Wildlife of the United Arab Emirates

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An Arabian oryx in Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve Arabian oryx (oryx leucoryx).jpg
An Arabian oryx in Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve

The wildlife of the United Arab Emirates is the flora and fauna of the country on the eastern side of the Arabian Peninsula and the southern end of the Persian Gulf. The country offers a variety of habitats for wildlife including the coast, offshore islands, mangrove areas, mudflats, salt pans, sand and gravel plains, sand dunes, mountain slopes, wadis and rocky summits. Because the terrain is so varied, it supports a greater number of species of plants and animals than might be expected in a small country.

Contents

Geography

Stony desert landscape near Hatta, in the region of the Western Hajar Mountains Hatta west UAE 1401200712886.jpg
Stony desert landscape near Hatta, in the region of the Western Hajar Mountains

The United Arab Emirates occupy a corner of Arabia bounded by Saudi Arabia to the west and south, Oman to the east, the Gulf of Oman and Oman to the northeast and the Persian Gulf to the north. The northern coast stretches for about 650 km (400 mi) along the southern shore of the Persian Gulf and largely consists of salt pans that extend inland. There are numerous offshore islands, the ownership of some of which is disputed with neighbouring states. To the south is the Rub' al Khali desert, an enormous expanse of billowing sand dunes. Two large oases in the east are the Liwa Oasis, near the undefined border with Saudi Arabia, and Al-Buraimi Oasis, which includes Al Ain on the UAE side of the border with Oman. To the east, the land rises and becomes mountainous, this being the northwestern end of Al-Hajar Mountains, of which Jebel Hafeet near Al-Ain may be considered an outlier, [1] [2] and which include the Ru'us al-Jibal (literally "Heads of the Mountains") in the Musandam Peninsula. [3] Beyond these, the coast on the Gulf of Oman is rugged. [4]

In the southeast of the country, near the border with Oman, there is a man-made lake, Lake Zakher, formed as a result of the release of waste water from the desalination plants on which the UAE relies for its freshwater supplies. The lake has formed as the groundwater rose, and many birds now visit the lake. [5]

Flora

Vachellia tortilis in a mountainous landscape in Fujairah Fujeirah north 1501200713092 Acacia tortilis.jpg
Vachellia tortilis in a mountainous landscape in Fujairah

A wide range of plants is associated with the many types of habitat in the United Arab Emirates. One of these types is the sabkha, an area in which salty water has flooded the land shallowly and later evaporated, leaving crusty salt pans. These occur on the western part of the Gulf Coast but also among dunes inland. The plants found on their edges are salt-tolerant members of Salicornioideae and Zygophyllum .

At inland sites Tetraena qatarensis predominates along with grasses such as Aeluropus lagopoides and Panicum turgidum . [6] Sandy plains further east along the coast from the sabkha region have occasional dwarf tamarisk trees and such plants as Caroxylon imbricatum and Zygophyllum mandavillei , and in coastal lagoons, and in creeks further east, the white mangrove is plentiful. [7] Mangroves are also found in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, particularly in a national park to the east of the island of Abu Dhabi. [8]

Cornulaca monacantha Cornulaca monacantha.jpg
Cornulaca monacantha

Plants of the gravel plains further east again include Cornulaca monacantha , Crotalaria persica , Calotropis procera and Taverniera spartea , and the parasitic desert hyacinth and the desert thumb. As the land rises up towards the mountains, the mesquite tree, an invasive species from Central America, has become established. The plains around Ras al-Khaimah in the northeast of the country, between the mountains and the sea, are the most heavily cultivated part of the country. The mountains have a cooler, more temperate climate and here there is an abundance of Alpine flowers among the rocks, on slopes and in cracks, fissures and wadis. [7]

Jabal Hafeet and the nearby Wadi Tarabat are home to rare flora unique to the region, such as Acridocarpus orientalis . [9]

