Current view: Text account
Site description (1994 baseline):
Site location and context
One of a small group of coral islets and associated reefs. Part of the island is covered in salt-tolerant bushes, other areas are dominated by
Seidlitzia annuals, and there are patches of bare ground. Beaches are mainly sandy with some rocky stretches. A favourite recreational area for weekend trippers, scuba divers and fishermen. A small solar energy plant provides power for a beacon in the centre of the island.
See box for key species. An important breeding colony for
Sterna bengalensis and
Sterna anaethetus. Also breeding are
Sterna repressa and
Sterna bergii (min. 7 pairs).
Non-bird biodiversity: Reptiles: a former nesting area for the sea-turtles Chelonia mydas (E) and Eretmochelys imbricata (E).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Disturbance and wilful killing are major problems at the seabird colonies. The island was included in a Marine Park proposed by the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research in 1988, and included together with several submerged coral reefs in the draft Nature Conservation Act submitted by the Environment Protection Council.
Data-sheet compiled by Prof. C. W. T. Pilcher.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Kubbar island (Kuwait). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/kubbar-island-iba-kuwait on 23/11/2024.
