Why this pristine beach is special
RECENTLY ADDED TO RAMSAR LIST, JEBEL ALI WETLAND SANCTUARY IS HOME TO HUNDREDS OF MARINE SPECIES
This coastal area is the most important habitat here. This is the area where hawksbill turtles come every year between March and May for nesting.”
Maral Khalid Chreiki | Dubai Municipality
Dubai’s last stretch of pristine beach along the Jebel Ali coastline has earned international recognition and global importance — a game-changer in preserving this coastal and marine habitat amid the city’s unstoppable growth.
The Jebel Ali Wetland Sanctuary was added to the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance late last month, giving it new national and international statuses because of its significant value not only to the UAE but “for humanity as a whole”.
“This stretch basically is the last pristine beach area for Dubai with no development and no disturbance,” said Maral Khalid Chreiki, principal nature conservation specialist at Dubai Municipality’s Natural Resources Environment Department (NRED).
The 20-square-kilometre wetland sanctuary covers the marine area between the Palm Jebel Ali and the Dubai-Abu Dhabi border.
It is home to 539 marine species such as the critically endangered hawksbill turtle, the endangered mottled eagle ray, and the green turtle.
Hawksbill turtle nesting
“This coastal area is the most important habitat here. This is the area where hawksbill turtles come every year between March and May for nesting,” Chreiki said.
Nesting usually peaks in April and the eggs stay in the sand for around two months. Nests too close to shore are moved to the sanctuary’s special nursery so they can hatch later. By August, thousands of turtle hatchlings race to the open sea.
“Since 2006, we have witnessed an increase in nestings in the area, especially after 2008 when the development stopped in the area. We started to witness more nesting attempts — from only two nests in 2006 to 34 in 2017 to 49 nests this year.”
“These hawksbill turtles are associated with a healthy coral community as well because the hawksbill turtles have a specialised beak that enables them to reach algae within the cracks and crevices of the corals. This is why they come here every year.”
The wetland is also a hotspot for corals, Chreiki said, featuring up to 34 species. “These corals are here because the seabed here is special. It’s not only sand. Corals can’t colonise sand. There are dolomite rocks on which corals can fix on to start the colonisation,” Chreiki said.
Oyster beds, although patchy, are also found in the area. Pearl fishing traditionally was a major industry in Dubai.
Chreiki said apart from the wetland’s ecological importance, it also has historical importance due to the freshwater springs the area once had.
“This is where they used to get freshwater from inside the sea in the past. But now all these freshwater springs are dead, probably because of the lack of enough rain for the past 20 years.”
Apart from the naturally existing habitats in the area, a man-made one also exists thanks to the mangrove trees that act as fish nurseries that volunteers have planted through the years.
Stock assessment
Some of the animals found in the area will soon be tagged to determine the official stock assessment in the area.
Further research will be conducted to make the place more eco-tourism friendly, said Aisha Al Murr Al Muhairi, NRED manager.
They also plan to educate the public on the wetland’s importance so they can take ownership of the place and care for it as well.