Hawar Islands


The Islands of Hawar are a group of limestone desert islands and islets in the Gulf of Bahrain comprising six major and more than twenty smaller islands of various sizes. The islands are located approximately 26 km southeast of the main island of Bahrain. The total land area is around 51.5 sq. km.
 

The Hawar islands are Bahrain's last remaining true wilderness. Apart from the main island of the group, they are intact and still possess a unique natural beauty. They are a national asset and globally important site. The islands and their surrounding water were declared in 1997 as Bahrain largest Natural Reserve. They have since been designated as Ramsar Site (Wetlands of International importance). The islands are surprising in their scenic variety, diversity and environmental purity and considered by many people to be the jewel in Bahrain's crown, to be conserved and managed wisely for future generations to enjoy.
 


The large six islands of the group are:

  • Hawar
  • Suwad Ashamaliyah (North)
  • Suwad Al Janubiyah (South)
  • Rubud Al Gharbiyah (West)
  • Rubud Asharqiyah (East)
  • Umm Hazwarah

Breeding Birds
Around twenty species of birds have been recorded including eight of them which exceed the 1% criteria that used to identify the internationally important site as wetland or bird area.

Species
No of pair
1% justification
Western Reef Heron
350
30
White-cheeked Tern
3400
2000
Bridled Tern
1850
500
Lesser Crested Tern
640
200
Caspian Tern
28
5
Sooty Falcon
15
2
Socotra Cormorant
20500
2000
Osprey
23
2-3

 

Figures are taken in 1997 and extracted from the Breeding Birds of Hawar by H. King

Marine Life
The Hawar Islands are surrounded by clear and very shallow water. Various marine habitats are present including mud-flats and rocky shores, sea grass and algal beds. There are coral reef patches located near some of the islands. The sea-grass is not only an important food for the commercial Pearl spotted Rabbit Fish Siganus canaliculatus (Safi) but also an important feeding ground for the Green Turtle and the highly endangered mammal species, the Sea Cow Dugong dugon.

 
The Sea Cow is a large and slow moving mammal present sometimes in large herds. Single herd has been known to comprise several hundreds of these fascinating animals. The population of Dugong in the gulf represents the second largest group in the world after Australia. Examples of marine plant species are the sea grass Halodule and Halophila, the brown algae Sargassum, Hormophysa and Padina, the green algae Ulva, Chaetomorpha and Cladophora. Other marine mammals present include the bottle-nosed dolphin and the Indo-Pacific Humpback dolphin. The shallow water of Hawar islands is considered to be highly rich in fishes and other marine invertebrates like sponges, gastropods, nudibracnchs, bivalves and cuttlefish, and sea urchins.
 
Terrestrial life
Terrestrial flora and fauna on all the islands is fairly restricted. The vegetation cover is mainly composed of halophytic plants. This kind of plants is capable to tolerate the high salinity of the soil. Throughout the Islands halophytic types of vegetation predominate and the most common species are Zygophyllum, Suaeda, Salsola, Salicornia, Limonium and Halopeplis. The attractive parasitic flowering Desert hyacinth Cistanche hyacinth normally found in the sandy areas even near the coast. The beautiful flowers of this plant can be seen from early January. Shrubs like Desert thorn Lycium shawi and Tamarix sp. are present in the southern part of the main island of Hawar.
 


Mammals and reptiles are also restricted mainly through a total lack of open fresh water. The common native mammals recorded include Cape hare Lepus capensis, Jerboa Jaculus sp. and some Jird species.

Herds of Arabian Oryx Oryx leucopteryx and Sand Gazelle (Reem) Gazella subgutterosa marica are freely moving on the main and largest Hawar Island itself.
Several species of reptile occur, the largest of which is the spiny-tailed lizard Uromastyx microlepis. The only species of snake found so far has been the rat snake.
 

Sustainable development should be the only way to carry any activities on the island of Hawar. Chaletes and one resort are already located on the western coast of the main island, however the eastern coast should be left intact as well as the small islands scattered in the north and the east of the main island.

Ecotourism programme has been started since 1999 by ALREEM Ecotours and more awareness is developed accordingly for the natural value of the islands.

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