The back story
Wild Dubai: Flamingos, Oryx and the Desert
Flamingos in sight of Burj Khalifa at Ras Al Khor, Arabian oryx in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve and the lakes of the Hajar Mountains at Hatta: Dubai’s wild side.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Josephyousry · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsDubai’s wild side, from the flamingos of Ras Al Khor at the head of the Creek to the Arabian oryx of the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve and the mountain lake at Hatta, plus the city’s aquarium, rainforest dome and safari park, with a directory of the places in our guide. Facts from Dubai Municipality, the IUCN and the reserves’ own sites.
Dubai’s wildlife hides in plain sight. At the head of the Creek, a short drive from Downtown, flamingos feed in the shallow lagoons of a protected sanctuary; in the dunes off the Al Ain road, herds of Arabian oryx, once extinct in the wild, graze the desert grasses; and in the Hajar Mountains at Hatta, a lake lies between the peaks.
Much of it is best in the cooler months, from October to March or April, and early in the day. Go quietly, keep your distance, and book desert trips only with licensed operators.
Flamingos feed in the shallows at the head of the Creek, with Burj Khalifa on the horizon.
Flamingos at the head of the Creek
Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary lies at the inland end of Dubai Creek, next to Dubai Creek Harbour. Dubai Municipality runs bird hides here, the Flamingo Hide and the Lagoon Hide, each for up to 15 people at a time (the Mangrove Hide is temporarily closed). It opens from 7.30am to 5.30pm from October to March and from 6am to 6pm from April to September. Bring binoculars and keep your voice down in the hides.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Florian Kriechbaumer · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsThe desert and the mountains
The desert begins at the edge of the city. Off the Dubai–Al Ain Road, the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve protects more than 225 square kilometres of dunes and the wildlife that lives among them, including the Arabian oryx and the Arabian gazelle; the Al Maha resort stands inside it. Further south, the Al Qudra Lakes are open around the clock, though swimming is not allowed.
In the Hajar Mountains towards the Omani border, Hatta Dam holds a green lake among the peaks, where you can kayak and paddleboard. Back in the city, The Green Planet at City Walk keeps an indoor rainforest under a glass dome, Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo fills the ground floor of The Dubai Mall, and Dubai Safari Park is in Al Warqa.
Feature: the Arabian oryx
The Arabian oryx, white with long, straight horns, was hunted to extinction in the wild in the 20th century and survived only in captive herds. Breeding and reintroduction programmes across the Arabian Peninsula brought it back, and herds now roam protected reserves such as the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. Watch them from a vehicle on a guided drive in the reserve, early or late in the day, when the oryx are moving and the light is soft.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Sobiarahim · CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsDid you know? In 2011 the IUCN moved the Arabian oryx from Endangered to Vulnerable, the first time an animal once extinct in the wild had recovered so far.
Our advice
Our advice: visit Ras Al Khor early in the morning in the cooler months, with binoculars; book desert drives and camps only with licensed operators, and carry water; never drive off-track in protected areas, chase or feed wildlife, or leave rubbish in the dunes. In the summer heat, the aquarium and the rainforest dome are the kindest way to see animals.
Why it's on our list
- Flamingos at the head of the Creek
- The desert and the mountains
- Feature: the Arabian oryx
- Our advice
Location
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