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Karagye-Karakolskiy | Zakaznik (IV) | 46 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Desert | 75 | Desert & semi-desert - stony; Desert & semi-desert - salty; Desert & semi-desert - clay |
| Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | 25 | Inland cliffs |
| Artificial/Terrestrial | major (>10) | Other urban & industrial areas; Ruderal land |
| Forest | major (>10) | Wooded desert & semi-desert |
| Shrubland | major (>10) | Low bushes |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| nature conservation and research | 50 |
| urban/industrial/transport | 5 |
| not utilised | major (>10) |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Karagie Depression (Kazakhstan). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/karagie-depression-iba-kazakhstan on 03/01/2025.