Wadi Wurayah is home to the richest biodiversity in the UAE, boasting hundreds of plant and animal species, including rare and endemic varieties found nowhere else in the country.
Field surveys indicate the presence of over 1,099 species of living organisms, encompassing plants, birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, and invertebrates, establishing Wadi Wurayah as a significant center for biodiversity conservation in the nation.
Fujairah aims to enhance its position on the global natural heritage map by pursuing the inclusion of the reserve in UNESCO’s World Heritage List, a move that demonstrates the UAE’s commitment to safeguarding its unique environmental and ecological diversity in its mountainous landscapes.
In 2022, Wadi Wurayah National Park was listed as the first mountain reserve and the first national park in the UAE to be included in the preliminary list of world heritage sites, marking the beginning of the official nomination phase prior to its formal listing.
Located in northern Fujairah within the Hajar Mountains, Wadi Wurayah represents the UAE’s first national mountain park and is one of the most significant natural sites in the Arabian Gulf due to its unique combination of rugged mountainous terrain and continuous freshwater streams. The area spans approximately 220 square kilometers and features an ever-flowing freshwater waterfall, alongside a complete system of springs, ponds, and natural water sources replenished by underground rock layers in the Hajar Mountains, forming a permanent habitat for wildlife and vegetation. In 2010, Wadi Wurayah was added to the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance, becoming the second site in the UAE to receive this designation.
In 2018, UNESCO recognized the wadi as a biosphere reserve within its “Man and Biosphere” program.
The valley hosts rare plant species such as the wild orchid Epipactis veratrifolia, the only recorded variety in the UAE, along with aquatic plants like Cladium mariscus, which is globally threatened.
In terms of wildlife, the area is home to the endangered Arabian oryx, as well as the Arabian lynx, Blanford’s fox, and several rare mountain birds, in addition to endemic freshwater fish such as Garra barreimiae, which exclusively inhabit the Hajar Mountain streams.