Status and trends of biodiversity, including benefits from biodiversity and ecosystem services
The content of this biodiversity profile is still draft. The text below has been prepared by SCBD and remains subject to final approval by the Party concerned.
Kuwait is characterized by its flat topography and many valleys that descend mainly northeastwardly. The country’s coastline is about 660 km long (including nine offshore islands) with its most important feature being Kuwait Bay which is a suitable nursery ground for fish and shrimp larvae. Despite its small size, Kuwait is characterized by nine geomorphological manifestations (e.g. mud flats, gravel plains, north plains, limestone banks) and four desert ecosystems (sand dunes, swamps and salt depressions, flat desert, desert plateau). The interior of the country is composed of gravel-covered plains with herbs and shrubs. One of the main topographical features is the Wadi Al Batin Valley which runs along the western border with Iraq. Mud flats surround the southern areas and are very saline and productive, containing diverse plant and animal species, while also serving as an important transit area for birds. They are characterized by the presence of
Leptochrysus Kuwaitensa, a type of lobster found in Kuwait.
The vegetation consists of shrubs, herbs and perennials which vary seasonally depending on winter rainfall. The vegetation that exists in the desert is especially important as it protects the soil from erosion and is an important food source for livestock species and wild animals. The desert ecosystem has deteriorated in Kuwait because of grazing, uprooting of woody shrubs, increased human activity, entertainment, quarries, earlier military operations and lack of implementation of laws for protecting and preserving biodiversity in the terrestrial ecosystem. Summer conditions on land in Kuwait are harsh while winter conditions reveal a desert richer in plants and animals. The marine environment in Kuwait and the Persian Gulf are characterized by an abundance and diversity of species and environments, including wetland areas, fish, turtles and coral reefs. Coral reefs are found in the southern area of Kuwait’s sea, however are less diverse relative to those found in the Red Sea or the Saudi Arabian reef islands of Jana and Karan.
Marine ecosystems and deserts provide food, fiber, aesthetic value and recreational opportunities and, in this light, are considered commercially and socially valuable to Kuwaitis.
Main pressures on and drivers of change to biodiversity (direct and indirect)
The content of this biodiversity profile is still draft. The text below has been prepared by SCBD and remains subject to final approval by the Party concerned.
One of the worst disasters to which the already fragile ecosystems were exposed relates to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990. The bombing of more than 700 oil wells and crude oil spills in marine and land environments, air pollution from burning fires, movement of military vehicles, proliferation of mines and weapons and building of trenches by the military, had negative impacts on the soil and land which resulted in their contamination. These activities caused overall devastation to vegetation and wild animals and environmental damages are still under investigation by the Government. Negative impacts are exemplified by the number of corals dying from oil pollution, as well as other pollutants (especially biological and chemical contaminants from the war), and by the level of fungal contamination in the air from burning fires, among other indications.
Overgrazing, uprooting of shrubs, seasonal increases in human activities, camping, entertainment, establishment of gravel and sand quarries and other environmental processes, have sped up the process of land degradation and led to biodiversity loss. Moreover, Kuwait’s small area (whether on land or sea) has created a high demand for suitable sites for the development of urban, residential, industrial and tourism areas, particularly on the coast. There are ongoing operations to bury various coastal ecosystems as well, particularly located in intertidal and muddy areas, by building artificial islands and harbours. Moreover, natural desert ecosystems are being lost because of urban expansion, road construction, oil production, transport and storage.
Overfishing, bottom trawling, as well as fishing in breeding areas are major threats to sea biodiversity. Also, amateur sport fishing has caused a lot of damage to the marine environment which is particularly associated to anchoring boats in coral reef areas. The sea surrounding Kuwait has had many pressures and pollutants due to an increase in population, mixing of treated and untreated wastewater, urban activities, power generation, water distillation, ports and ships, industrial facilities and the export of oil in giant tankers. For instance, the amount of dead fish totaled 2,600 tons between August and September 2001.
