Comprehensive Assessment Reveals Health Of Saudi Arabia's Eastern Coast Ecosystems And Biodiversity

The National Center for Wildlife (NCW) has initiated a thorough evaluation of the environment along Saudi Arabia's eastern coast. This project, in partnership with global experts, aims to assess the health of ecosystems and biodiversity on the Arabian Gulf's Saudi coasts. The study spans 2024 and 2025, covering over 400 sites.

Using internationally accepted methods like underwater imaging and satellite remote sensing, the assessment examines vital marine and coastal environments. These include coral reefs, seagrass meadows, mangrove forests, and mudflats. The data collected will form a detailed scientific database.

The findings revealed that coral reefs have a healthy cover rate of 22%, with bleaching levels remaining below 2%. Species such as Porites and Merulina showed resilience to challenging conditions. Seagrass meadows were stable across most regions.

Mangrove forests, specifically Avicennia marina, spanned approximately 1,573 hectares. These areas exhibited healthy vegetation, notably around Ras Tanura and Tarout Island. Additionally, over 80,000 fish from 90 species were documented during the study.

Field observations confirmed the presence of large marine animals like dugongs, dolphins, turtles, sharks, and rays. This highlights the Arabian Gulf's role as a crucial habitat. A comprehensive bird study recorded 176,836 birds from 69 species.

The peak bird numbers were noted during the fall migration season. Remarkably, Franklin's gull was spotted for the first time in Saudi Arabia. Tarout Bay and Dammam Corniche emerged as significant breeding and aggregation sites.

Commitment to Environmental Goals

NCW CEO Dr. Mohammed Qurban stated that this assessment underscores Saudi Arabia's dedication to advancing scientific research for marine protection. This aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 and the Saudi Green Initiative goals.

Dr. Qurban explained that protecting marine environments is crucial for biodiversity preservation, climate stability, and food security. The results offer an essential scientific reference to support national biodiversity protection plans and sustainable development efforts.

With inputs from SPA