April 19, 2024

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Barr Al Hikman is a marsh heaven of exceptional value for migratory birds along the West Asian–East African Flyway It is popular for its biodiversity, with substantial varieties of invertebrates concealed in the debris, providing great food sources for the thousands of hundreds of migratory waterbirds that depend upon this seaside sanctuary as they overlook the Arabian peninsula throughout their journeys. Indeed, in 2017 a group from Wetlands International discovered over half a million birds wintering in Barr Al-Hikman, and also taped a total amount of 63 waterbird types at the website in 2017-2019. Overall, the shorebird thickness on the intertidal mudflats of Barr Al Hikman is amongst the greatest taped internationally, making it among one of the most vital seaside marshes on the planet.

One of the types that counts on this marsh is the Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea (Near Threatened), which moves an incredible 6000 kilometres from its reproducing premises on the Siberian expanse to Bar Al Hikman every wintertime to capitalize on the environment’s extraordinary food schedule. After restoring its power, this brave wader proceeds its trip an additional 6000 kilometres toSouth Africa

Barr Al Hikman is a rough sedimentary rock peninsula of 900 square kilometres, with the lengthiest all-natural sandbank in theMiddle East The essential environments are prolonged crushed rock levels, seaside and also inland sabkha (a blend of sand, mud, and also salt), intertidal mudflats and also superficial shallows, which are linked to sea bays and also straits. Abundant populaces of fish within the bay and also straits bring in whales and also dolphins, while no much less than 4 endangered types of sea turtle nest on its coasts. It is additionally house to over-the-top invertebrates such as the Red- considered Rock Crab Eriphia sebana, which lives within enormous tangles of intertwined calcareous tubes made by colonial tube worms. It eats smaller sized crabs and also snails, to which finish it has actually progressed enormous claws with molar-like “teeth” that can fracture thick coverings.

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The Red-eyed Rock Crab's formidable claws have evolved to crush snails © Damsea / Shutterstock

The marsh has actually been determined by Bird Life as an Important Bird & & Biodiversity Area, and also is additionally aKey Biodiversity Area Moreover, the website certifies as worldwide vital marsh under the requirements of the Ramsar Convention, as it routinely sustains greater than 20,000 waterbirds or at the very least 1% of a waterbird types’ populace. Recent studies reveal that Barr Al Hikman satisfies these requirements for no less than 21 types.

An approximated 35% of all marshes internationally have actually been shed because the 1970s, resulting in enhanced danger of termination for lots of types. Coastal marshes in lots of components of the Arabian Peninsula are under stress. Studies reveal that human tasks are significantly resulting in destruction and also loss of vital websites in the area. Species like the Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris are currently Endangered because of recovery of various other marsh stop websites in other places on their trip. The official defense of this website would certainly as a result safeguard an essential, really irreplaceable, center for migratory birds at the centre of West Asian–East African Flyway

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Barr Al Hikman contains the longest natural sand bar in the Middle East © Tariq Barwani



Source www.birdlife.org