Dawmat al-Jandl wetland (8254)
Saudi Arabia, Middle East
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 1994
National site name: Dawmat al-Jandl wetland
Central coordinates: Latitude: 29.8150, Longitude: 39.8850
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 670 to 670
Area of KBA (km2): 17.58303
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This site, on the north-east side of Dawmat al-Jandl town, is one of the very few remaining wetland habitats in the northern desert. Until 1983-1984 it was a medium-sized natural lake surrounded by a large marsh of reeds and sedges (900 ha overall), but this has now been drained and converted to agricultural smallholdings; the water is pumped to an elevated basin in the hills overlooking the former marsh, forming a reservoir (150 ha). From here water flows through a number of irrigation channels back to the agricultural areas, where there are some very small, scattered remains of marshland. The reservoir is used for recreation in summer, and fish Tilapia have been introduced.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Additional biodiversity: See box for key species. There is little detailed information at present, although a January 1993 count found 2,294 waterbirds including 1,346 Fulica atra, and up to 10,000 F. atra were present in the colder winter of 1991-1992, when some unidentified Cygnus sp. were also present. Flocks of over 1,000 Chlidonias leucopterus have occurred in late April. Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals: Vulpes rueppelli (K).
Delineation rationale: 2009-10-12 (BL Secretariat): Coordinates moved to centre of new polygon.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | hunting | nature conservation and research | tourism/recreation | water management
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 5 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 5 | |
| Artificial - Aquatic | 90 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The site is situated in the non-hunting zone which extends around NCWCD's large, northern reserves but shooting nevertheless occurs, and this and other disturbance seem to be the major threats for the birds on the reservoir, which have no alternative sites in the vicinity. Over-extraction of water is a potential threat.
Additional information
References: Green (1984).