The site was identified as important in 2017 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.
Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species'):Species | Current IUCN Red List Category | Season | Year(s) | Population estimate at site | IBA criteria met |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus | LC | winter | 2002-2017 | 4,000 individuals | B3a |
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus | LC | non-breeding | 2002-2017 | 50-975 individuals | B3a |
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus | LC | winter | 2002-2017 | 50-1,275 individuals | B3a |
The current IUCN Red List category may differ from that which was valid at the time of IBA criteria assessment (2017).
IBA conservation assessment | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
2017 | favourable | low | medium |
Was the whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
yes | population | medium |
State (condition of the trigger species' populations) | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Scientific name | Common name | Reference population | Actual population | Units | % of population remaining | Result |
Phoenicopterus roseus | Greater Flamingo | 2400 | 4000 | individuals | 100 | favourable |
Himantopus himantopus | Black-winged Stilt | 460 | 80 | individuals | 18 | not assessed |
Charadrius alexandrinus | Kentish Plover | 500 | 650 | individuals | 100 | favourable |
Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
Invasive and other problematic species and genes | invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - named species | happening now | small area/few individuals (<10%) | slow but significant deterioration | low |
Invasive and other problematic species and genes | problematic native species/diseases - named species | happening now | small area/few individuals (<10%) | slow but significant deterioration | low |
Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Protected-area designation | Management planning | Other conservation action | Result |
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation | No management plan exists but the management planning process has begun | Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity | medium |
Protected area (PA) | PA designation | PA area (ha) | Relationship of PA with IBA | Overlap of PA with IBA (ha) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Al Wathba | Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance | 455 | is identical to site | 500 |
Habitat (IUCN level 1) | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
---|---|---|
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine | Waste-water treatment areas | - |
Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
---|---|
nature conservation and research | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Al Wathba. Downloaded from
http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/al-wathba-iba-united-arab-emirates on 02/10/2023.