Nature

Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Candidate image for Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary in Dubai

Ras Al Khor is a protected wetland set against Dubai’s urban skyline. Shallow water and mudflats support migratory and resident wildlife, especially flamingos, making the sanctuary a striking meeting point between an arid landscape and a dense modern city.

Guide preview

The skyline may be what catches your eye first, but the wetland beneath it is doing the harder work. Ras Al Khor’s shallow lagoons and mudflats provide feeding and resting habitat for birds in an otherwise hyper-arid setting.

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Quick facts

  • Ras Al Khor covers about 10.13 square kilometres.
  • It was declared a protected area in 1998.
  • It became the UAE’s first Ramsar-listed wetland in 2007.

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