Nature & Wildlife Walk

OVERVIEW

Enjoy a leisurely walk on the eastern side of Sir Bani Yas while looking for wildlife with a naturalist guide that will describe the fauna and flora. For centuries, the island was only occupied temporarily by pearl divers and fishermen. It was pretty much barren until 1971 when visionary Sheikh Zayed, a founding father of the United Arab Emirates, designated the island as a nature reserve and initiated a Greening of the Desert program. Wildlife began to flourish and not just in the massive Arabian Wildlife Park that that now covers nearly half the island. Mangroves were planted to protect the shore and provide a natural habitat for fish, birds, turtles and all sorts of other animals. During the walk, you might spot flamingos, partridge, a variety of small mammals and important native vegetation such as ghaf, a drought-tolerant evergreen that is the national tree of the UAE..

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.