Fauna

Over four hundred species of bird have been recorded in the United Arab Emirates, with about ninety species breeding regularly in the country while the balance are winter visitors, migrants or vagrants. The country is on the crossroads of two major migratory routes, one between the Palaearctic and Africa, the other between the Near East and the Indian subcontinent, and the migrants make use of the many types of habitat available. [10]

The sooty falcon breeds in the UAE Sooty Falcon, Allee des Baobabs near Morondava, Madagascar.jpg
The sooty falcon breeds in the UAE

About 250,000 waders visit the Gulf shores and mudflats at peak migration time; these include the grey plover, the greater and lesser sand plovers, the crab plover, the Kentish plover and the broad-billed sandpiper. The coast, and particularly offshore islands are used by many seabirds. About twenty to thirty percent of the world's Socotra cormorants, about 200,000 birds, breed in the United Arab Emirates, but they are under threat from fishermen who fear for their livelihoods. Sooty gulls breed here, as do red-billed tropicbirds as well as several species of tern; white-cheeked, bridled and lesser crested tern. [10]

Waters of the Persian Gulf along Abu Dhabi holds the world's largest population of Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphins. [11] [12] [13]

A large number of passerine birds breed in the deserts, salt flats, plains, dunes and mountains. Twelve species of wheatear have been recorded in the country as well as warblers, babblers, rollers, bulbuls, the desert lark and many others. The sooty falcon overwinters in Madagascar and breeds in the United Arab Emirates. Other than this, there are only a small number of raptor species; Bonelli's eagle, barbary falcon, short-toed snake eagle, long-legged buzzard and lappet-faced vulture. [10]

An Arabian wolf in Al Ain Arabian Wolf Al Ain Zoo 1 leicht verbessert.jpg
An Arabian wolf in Al Ain

Many of the large mammals found in the Arabian Peninsula were well-adapted to desert life in the harsh terrain, but were wiped out by human hunting in the last hundred years or so. Hunting is now banned in the United Arab Emirates, but feral goats and donkeys are plentiful and graze indiscriminately, lessening the chance for the native gazelles to recover from their reduced population sizes. Large terrestrial mammals still found in the United Arab Emirates include the Arabian tahr, the Arabian oryx and the sand gazelle. [14] Carnivores include the Arabian wolf, the striped hyena, the red fox, the Blanford's fox, the Rüppell's fox, the Asiatic caracal, the Arabian wildcat, the sand cat and formerly the Arabian leopard. [15] Other mammals include the Cape hare, the Brandt's hedgehog, the desert hedgehog and the long-eared hedgehog. [14]

Blanford's fox Blandford's fox 1.jpg
Blanford's fox

The Egyptian fruit bat is found here during most of the year, but moves around according to the availability of fruit. Insectivorous bats include the sac-winged bat, the mouse-tailed bat and the leaf-nosed bat. Small rodents include the lesser Egyptian jerboa, the Cheesman's gerbil and the Balochistan gerbil. [14] Rather larger rodents are the Libyan jird and the Sundevall's jird which both favour desert habitats. The Cairo spiny mouse was found in the mountains for the first time in 1995. [14]

Over 54 species of terrestrial reptiles have been recorded in the UAE. These include a large number of lizards, found in all environments from desert, to city, to mountain-top, and a single species of worm lizard. There are thirteen species of terrestrial snake, some of the largest being the sand boa, the saw-scaled viper and the horned viper, and four species of sea snake as well as green sea turtles present in the Persian Gulf. The Ru'us al-Jibal have a gecko of the genus Ptyodactylus named after them. [3] There are two species of amphibian in the United Arab Emirates, the Arabian toad and the Dhofar toad; the former is more commonly seen as the Dhofar toad is nocturnal. [16]

Sharjah's Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife (BCEAW) was established on 1998 and originally built for breeding the threatened wildlife but then has turned to become a center for the research and preservation of the indigenous plants and animals of the region. [17]

In February 2019, the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi recorded the sighting of an Arabian caracal in Jebel Hafeet National Park in Al Ain Region, the first such sighting in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi since 1984. [18] [19] [20]

