The Kubera Principle

Home GDPR About Contact Terms Policy

Flamingos in Dubai | Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary by MIKAY TV Updated for 2024

Updated: February 17, 2024

Source : https://www.rasalkhorwildlife.ae

Ras al Khor Wildife Sanctuary (RAKWS) is one of the few urban protected areas found in the arid zone. Located in the heart of Dubai and against the backdrop of the Dubai Skyline, this 6.2 square km sanctuary is home to 450 species of animals and 47 species of plants.

It is a haven for migratory birds! In winter the number of birds may reach up to 25,000 of 180 different species recorded so far. Flamingoes are the main attraction here for visitors but the sanctuary also hosts large populations of mallard, pintail, common teal, waders, shorebirds and raptors.

The Environment Department of Dubai Municipality is the management authority of the Sanctuary as per Law No. 11 of 2003. The site enjoys protected area management provisions including a ban on hunting, shooting and disturbing wildlife within the area.

RAKWS was officially designated as the first Ramsar site of the UAE in 2007 and is recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by Birdlife International. It also won the GCC Award for Environment and Wildlife – The Best Protected Area in the Gulf countries and Middle East Award for Excellence of Municipalities in the category of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources in 2016.

Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary plays a vital role in spreading awareness about the environment and conservation through its education programmes for schools, universities, public and private organizations and general public alike.

History of Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary

The importance of RAKWS is beyond its aesthetic value. It serves as a beacon for the significance of biodiversity as a life support system for humanity’s continual existence and is an integral part of the cultural and traditional heritage of the United Arab Emirates.

A wetland forming at the end of the ecologically important and culturally rich Dubai Creek, Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary silently replenishes the fishing grounds which were once a hub for fishing in the 18th century for three settlements; now known as Deira, Shindiga and Bur Dubai. Remnants of the time honored fishing, pearling and trade industries can still be seen in the Creek today as traditional dhows gracefully float daily over the serene Arabian waters.

RAKWS was established in 1985 and was officially declared as protected area on March 1, 1998 by Local Order No. 2 of 1998. In December 2003, His Highness, Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai promulgated Law No. 11 of 2003 on the Establishment of Protected Areas in the Emirate of Dubai giving RAKWS full protection from Dubai Municipality.

Designated as the Ramsar Site in 2007 under the Ramsar Convention, Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary is a globally recognized wetland of international importance.