Current view: Text account
Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
A small archipelago composed of four small coralline islands: Siyul, Showarit, Um Ladid and Mahabis, mentioned in ascending order of size. The islands are flat and sandy, usually with an elevated rocky northern shoreline, and a sloping southern shore. Showarit island has a small mangrove stand. A fringe of living coral reef surrounds all the islands.
See Box for key species. Eight bird species have been found breeding on the islands:
Phaethon aethereus,
Butorides striatus,
Egretta gularis,
Platalea leucorodia,
Falco concolor,
Larus hemprichii,
Larus leucophthalmus and
Sterna caspia.
Non-bird biodiversity: Reptiles: Caretta caretta (CR) has been reported nesting on three of the islands.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The islands are part of the Elba National Park, which was declared by Prime Ministerial Decree 450/1986, adjusted by Prime Ministerial Decree 1186/1986 and Prime Ministerial Decree 642/1995. As with Wadi Gimal island (EG017), oil pollution and floating solid waste are an increasing problem along the shoreline. Because of the proximity of the islands to the mainland, they are fairly accessible and are being disturbed by an increasing number of tourists and fishermen, who occasionally collect the eggs and young of breeding birds.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Qulân islands (Egypt). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/qulân-islands-iba-egypt on 26/12/2024.
