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close| Location | Jordan, Ajlun,Irbid |
| Central coordinates | 35o 47.33' East 32o 24.24' North |
| IBA criteria | A1, B2, B3 |
| Area | 11,700 ha |
| Altitude | 500 - 900m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2001 |
Ornithological information See box for key species. A representative assemblage of woodland species characteristic of the hills of the Mediterranean north-west. Other breeding species include Dendrocopos syriacus and Parus caeruleus (probably; one record of 8+, November).
Site description Hill country in the Jerash-Ajlun mountains between 500 and 900 m with some steep slopes, dominated by a dense Mediterranean woodland of evergreen Quercus and Pistacia, with an understorey of Arbutus, Juniperus, Crataegus, Prunus, Rhamnus and Ceratonia. The reserve is part of the largest remaining tract of undisturbed oak woodland in the country, and is closely surrounded by villages and farmland; there are scattered patches of cultivation in the area (grapes, olives, wheat, barley).
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni | breeding | 1993 | common [units unknown] | - | A1, B2 | Least Concern |
| Pallid Scops-owl Otus brucei | unknown | 1993 | present [units unknown] | - | B3 | Least Concern |
| White-throated Robin Irania gutturalis | passage | 1993 | present [units unknown] | - | B3 | Least Concern |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ajloun | Forest Reserve | 1,200 | protected area contained by site | 1,200 |
|
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | major | |
| Shrubland | minor |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| nature conservation and research | 100% |
| hunting | minor |
| tourism/recreation | minor |
| forestry | minor |
Other biodiversity Mammals: re-introduction of Capreolus capreolus is ongoing, and is planned for Dama mesopotamica (E). Flora: re-introduction of Iris nigricans (rare) is planned.
Management considerations The reserve was established in 1988, and now has a warden and has been completely fenced. Fires due to negligence or recreation are a critical threat. Illegal tree-cutting and overgrazing are local threats. Formerly, encroachment by cultivation and heavy grazing of the woodland understorey by livestock were major problems, and many villagers hunted birds in the woodland (especially Alectoris chukar and Streptopelia turtur), but these practices have now been stopped or very much reduced, apart from hunting of Streptopelia turtur.
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Zubia - Shatana. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/05/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
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