Khawr Hassan (8242)
Oman, Middle East
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 1994
National site name: Khawr Hassan
Central coordinates: Latitude: 17.0333, Longitude: 54.3833
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 10
Area of KBA (km2): 1.58599
Protected area coverage (%): 61.08
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A disparate, complex coastal lagoon on the Salalah coastal plain, immediately west of the town of Taqah. There is substantial but variable freshwater inflow, said to be at least partly from a freshwater spring at the north end, where the shore is rocky. The barrier beach is low and sandy. The water surface is mostly open but with a dense fringe of Phragmites (abundant), Juncus, Typha and sedges. There are some minor pools to the west. There are patches of sabkha and scrub around the site. The marginal vegetation is heavily browsed by camels, and some cutting of Typha occurs. Tree-planting has occurred to the north-west.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)
Additional biodiversity: See box for key species. Ixobrychus minutus may breed in some years (1+ pairs). Other notable species in winter or on passage include Nycticorax nycticorax (max. 63, March) and Ardea cinerea (56, January; 60, March). Large roosts of non-breeding seabirds occur on the barrier beach in summer. At least 193 species occur, including a wide variety of waterbirds and breeding Afrotropical species such as Mirafra cantillans. Coracias garrulus (100, May) can be a notable passage migrant in the vicinity of the creek. Non-bird biodiversity: Flora: at least three species on the Salalah coastal plain are endemic or near-endemic to Oman, and some may be present at this site.
Delineation rationale: Type 2 marine IBA: non-breeding (coastal) congregations.
Habitats
Land use: rangeland/pastureland
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 90 | |
| Marine Neritic | 5 | |
| Shrubland | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The area is a proposed National Nature Reserve.