Jizan has historically been the best feeding ground and habitat for the region's migrating birds. Located deep in the south of the Kingdom, the region also has one of the cleanest shores in the region, but that claim is being eroded slowly. Development projects like landfills and new housing areas by the Jizan municipality, particularly in the north of Jizan, are affecting the area's status as a natural habitat for a wide variety of exotic birds. “If the Jizan municipality did Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before they started land filling, I am sure no developer could approve the land filling project, and also, the government would never approve of that,” remarked Abdullah Al-Suhaibany, an environmentalist who has completed an MSc in Marine Environmental Protection and has formerly worked with the United Nations program for protecting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, in an interview with Saudi Gazette. As an expert in the matter, Al-Suhaibany said that he used to visit the north of Jizan accompanied by a scientific team, to conduct some research on the types of birds that could be found there. “A great number of scientists and tourists have visited the Jizan corniche in order to observe the natural migrations of the birds. I think if we consider this point, Jizan could become one of the most naturally attractive places in the Middle East,” he said. The migrating birds have historically come to Jizan from as far away as Asia and Africa. Residents of Farasan Island have traditionally celebrated their arrival by singing particular songs. With special names attributed to these birds like “Al-Akhal,” “Al-Gargoog” and “Al-Yaqobi,” a rich history was also associated with them. According to the famous Jizani writer Ibrahim Meftah in his historical tome “Farasan: People, Sea and History,” the birds arrive from as far away as the Netherlands and India, especially in May and April every year. According to a number of expert observations, some of these birds include the Little Green Bee-Eater, Crested Lark, Little Egret, Crab Plover, Pink-backed Pelican and Cattle Egret. People from across the Kingdom used to visit the area in order to observe the approximately 528 species moving between Jizan's shores and the mountains of Asir. “There are 12 kinds of birds in Jizan that we cannot find anywhere else in the world,” Al-Suhaibany asserted. Despite this, the municipality seems to be neglecting the environmental damage developing this area is causing. Al-Suhaibany believes that certain government sectors consider environmental assessment a luxury and waste of time and are unwilling to include it as part of their considerations. He added that the importance of EIA before any potential investment in an area is a vital consideration in the effort to preserve the Kingdom's environment. Because the issue is so wholly neglected, five years after a project has been initiated, one can discern the total and irreversible damage that has been done to the environment. Al-Suhaibany has a solution to this problem: “Investors must consider sustainable development when initiating projects,” he said.
