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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation 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 List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus	LC	non-breeding (2014–2017)	1,500–6,000 birds	A4, B3a
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	LC	non-breeding (2014–2017)	700–4,000 birds	A4, B3a
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus	LC	winter (2014–2017)	2,000–10,000 birds	B3a
Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga	VU	winter (2014–2017)	20–30 birds	A1
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter (2014–2017)	8,150–27,800 birds	B3b

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	Actual vs Reference (units)	% remaining	Result
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus	3,750 / 3,750 (birds)	100	good
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	400 / 440 (birds)	91	good
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	2,350 / 1,300 (birds)	100	good
Charadrius mongolus	700 / 1,900 (birds)	37	very poor
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	50 / 250 (birds)	20	very poor
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	350 / 1,000 (birds)	35	very poor
Broad-billed Sandpiper Calidris falcinellus	200 / 530 (birds)	38	very poor
Dunlin Calidris alpina	3,000 / 2,000 (birds)	100	good
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	100 / 460 (birds)	22	very poor
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus	6,000 / 2,500 (birds)	100	good
Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga	25 / 8 (birds)	100	good
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	18,000 / 19,000 (birds)	95	good

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Marine Intertidal	good (>90%)	poor (40–69%)	poor

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	likely in long term (>4 years)	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Pollution	likely in long term (>4 years)	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Residential and commercial development	likely in long term (>4 years)	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Whole area (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A management plan exists, but it is out of date or not compre­hensive	The conservation measures needed for the site are being compre­hensively and effectively implemented	high

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
-	Ras Al Khawr Wildlife Sanctuary	Wildlife Sanctuary (-)	100
2007	Ras Al Khor	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance (IV)	100

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Forest	7	Subtropical & tropical mangrove
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	major (>10)
Marine Intertidal	major (>10)
Marine Neritic	minor (<10)

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	100
urban/industrial/transport	minor (<10)

Dubai Municipality.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary (Khor Dubai) (United Arab Emirates). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/ras-al-khor-wildlife-sanctuary-(khor-dubai)-iba-united-arab-emirates on 23/12/2024.