Situated 20 km north-east of Al-Ghayda, these large coastal lagoons lie either side of the village of Abdullah Gharib.
Key biodiversity
An important feeding and roosting area for gulls and terns, and to a lesser extent waders. See table for key species; smaller numbers of other terns occur, notably Sterna caspia. This coast attracts very large numbers of migrant gulls Larus in autumn, with 30,000 (80% L. fuscus) counted along 50 km in November.
Non-bird biodiversity: No information.
Habitat and land use
The lagoons are separated from the sea by sand-dunes, surrounded by extensive fringes of saline mud, and set in a dusty sand and gravel plain with a poor cover of salt-tolerant plants.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The only likely threat to the sites is excessive disturbance of birds by human activity.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
No formal nature conservation measures are known to have been taken.
Acknowledgements
Data-sheet compiled by Chris Bradshaw and R. F. Porter.
