His Excellency Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, said that the UNESCO’s inclusion of Wadi Wurayah into its World Network of Biosphere Reserves is a prestigious accolade awarded to the UAE’s leadership, who has placed environmental protection on a par with human and economic development, positioning the UAE on the global map as a leader in sustaining and preserving the environment.
His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi added: “Our commitment towards nature has commenced with the founding father of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who gave time, effort and resources to caring for this country’s magnificent environment. He drew the path we continue to take till this day to preserving the natural beauty of the UAE.”
Dr Al Zeyoudi noted that the designation of Wadi Wurayah as a Biosphere Reserve is a recognition of its unique natural characteristics as a natural wonder of the UAE. Wadi Wurayah is the second protected area in the UAE to receive this recognition after Marawah Marine Protected Area.
He emphasized that the country’s leadership is working to position the UAE as a leading global ecotourism hub, as it possesses all the key ingredients to become an ecotourism destination of choice.
Located within the Hajar Mountain range in Fujairah, Wadi Wurayah was declared the first Mountain Protected Area in the UAE. Wadi Wurayah is of considerable ecological significance and hosts a rich fauna and flora endemic to the Arabian Peninsula.
Wadi Wurayah is home to more than 652 species of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, as well as more than 208 species of plants, including a species of wild orchid unique to the UAE.
Some of the rarest animals in the world roam freely at the Wadi Wurayah, like the Blanford's fox, Arabian leopards, mountain gazelles and caracals. The area’s luminous waterfalls, amazing rock formations and unusual wildlife make it a heaven for geologists.
Furthermore, the area is a hotspot for bird scientists, who can find some of the 94 bird species recorded within the region, a number of which the International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified as endangered. Recent studies have shown that the area is home to 22 dragonfly species.
The international recognition of Wadi Wurayah in Fujairah leverages the recently-announced National Ecotourism Project, which was launched by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment to showcase the UAE’s natural wonders and promote the 43 natural protected areas in the country.