34 areas important for birds in Egypt

CAIRO – 17 June 2017: The Important Bird Areas (IBA) directory identified 34 areas important for birds in Egypt. The areas consist of a range of basic bird environments; including wetlands, high-altitude mountains, desert valleys, coastal areas and marine islands.

Fifteen of the major bird areas are located in declared protectorates and five other IBAs have been proposed.

According to IBA Canada, the IBAs are discrete sites that support specific groups of birds such as endanger species, large groups of birds, and birds restricted by range or by habitat. IBAs range in size from very tiny patches of habitat to large tracts of land or water. They may encompass private or public land.

Black headed gull – Wikimedia Commons via Wikipedia
IBAs are identified by using criteria that are internationally agreed upon, standardized, quantitative, and scientifically proven. This promotes international collaboration for the conservation of the world’s birds.

Furthermore, IBA Canada reports that 33% of IBAs lack any form of formal protection and a further 45% are only partially protected.

The following chart is a list of all IBAs in Egypt, courtesy of the

Ministry of Environment

.

- 1- Lake Bardawil - 2- Zaranik - 3- El Malaha - 4- Bitter Lakes - 5- Lake Manzalla - 6- Lake Burullus - 7- Lake Idku - 8- Lake Maryut - 9- Lake Qarun - 10- Wadi El Rayan - 11- Wadi El Naturn - 12- Upper Nile - 13- Aswan Reservoir - 14-Lake Nasser - 15- Hurghada Archipelago - 16- Tiran Island - 17- Wadi Gimal Island - 18- Qulan Island - 19- Zabargad Island - 20- Siyal Islands - 21- Rawabel Islands - 22- Nabaq - 23- Gabel Elba - 24- The Abraq Area - 25- St. Katherine - 26- Gabel Maghara - 27- Quseima - 28- Wadi Gerafi - 29- El Qasr Desert - 30- Suez - 31- Gabel El Zeit - 32- El Qa Plain - 33- Ras Mohammed - 34- Ain Sukhna