Current view: Text account
Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
This site consists of the near-vertical cliffs flanking the 230-m-deep gorge of the Qanatu river, together with the surrounding mountainous area, including Leteng-la-Letsie. These highlands support a traditional pastoral economy with a low-density population. Approximately 35% of the surrounding area (within a 25 km radius) is cultivated, the remainder being open pasture. The vegetation is primarily montane grassland, but thick bush and scrub flank the lower gorge walls. High-altitude shrubs form a heath of
Erica,
Chrysocoma and
Helichrysum. The summits are generally rocky with bare, shallow soil patches and rock sheets near the escarpment.
See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. This site supports two ‘nucleus’ breeding colonies of
Gyps coprotheres, Upper Quthing Valley (the largest single colony in Lesotho) and Seforong, which together hold over 200 birds (95 pairs). The nests are concentrated on the upper third of the cliff, on gorge walls and basalt pinnacles. The rare but widespread
Gypaetus barbatus meridionalis also forages widely across this area. Other cliff-nesting species include
Buteo rufofuscus,
Falco biarmicus and
Ciconia nigra. The high-altitude rocky, boulder-strewn slopes and outcrops (above 2,000 m) support
Chaetops aurantius, and the surrounding grassy slopes and plateau hold
Anthus hoeschi, which breeds in large numbers during the austral summer (especially above 3,000 m). The grassy slopes and valleys also hold
Sagittarius serpentarius.
Serinus symonsi occurs commonly above 1,500 m, and has become commensal with humans, occupying and foraging in villages and among fallow and harvested crop fields.
Anthus crenatus,
Monticola explorator and
Geocolaptes olivaceus occur commonly in the vicinity of rocky outcrops.
Cercomela sinuata hypernephela,
Sylvia layardi barnesi and
Circus maurus are uncommon. The small, isolated, Lesotho subspecies
Parus afer arens occurs at the site. Small numbers of
Geronticus calvus occasionally forage in this area and it is thought that there may be breeding colonies in the vicinity.
Non-bird biodiversity: The alpine floral communities found in the Maloti/Drakensberg mountains are unique in southern Africa, holding a remarkable number of endemic plant species. A recent botanical survey of three valleys in the Maloti yielded many species that could not be identified, and some may be new to science.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The site is located on communally owned tribal land. There seems to have been a decline in the number of
Gyps coprotheres breeding at these colonies. Apparently, local people kill vultures here—the birds are utilized extensively for traditional medicinal and ceremonial purposes and are targeted by rural residents who use either poisoned carcasses or gin-traps to kill them. As the site holds more than 2% of the world’s breeding population of
Gyps coprotheres, it urgently needs to be monitored, and the rural residents should be the target of a vigorous awareness campaign, to improve the public understanding of vultures and the significance of the site. Fortunately, this area also holds some fine rock art, and there is currently a UN-sponsored project under the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to develop reserves in Quthing District. This initiative may help to secure conservation of the natural environment and improve management practices within the area.
Geronticus calvus may occasionally be taken by local people for food or medicinal purposes.
Buteo rufofuscus and
Falco biarmicus are sometimes persecuted as chicken thieves, and
Bubo capensis is occasionally used for medicinal purposes. There is no conservation concern for these common and widespread birds, provided that levels of persecution and utilization do not increase. Overgrazing, trampling, agriculture and other human activities have not seriously affected any of the globally near-threatened, restricted-range or biome-restricted birds. Some species, such as
Serinus symonsi, benefit from an association with humans.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Upper Quthing Valley (Lesotho). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/upper-quthing-valley-iba-lesotho on 27/12/2024.
