• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
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• Reference and further resources

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') at the site:

Species	Red List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
Socotra Cormorant Phalacrocorax nigrogularis	VU	breeding	2010-2017	7,500-14,000 breeding pairs	A1, A4, B3a
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	breeding	2010-2017	7,500-14,000 breeding pairs	B3b

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2017) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2017. The most recent assessment (2017) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Reference	Actual	Units	% remaining	Result
Socotra Cormorant Phalacrocorax nigrogularis	10,750	7,500	breeding pairs	70	near favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
No known threats	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Little/none of site covered (<10%)	No management planning has taken place	Very little or no conservation action taking place	negligible

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Al Rafiq (United Arab Emirates). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/al-rafiq-iba-united-arab-emirates on 23/11/2024.