Al Zorah (Khor Ajman) (United Arab Emirates)

Al Zorah (Khor Ajman)

Current view: summary

Country/territory: United Arab Emirates

IBA criteria met: B3a (2017)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here

Area: 196 ha

IBA conservation status
Year of assessment (most recent)	State (condition)	Pressure (threat)	Response (action)
2017	favourable	medium	low
For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here

Site description (2017 baseline)
Al-Zorah Protected Area is among the top 5-6 most important natural wetlands in the northern Emirates. It supports a diversity of natural wetland habitats such as sand beaches, sabkha, intertidal mudflats, lagoons, creeks and mangrove forests, with the latter occupying about 50% of the Protected Area.

Key biodiversity
The site supports a total of 87 species including the globally vulnerable greater spotted eagle (Aquila clanga) and Socotra cormorant (Phalacrocorax nigrogularis). The waterbirds that use Al-Zorah during their annual migration include the broad-billed sandpiper (Limicola falcinellus) during passage and the greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) in winter.

Other biodiversity: The mangroves (Avicennia marina) support a range of wildlife species by providing nursery habitats, shelter in the roots/branches and rookeries. Many migratory species depend on mangroves for part of their route migrations.

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