SY023
Mount Hermon


Country/territory: Syria

IBA criteria met: A1, A2, A3, B3 (1994)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here

Area: 10,400 ha

The Syrian Society for the Conservation of Wildlife
IBA conservation status
Year of assessment (most recent) State (condition) Pressure (threat) Response (action)
2014 not assessed high low
For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here


Site description (1994 baseline)
From the area of Majdal Shams, north to the Lebanese border. Much of the area is under Israeli military control, but a road to a ski resort allows easy access to 2,000 m and the rocky summit lies at 2,814 m. Woodland from 800 m to the treeline at 1,800-1,900 m is dominated by Quercus calliprinos, Q. cerris, Colutea cilicica and Spartium juneum, above this by a scrubland of Phlomis chrysophylla, Prunus ursina, Astragalus hermoneus, Acantholimon libanoticus and Onobrychis species. There are orchards on the lower slopes.

Key biodiversity
See box for key species. Other breeding species include Lullula arborea, Eremophila alpestris, Oenanthe oenanthe libanotica, Sylvia hortensis, Parus lugubris, Sitta neumayer and Emberiza caesia.

Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals: Sciurus anomalus (rare), Apodemus hermonensis (endemic). Reptiles: Cyrtodactylus amictopholis (endemic), Elaphe hohenackeri, Vipera bornmuelleri (I; endemic). Flora: Alcea dissecta.

Acknowledgements
Data-sheet compiled by S. Blitzblau, reviewed by R. Frumkin.


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Mount Hermon (Syria). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/mount-hermon-iba-syria on 22/11/2024.