ISSN: 2639-216X
Authors: Aghababyan K*, Khanamirian G, Khachatryan A, Grigoryan V, Tamazyan T, Baloyan S
The Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) of Armenia have been recognized in 2000-2013, however, since that, changes took place in IUCN Red List and in IBAs’ criteria. The current paper is aimed at revision of 18 IBAs of Armenia, describing their bird diversity, current and potential threats, existing and proposed conservation measures. The revision reveals that: (1) 14 IBAs fit criteria of global importance and four IBAs fit criteria of regional significance; (2) 12% of the area of IBAs overlap with the public hunting lands; (3) 55% of all IBAs overlap with the working lands; (4) 45% of IBAs are covered by Nature Reserves, National Parkes, and State Sanctuaries; (5) 69% of IBAs are covered by candidate Emerald Sites; (6) IBAs are almost entirely covered by Key Biodiversity Areas. Also, the revision shows, that current network of IBAs doesn’t secure protection of number of trigger species. To improve IBAs network, it is necessary to expand the borders of some of the existing IBAs and to develop some new ones. For better protection of birds and their habitats, it is important to realize a complex strategy of integrated management of the IBAs, which is detailed in the article.
Keywords: Important Bird and Biodiversity Area; IBA; Emerald Site; Bird Conservation; Armenia
