Current view: Text account
Site description (2017 baseline):
Site location and context
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.
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.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Urban activities (houses, hotels).
The site is a Ramsar site and is the only protected area in Ajman city and the Emirate of Ajman.
Ajman Municipality and Planning Department.
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.