The houbara is protected in the United Arab Emirates. In February 2019, 50 birds were released into the desert in Al Ain Region, to help conserve the birds and increase their number in the wild. [21]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the United Arab Emirates</span>

The United Arab Emirates is a country in the eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula located on the southeastern coast of the Persian Gulf and the northwestern coast of the Gulf of Oman. The UAE consists of seven emirates and was founded on 2 December 1971 as a federation, after UK armed forces left the region. Six of the seven emirates declared their union on 2 December 1971. The seventh, Ras al Khaimah, joined the federation on 10 February 1972. The seven sheikdoms were formerly known as the Trucial States, in reference to the truce treaties established with the British in the 19th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of the United Arab Emirates</span>

The United Arab Emirates is situated in the Middle East and West Asia, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia; it is at a strategic location along the northern approaches to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil. The UAE lies between 22°50′ and 26° north latitude and between 51° and 56°25′ east longitude. It shares a 19 km (12 mi) border with Qatar on the northwest, a 530 km (330 mi) border with Saudi Arabia on the west, south, and southeast, and a 450 km (280 mi) border with Oman on the southeast and northeast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arabian Desert</span> Desert located in Western Asia

The Arabian Desert is a vast desert wilderness in West Asia that occupies almost the entire Arabian Peninsula with an area of 2,330,000 square kilometers (900,000 sq mi). It stretches from Yemen to the Persian Gulf and Oman to Jordan and Iraq. It is the fourth largest desert in the world and the largest in Asia. At its center is Ar-Rub' al-Khali, one of the largest continuous bodies of sand in the world. It is an extension of the Sahara Desert.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al Ain</span> City in Abu Dhabi, UAE

Al Ain is a city in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and the seat of the administrative division of the Al Ain Region. The city is bordered to the east by the Omani town of Al-Buraimi. Al Ain is the largest inland city in the Emirates, the fourth-largest city, and the second-largest in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The freeways connecting Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai form a geographic triangle in the country, each city being roughly 130 kilometres (81 mi) from the others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jebel Hafeet</span> Mountain on the Arabian Peninsula

Jabal Hafeet is a mountain in the region of Tawam, on the border of the United Arab Emirates and Oman, which may be considered an outlier of the Hajar Mountains in Eastern Arabia. Due to its proximity to the main Hajar range, the mountain may be considered as being part of the Hajar range. To the north is the UAE city of Al Ain, in the Eastern Region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and the adjacent Omani town of Al-Buraimi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arabian tahr</span> Species of mammal

The Arabian tahr is a species of tahr native to eastern Arabia. Until recently, it was placed in the genus Hemitragus, but genetic evidence supports its removal to a separate monotypic genus, Arabitragus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al Buraimi Governorate</span> Governorate of Oman

Al Buraimi Governorate is one of the 11 governorates of Oman. The area was part of Ad Dhahirah Region until October 2006, when a new governorate was created from the Wilayats (Provinces) of Al Buraymi and Mahdah. A third wilayat, As-Sunaynah, was created from parts of the two. Dr. Hamad bin Ahmed Al Busaidi has been governor since 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emirate of Abu Dhabi</span> Constituent emirate of the United Arab Emirates

The Emirate of Abu Dhabi is one of seven emirates that constitute the United Arab Emirates. It is the largest emirate, accounting for 87% of the nation's total land area or 67,340 km2 (26,000 sq mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wadi Wurayah</span> Nature preserve in the UAE

Wadi Wurayah is a 12,700-hectare (31,000-acre) wadi between the towns of Masafi, Khor Fakkan, and Bidiyah in the United Arab Emirates. It has been designated as Ramsar Wetland of International Importance.The lush canyon in the area was named after the tall marsh plant known as ‘warrah’, that flourishes in its wetlands, while the word ‘wadi’ is the Arabic term for valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al Ain Zoo</span> A zoo in eastern region of Abu Dhabi, the UAE

