• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

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
Socotra Cormorant Phalacrocorax nigrogularis	VU	breeding (2005–2017)	500–17,000 pairs	A1, A4, B3a
Socotra Cormorant Phalacrocorax nigrogularis	VU	non-breeding (2005–2017)	10,000 birds	A1, A4, B3a
Saunders's Tern Sternula saundersi	LC	breeding (2005–2017)	20–45 pairs	B2a
White-cheeked Tern Sterna repressa	LC	breeding (2005–2017)	110–1,600 pairs	B2a
Lesser Crested Tern Thalasseus bengalensis	LC	breeding (2005–2017)	500–1,700 pairs	A4, B3a
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	breeding (2005–2017)	1,110–20,300 pairs	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
Socotra Cormorant Phalacrocorax nigrogularis	17,000 / 8,750 (pairs)	100	good
Saunders's Tern Sternula saundersi	32 / 15 (pairs)	100	good
Lesser Crested Tern Thalasseus bengalensis	0 / 1,100 (pairs)	0	not assessed

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Residential and commercial development	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	rapid decline (>30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Transportation and service corridors	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	low

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 compre­hensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	The conservation measures needed for the site are being compre­hensively and effectively implemented	high

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	major (>10)
Marine Neritic	major (>10)
Marine Intertidal	minor (<10)

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	major (>10)

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Yasat Island (United Arab Emirates). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/yasat-island-iba-united-arab-emirates on 23/12/2024.