Jizan Bay (8289)
Saudi Arabia, Middle East
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 1994
National site name: Jizan Bay
Central coordinates: Latitude: 16.9183, Longitude: 42.5450
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 5
Area of KBA (km2): 2.54755
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A 4-km-long by 500-m-wide stretch of muddy and mud-sand intertidal flats, from Jizan Port to the northern edge of the city. The flats, enriched by sewage outfall from Jizan city, were in the past fringed by mangrove, but all such areas have now been lost to land-claim.
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. This site is a core area in a region of generally good wader habitat from Jizan south to the Yemen border. Densities are on average much higher than at neighbouring sites, due to the sewage outfalls of Jizan city. There is a peak January count of 20,053 waterbirds, though this was in 1992, an unusually cold winter, and may therefore be higher than typical; 10,000-15,000 waterbirds were present in December 1992. Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Delineation rationale: 2009-10-12 (BL Secretariat): Coordinates shifted to centre of polygon.
Habitats
Land use: fisheries/aquaculture
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 95 | |
| Marine Neritic | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The site is severely threatened by pollution from oil, organic domestic effluent and garbage, and especially by large-scale land reclamation for urban expansion. Fishing activities and the proximity of the large city of Jizan result in frequent human disturbance of birds. Part of the site is proposed as a Special Nature Reserve in the NCWCD System Plan for Protected Areas. Immediate action should be taken to stop further loss of intertidal habitat, and pollution should be monitored. Regular counts during winter and migration seasons are required.