Just last month, UNESCO revealed two new Middle Eastern locations as World Heritage Sites—with one in Oman and the second in Saudi Arabia. And now the UAE has joined the list, with Fujairah’s Wadi Wurayah classified as a Biosphere Reserve.
Located in the Hajar mountains—and known as the nation’s first national park, Wadi Wurayah is a site with historic significance. But it was the fact that that the site is home to a water catchment area despite its dry climate that has earned it its new status, making it one of only 24 natural spots that have received the title.
The Wadi is also home to 81 bird species, 20 mammal species, nine reptile and amphibians and a whopping 467 invertebrates. And not least, its wildlife is thriving, with some of the world’s most rare animals roaming the Wadi—from Blanford’s foxes and Arabian leopards, to even an ultra-rare dragonfly.