Threats

The Burullus area shares the ecological fragility of arid lands (Kassas, 1998) and the threats of unsustainable use of natural resources. Many species, communities and habitat types in Burullus are threatened by the impact of human activities. Drying parts of the Lake, removal of large quantities of sand from the dunes, uncontrolled reed cutting, bird hunting, the fast growth of fish farms around the southern fringes of the Lake, illegal fishing practices including fry catching near the Bughaz, the excessive inflow of drainage water from the catchment area, water pollution, the construction of the international highway which cuts through the entire length of the sand bar, and the fast-growing new human settlements on either side of the highway, are among the serious threats to biodiversity in Burullus.