Rud-i-Gaz and Rud-i-Hara deltas (8162)
Iran, Islamic Republic of, Middle East
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 1994
National site name: Rud-i-Gaz and Rud-i-Hara deltas
Central coordinates: Latitude: 26.6667, Longitude: 56.8333
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 50
Area of KBA (km2): 183.80221
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The site covers c.40 km of shore on the Straits of Hormoz, 120 km south-east of Bandar Abbas: an extensive complex of tidal creeks, mudflats, mangrove swamps, sandbanks and low muddy offshore islands and sandbars at the mouths of the Rud-i-Gaz (26°30'N 57°00'E) and the Rud-i-Hara (26°50'N 56°40'E). The rivers flow only after erratic rainfall in the interior (usually in winter). Extensive stands of mangrove Avicennia marina occur at the mouths of the rivers, along tidal creeks and as a broad fringe along the landward side of coastal sandbars. The adjacent arid plain supports a sparse woodland of Acacia, Prosopis, Ziziphus and Tamarix with large areas of bare sandy flats. Land ownership is public. The area is remote, with only a few tiny fishing villages nearby.
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: See box for key species. An extremely important wintering area for shorebirds, notably Haematopus ostralegus, Limosa lapponica, Numenius arquata and Tringa totanus, along with smaller numbers of Platalea leucorodia and Dromas ardeola. The site may also be important for breeding herons and egrets including Ardea goliath and Ardeola grayii. The adjacent sandy plains and thorn woodland support a typical Baluchi avifauna including Dendrocopos assimilis and Calandrella raytal. Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Habitats
Land use: fisheries/aquaculture | nature conservation and research (100%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 32 | |
| Desert | 32 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 32 | |
| Marine Neritic | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: There is no legal protection, though the area was designated a Ramsar Site in 1975. No threats are known.
Additional information
References: Carp (1980), Ramsar Convention Bureau (1993), Scott (1975b, 1976a,c), Summers et al. (1987).