Al Ain Zoo, also "Al Ain Wildlife Park & Resort" [1] or simply "Al Ain Wildlife Park" ,[3] is a 400-hectare (990-acre) zoo located in the foothills of Jebel Hafeet in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates. It is primarily composed of ungulates and herbivores, such as Arabian antelopes. It also holds oryx, eland, gazelle, and lechwe, as well as the rare white lion and Nubian giraffe. There are 68 species of mammals, 88 species of birds and 35 species of reptiles available in the 50 hectares of zoo houses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hajar Mountains</span> Mountain range in Oman and the UAE

The Hajar Mountains are one of the highest mountain ranges in the Arabian Peninsula, shared between northern Oman and eastern United Arab Emirates. Also known as "Oman Mountains", they separate the low coastal plain of Oman from the high desert plateau, and lie 50–100 km inland from the Gulf of Oman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Oman</span>

The wildlife of Oman is the flora and fauna of this country in the southeastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, with coasts on the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. The climate is hot and dry, apart from the southeastern coast, and the country offers a variety of habitats for wildlife including mountains, valleys, deserts, coastal plains and sea coasts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hafit period</span> Early Bronze Age human settlement period

The Hafit period defines early Bronze Age human settlement in the United Arab Emirates and Oman in the period from 3200 to 2600 B.C. It is named after the distinctive beehive burials first found on Jebel Hafit, a rocky mountain near Al Ain, bordering the Rub Al Khali desert. Hafit period tombs and remains have also been located across the UAE and Oman in sites such as Bidaa bint Saud, Jebel Buhais and Buraimi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al Ain Region</span> Place in United Arab Emirates

The Eastern Region, officially known as Al Ain Region, is one of three Municipal Regions in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. It forms the southeastern part of the United Arab Emirates. Its main settlement is the eponymous city of Al Ain, located on the country's border with Oman, about 160 km from the city of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the Emirate and country. Compared to the Western Region, it is also a rather remote region of the Emirate, but smaller by area, and is not known to hold reserves of gas or petroleum, but is agriculturally important.

The geology of the United Arab Emirates includes very thick Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic marine and continental sedimentary rocks overlying deeply buried Precambrian. The region has extensive oil and gas resources and was deformed during the last several million years by more distant tectonic events.

Archaeology of the United Arab Emirates, the area currently is known as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was formerly populated by inhabitants of a number of coastal and inland settlements, with human remains pointing to a pattern of transmigration and settlement as far back as 125,000 years. Prehistoric settlement in the UAE spanned the Neolithic, with a number of distinctive eras of ancient settlement including the Stone Age Arabian Bifacial and Ubaid cultures from 5,000 to 3,100 BCE; the Hafit period with its distinctive beehive shaped tombs and Jemdet Nasr pottery, from 3,200 to 2,600 BCE; the Umm Al Nar period from 2,600 to 2,000 BCE; the Wadi Suq culture from 2,000 to 1,300 BCE and the three Iron Ages of the UAE.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tawam (region)</span> Historical oasis region in Eastern Arabia

Tawam, also Tuwwam, or Tu'am, is a historical oasis region in Eastern Arabia that stretched from, or was located between, the Western Hajar Mountains to the Persian Gulf coast, nowadays forming parts of the United Arab Emirates and western Oman. Although associated with the Buraimi Oasis, by historians working from documentary sources available in the 1950s and 60s, Tu'am is now thought to refer to the Christian patriachate of St Thomas the Apostle of the East and the location of the principal city and pearling centre on Siniyah island in modern Umm Al Quwain on the Western seaboard of the UAE.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mezyad, Al-Ain</span> Town in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Mezyad is a settlement in the Eastern Region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, to the south of the main part of Al Ain City, on the border of the U.A.E. and Oman. It is known for having a historical fort, and is part of a desert park, which also includes a necropolis and Mount Hafeet nearby. The park can be called either "Mezyad Desert Park" or "Jebel Hafeet Desert Park".

