Surfbirds News

The wadi is a 129 kilometre-square catchment that occupies the northern reaches of Fujairah between the towns of Masafi, Khor Fakkan and Bidiyah. Due to its permanent water resource the area has been used by local communities for thousands of years and is home to rare and endangered species such as the Arabian Tahr and Arabian Leopard which are vital to the UAE’s national heritage. The wadi is located within the Ecoregion 127 “Arabian Highlands and Shrublands” one of the WWF Global 200 Ecoregions regrouping the richest, rarest and most distinctive of the earth's natural habitats.

Indian Roller, common in the UAE © Mike Hunter, from the surfbirds galleries

Commenting on the landmark achievement, Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, Managing Director EWS-WWF stated, “Wadi Wurayah is of considerable ecological significance allowing among the rarest species found in the UAE, Arabian Peninsular and the world to survive this harsh climate. Over the past three years we have revealed the presence of 12 species of mammals, 73 species of birds, 17 species of reptiles and amphibians. 1 species of fish and 74 invertebrate families, of which 11 new species for science. More than 300 species of plants have been recorded in the area, including species that are found only in wetlands such as Typha dominginsis and the unique orchid species of UAE: Epipactis veratrifolia.

“Wadi Wurayah is an extremely important part of the UAE’s national heritage and our on-going discoveries of the species residing in the area, and support of the locals is a testament to that fact,” said Dr. Christophe Tourenq, Science and Research Manager at EWS-WWF and manager of the Wadi Wurayah project. “At the start of the project we discovered that the endangered mountain wildlife was increasingly threatened, either by direct transformation or through unregulated recreational use. This decree will go a long way in ensuring the wildlife and area is closely monitored and protected for future generations. In 1995, His Highness Shaikh Hamad Bin Mohammad Al Sharqi, ruler of Fujairah, created the first marine protected areas of the UAE. The declaration of Wadi Wurayah as the first mountain protected area of the country shows the commitment of the Fujairah government to the conservation of their natural and cultural heritage. The project illustrates also perfectly the collaboration between a local NGO, a local government to protect our heritage with the support of the private sector.”