Alqurm Wa Lehfeiyah (Khor Kalba) (8323)
United Arab Emirates, Middle East

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Global KBA criteria: D1a

Year of last assessment: 1994

National site name: Alqurm Wa Lehfeiyah (Khor Kalba)

Central coordinates: Latitude: 25.0077, Longitude: 56.3652

System: marine, terrestrial

Elevation (m): 0 to 5

Area of KBA (km²): 23.78843

Protected area coverage (%): 100.00

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: A shallow tidal inlet on the Gulf of Oman leads to a series of saline (33-44 ppt) channels fringed with mangrove woodlands of Avicennia marina. The benthic substrate of the channels comprises sandy bottoms, seagrass beds and rocky reefs with sparse coral colonies. Sub-tidal and intertidal mudflats lie adjacent to the surrounding terrestrial habitat of saltmarsh (with associated halophytic plant communities), low sand dunes and sandy beach.

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: Arabian Collared Kingfishers within the UAE only breed at Khor Kalba. Although a sub-species, it is the only representative population of the birds in the UAE. IUCN list the global population trend as decreasing. Socotra cormorants use the beaches and offshore of Khor Kalba for passage, foraging and resting. During the past 10 years 138 species have been recorded at the location. In addition to Arabian Collared Kingfisher, Khor Kalba is the only location in the UAE where Sykes Warbler (Iduna rana) is resident. Another species of interest is Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata) listed as Near Threatened by IUCN. The location is resident to, or provides passage to numerous species listed on the Convention of Migratory Species Appendix 2, including Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-winged Stilt, Common Greenshank, Common Redshank, Greater Flamingo and Kentish Plover. Other biodiversity: The location is especially biodiverse, a likely manifestation of the diversity of habitats that characterise the site. Mammal species include Sand Gazelle, Red Fox and numerous small mammals. Eighteen species of reptile have been recorded at the site, including an abundance of Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas - IUCN Endangered). Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata - IUCN Critically Endangered) and Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea - IUCN Vulnerable) turtles have also been recorded at Khor Kalba. It is the only recorded location for Blanford's Fringe-toed Gecko (Acanthodactylus blanfordii) on the UAE east coast. Biodiversity surveys are currently quantifying the particular richness of invertebrates (18 species of crabs currently identified) and fish species.

Delineation rationale: Estimate of site area updated from 600 ha (1994 reported figure) to 913 ha (GIS-derived equivalent, in 2008) to 1607 ha (2017 figure, based on recently created protected area).

Habitats

Land use: fisheries/aquaculture | nature conservation and research (100%) | rangeland/pastureland | tourism/recreation

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Marine Neritic	51
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	10
Forest	9
Marine Intertidal	30

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The location faces intense pressure from urban development in the adjacent areas - and requests to re-open for public recreation. A portion of the mangroves extending into Oman has largely died off due to construction activities. Additional threats include an aquaculture facility built adjacent the site (and requests for more aquaculture/agriculture initiatives), and all of the sabkha flats outside the protected area are earmarked for residential and light industrial development. A shopping mall is proposed to be built adjacent to the protected area while there are also requests to develop landscaped public-access picnic sites. Oil spills on the ocean side continue to pose a significant threat to the beach and mangrove ecology. Mechanisms and barriers have been instigated by the EPAA to reduce the impact of these events. The threat posed to fish stocks within the protected area from adjacent fishing is not yet quantified. Unrestricted beach driving by various management entities remain a concern to sandy beach biodiversity.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Pollution	Industrial & military effluents	Oil spills	Only in the future
Biological resource use	Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources	Unintentional effects: large scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest]	Only in the future
Residential & commercial development	Tourism & recreation areas		Only in the future
Human intrusions & disturbance	Work & other activities		Only in the future
Transportation & service corridors	Roads & railroads		Ongoing
Natural system modifications	Other ecosystem modifications		Ongoing

Additional information

References: Numerous internal reports subject to editing before formal publication.