References

  1. ↑ Gardner, Andrew Somerville (January 2004). "The reptiles of Jebel Hafeet". ADCO and Emirates Natural History Group: 149–168. Retrieved 2019-01-14.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. ↑ Salama, Samir (2011-12-30). "Al Ain bears evidence of a culture's ability to adapt". Gulf News . Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  3. 1 2 Simó-Riudalbas, M.; Metallinou, M.; De Pous, P.; Els, J.; Jayasinghe, S.; Péntek-Zakar, E.; Wilms, Thomas; Al-Saadi, Saleh; Carranza, Salvador (2017-08-02), "Cryptic diversity in Ptyodactylus (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) from the northern Hajar Mountains of Oman and the United Arab Emirates uncovered by an integrative taxonomic approach", PLOS ONE , 12 (8): e0180397, Bibcode:2017PLoSO..1280397S, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180397 , PMC   5540286 , PMID   28767644, e0180397
  4. ↑ Philip's (1994). Atlas of the World. Reed International. pp. 86–87. ISBN   0-540-05831-9.
  5. ↑ "The accidental lake: Birdwatcher's oasis or ecological disaster?". CNN. 2013-03-14. Retrieved 2013-08-06.
  6. ↑ Khan, M. Ajmal; Weber, Darrell J. (2006). Ecophysiology of High Salinity Tolerant Plants. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 215. ISBN   978-1-4020-4017-7.
  7. 1 2 Jongbloed, Marijcke (1996). Natural Emirates: Wildlife and Environment of the United Arab Emirates: Plant Life. Trident Press Ltd. pp. 84–96. ISBN   978-1-900724-02-9.
  8. ↑ Dennehy, John (2019-04-01). "Motorists face major roadworks on busy Abu Dhabi street". The National . Retrieved 2019-04-02.
  9. ↑ Reimer, Bob (2004-04-16), Wadi Tarabat Survey, Emirates Natural History Group, retrieved 2019-02-11
  10. 1 2 3 Richardson, Colin (1996). Natural Emirates: Wildlife and Environment of the United Arab Emirates: Birds and Birdwatching. Trident Press Ltd. pp. 149–255. ISBN   978-1-900724-02-9.
  11. ↑ WAM. 2017. Abu Dhabi has world’s largest population of humpback dolphins. Emirates 24/7. Retrieved on September 21, 2017
  12. ↑ Gulf News. 2017. Abu Dhabi proves a haven for humpback dolphins. Retrieved on September 21, 2017
  13. ↑ Sanker A.. 2017. Abu Dhabi leads world in humpback dolphin numbers. Khaleej Times. Retrieved on September 21, 2017
  14. 1 2 3 4 Gross, Christian (1996). Natural Emirates: Wildlife and Environment of the United Arab Emirates: Terrestrial mammals. Trident Press Ltd. pp. 214–226. ISBN   978-1-900724-02-9.
  15. ↑ Dubey, J.P.; Pas, An; Rajendran, C.; Kwok, O.C.H.; Ferreira, L.R.; Martins, J.; Hebel, C.; Hammer, S.; Su, C. (2010-09-20). "Toxoplasmosis in Sand cats (Felis margarita) and other animals in the Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife in the United Arab Emirates and Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation, the State of Qatar". Veterinary Parasitology. 172 (3–4): 195–203. doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.05.013. ISSN   0304-4017. PMC   7116901 . PMID   20570441.
  16. ↑ "Animal Species in the UAE". UAEPedia. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  17. ↑ Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife. Environment and Protected Areas Authority, (Sharjah).
  18. ↑ "Arabian Caracal sighted in Abu Dhabi for first time in 35 years". Emirates 24/7. 2019-02-23. Retrieved 2019-02-23.
  19. ↑ "Arabian Caracal spotted in Abu Dhabi for first time in 35 years". WAM . Abu Dhabi: Khaleej Times. 2019-02-23. Retrieved 2019-02-23.
  20. ↑ "Arabian caracal spotted for first time in Abu Dhabi in 35 years". The National . 2019-02-23. Retrieved 2019-02-23.
  21. ↑ "Fifty Houbara birds released into the UAE desert - in pictures". The National . 2019-02-23. Retrieved 2019-02-28.
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