Today's Edition
AMEINAH ALZEYOUDI (ABU DHABI)
Making up 10% of Dubai’s total area and the largest unfenced nature reserve in the UAE, Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve is one of the most prominent nature and cultural destinations in the country.
The reserve offers a variety of features, from its rich natural environment to its archaeological treasures and unique cultural experiences.
The reserve is home to one of the largest herds of Arabian oryx in Dubai, and the largest gathering of flamingos in the UAE. It also boasts an astounding biodiversity, with over 204 species of native birds, 158 species of migratory birds, and many endangered species.
The reserve covers about 40 hectares of fertile shrubland, and contains over 10sqkm of lakes, including the famous Al Qudra Lakes.
The reserve also conducts one of the most important Houbara bustard release programmes in the region, enhancing conservation efforts for these endangered wild birds.
Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve hosts the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, one of the largest renewable energy projects in the world, a testament to Dubai’s commitment to transitioning to clean and sustainable energy.
The Saruq Al Hadid archaeological site, in the Rub Al Khali desert, dating back to the Iron Age, is located within the reserve. The 3,000-year-old site was discovered by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, while flying over the area in his helicopter in 2002.
Excavations revealed a large-scale mining centre from the Iron Age, with signs of settlement dating back to the Upper Paleolithic and Neolithic periods. Artifacts discovered at Saruq Al Hadid include bronze, copper and iron works, including tools, weapons, gold jewellery, beads, pottery, and stone vessels and seals. Metalworkers’ tools and unfinished items show that the site was once a production centre.
