Current view: Text account
Site description (1994 baseline):
Site location and context
The Kuh-i Taftan massif, a dormant volcano, is the highest mountain range in northern Baluchistan, situated near the Pakistan border, c.100 km south-south-east of Zahedan. The site extends from the deeply dissected stony outwash plains, at c.900 m in the east and 1,800 m in the west, to the summit at over 4,042 m. The dominant plant community at all altitudes is a steppic vegetation with
Artemisia averaging c.30 cm high. Other associations, such as those formed by the thorny cushions of
Astragalus or by a species of Umbelliferae, occur locally. No grassy areas exist except for a small patch near the top of the east slope. A belt of very open woodland with
Pistacia and
Amygdalus trees occurs at elevations varying from c.2,200 m on the eastern slope to 2,600 m on the west. Here the
Artemisia association is mixed with taller species, sometimes reaching 1 m high. There are a few scattered
Juniperus trees on the upper slopes. Snow fields near the summit linger well into summer and feed a number of perennial mountain streams which support small areas of irrigated agriculture and
Populus groves in the valleys below c.2,000 m. There is some grazing by sheep and goats on the lower slopes. The Zahedan-Chahbahar road passes over the western flank of the mountain.
See box for key species. The avifauna is typical of the high mountain ranges and
Pistacia-
Amygdalus woodland of south-east Iran. Other notable breeding species include
Anthus similis,
Hippolais rama,
S. hortensis,
Lanius isabellinus,
L. vittatus,
Petronia xanthocollis,
Serinus pusillus and
Emberiza buchanani.
Phylloscopus inornatus humei is a fairly common passage migrant and/or winter visitor.
Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
There is no legal protection and no threats are known.
Data-sheet compiled by Dr D. A. Scott, reviewed by Dept of Environment.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Kuh-i Taftan (Iran, Islamic Republic of). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/kuh-i-taftan-iba-iran-islamic-republic-of on 23/11/2024.
