Data Zone
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.
