Hawar Islands (8020)
Bahrain, Middle East
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1b
Year of last assessment: 1994
National site name: Hawar Islands
Central coordinates: Latitude: 25.6577, Longitude: 50.7528
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 28
Area of KBA (km2): 227.09634
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A group of 16 small, limestone, desert islands and islets in the Gulf of Salwah, some with cliffs up to 20-30 m high. There is c.20% vegetation cover of saltmarsh bushes, and very extensive seagrass beds in the shallow, clear sea offshore. A highly productive nursery and feeding area for fish. The islands are uninhabited apart from a military garrison.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Additional biodiversity: The islands support the largest known breeding concentration in the world of Phalacrocorax nigrogularis. The main breeding site is on Suwad al Janubiyah island, where 200,000 to 300,000 adults were conservatively estimated to be present in November 1992, along with thousands of nests with eggs. Other breeding species include Sterna caspia (max. 10 pairs), S. anaethetus (max. 100 pairs) and Pandion haliaetus (max. 9 pairs). Wintering species include Podiceps cristatus (min. 50) and Phoenicopterus ruber (750). Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals: the second largest population in the world of Dugong dugon (V) occurs here (700+); unspecified Gazella spp. on Hawar island (apparently introduced). Reptiles: the sea-turtles Chelonia mydas (E), Eretmochelys imbricata (E), Dermochelys coriacea (E) and Caretta caretta (V) occur, and Chelonia mydas may breed.
Delineation rationale: The IBA site includes the whole landmass of Hawar islands as well as the coastal areas and shallow waters bordering the islands. Type 1 marine IBA: suitable for the seaward extension approach.
Habitats
Land use: fisheries/aquaculture (10%) | military (20%) | not utilised (80%) | tourism/recreation (15%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Desert | 22 | |
| Marine Neritic | 26 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 26 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 26 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The islands are a restricted military area and access by the general public is prohibited, thus they receive some unintentional protection from non-military disturbance. However, over-collection of eggs and capturing of birds (especially chicks of Phalacrocorax nigrogularis) by fishermen is a problem, although the scale has not been quantified. Disturbance by human visitors also greatly facilitates predation of P. nigrogularis chicks by gulls, e.g. Larus cachinnans/L. argentatus. The site has been affected by major oil spills in the past (e.g. during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war), and this is a critical potential threat, especially during the breeding season. The Hawar islands have a fauna and flora which is perhaps typical and representative of the few remaining unspoilt islands in the whole Arabian Gulf, and they are thus increasingly unique in the region. The islands have been proposed as a Wildlife Reserve.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Problematic native species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |
| Climate change & severe weather | Storms & flooding | Only in the future | |
| Residential & commercial development | Tourism & recreation areas | Only in the future | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Habitat shifting & alteration | Only in the future |