Data Zone
Country/territory: Saudi Arabia
IBA criteria met: A1, A2, A3, B2, B3 (1994)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 42,000 ha
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2013 | not assessed | low | negligible |
| For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here | |||
Site description (1994 baseline)
The site lies 80 km north of al-Baha and 150 km south-east of Taif, between the Bani Saad-al-Baha escarpment road and the Taif-al-Baha road. Jabal Ibrahim (Jabal Batharah, 5,000 ha, up to 2,604 m) is a granite mountain rising c.1,000 m above the surrounding rocky hills and giving rise to several streams which provide a permanent flow for Wadi Turabah and its tributaries (west end 20°27'N 41°05'E, east end 20°37'N 41°18'E). Habitats include: bare granite domes and slabs; well-vegetated granite boulder slopes with montane woodland, including Juniperus; wadis with abundant Ficus and Ziziphus trees; and Acacia woodland.
Key biodiversity
See box for key species. The site's location and interesting mix of habitats provide an avifauna with Afrotropical elements as well as most of the south-west Arabian endemics, and breeding birds thus include Scopus umbretta (c.30 birds present), Aquila verreauxii, Halcyon leucocephala, Monticola rufocinereus, Phylloscopus umbrovirens and Emberiza tahapisi. Up to 20 Ciconia nigra overwinter.
Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals: Papio hamadryas (endemic) and several (heavily persecuted) large carnivores. Fish: Cyprinion mahalensis, Garra buettikeri and Barbus apoensis (all endemic). Flora: Jabal Ibrahim is of high botanical interest.
Acknowledgements
Data-sheet compiled by Dr Stephen F. Newton.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Wadi Turabah and Jabal Ibrahim (Saudi Arabia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/wadi-turabah-and-jabal-ibrahim-iba-saudi-arabia on 22/11/2024.