General Information » Environment » Flora & Fauna

As you would expect in a country with such an arid climate, the variety of flora and fauna is not as extensive as in other parts of the world. Still, a variety of plants and animals have managed to adapt to a life of high temperatures and low rainfall. Despite its sandy and rocky nature the UAE is adorned with many parks and green belts and Dubai is no exception. The Municipality has an extensive greening programme in place, and areas along the roads are unusually colourful for a desert environment, with grass, palm trees and flowers being constantly maintained by an army of workers and round-the-clock watering. The city boasts a large number of well-kept parks (see p.178).



Flora

The region has about 3,500 endemic plants – amazing considering the high salinity of the soil and the harsh environment. The most famous is of course the date palm, which is the most flourishing of the indigenous flora and provides wonderful seas of green, especially in the oases. Heading towards the mountains, flat-topped Acacia trees and wild grasses create scenery not unlike that of an African savannah. The deserts are often surprisingly green in places, even during the dry summer months, but it takes an experienced botanist to get the most out of the area.



Fauna

Indigenous fauna includes the Arabian Leopard and the Ibex, but sightings of them are extremely rare. Realistically, the only large animals you will see are camels and goats (often roaming dangerously close to roads). Other desert life includes the Sand Cat, Sand Fox and Desert Hare, plus gerbils, hedgehogs, snakes and geckos.



Birds

Birdlife in the city is a little limited – this isn’t a place for hearing a dawn chorus, unless you’re lucky with where you live. However, recent studies have shown that the number of species of birds is rising each year, due in part to the increasing lushness of the area. This is most apparent in the parks, especially in spring and autumn, as the country lies on the route for birds migrating between Central Asia and East Africa. You can also see flamingos at the Khor Dubai Wildlife Sanctuary at the southern end of Dubai Creek.



Marine Life

Off the coast the seas contain a rich abundance of marine life, including tropical fish, jellyfish, coral, the dugong (‘sea cow’) and sharks. Eight species of whale and seven species of dolphin have been recorded in UAE waters. Various breeds of turtle are also indigenous to the region. These include the Loggerhead, Green and Hawksbill turtles, all of which are under threat from man. These are sometimes seen by divers off both coasts and if you are lucky, near the east c...