Discover Sir Bani Yas Island: A living legacy of conservation, culture and wilderness

Al Etihad

18-05-2025

18 May 2025 22:14
RAJEEV CHERIAN (SIR BANI YAS ISLAND)Frolicking gazelles, parading peacocks, and over 17,000 animals roaming freely amid an avian symphony offer an unfiltered glimpse of wilderness on Sir Bani Yas Island. The thriving biodiversity hotspot stands as testimony to the vision of the Founding Father of the UAE to protect the planet and the nation's commitment to safeguarding his legacy. Spanning more than 87 square kilometres, Sir Bani Yas is one of the eight islands in Al Dhafra Region - and the largest natural island in the UAE. It was in 1971 when the UAE's Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, declared the destination a nature reserve.Today, it is home to one of the largest wildlife reserves in the region, the 1,400-hectare Arabian Wildlife Park, located approximately 250km west of Abu Dhabi.The island has also become a safe haven for indigenous animals and a stopover for migratory birds.
Thriving Flora and FaunaExploring the island is best done in a 4WD especially made for the adventure. As the nature wild drive gently cruises across the sand, visitors catch a glimpse of the sanctuary's residents - from the UAE's national animal, the Arabian oryx, to herds of gazelles, giraffes, and even hyenas and cheetahs, to name a few. From time to time, gazelles crowd around feeding stations, with peacocks and ostriches standing tall in their watchful gaze. Some winged visitors are also spotted, waiting patiently for their turn."Gazelles are social animals, they can adapt to the presence of other animals," said Lyall, a guide at the park.The presence of the large number of animals plays a key role in the fertilisation of the land, he added.There are common elands walking around and giraffes browsing on trees. Some zebras are occasionally sighted and an array of rodents make their presence felt. The Arabian oryx, once facing near-extinction, thrives on the island, thanks to the UAE conservation efforts.They prefer to feed on acacia or miswak trees as they are low-growing, Lyall said.Amid the desert terrain, large patches of grassland reminiscent of golf courses can be seen, revealing the island's greening efforts.How can such lush greenery flourish in the desert? The trees and plants on the reserve are nourished with desalinated water through drip irrigation, the guide said.Since the early 1980s, much of the island has been planted with trees, and on the northern and western coasts, more than one square kilometre of the land has been reclaimed from the sea.Apart from holiday-makers who love to spend time in nature, the island is also a top destination for bird-watchers, the guide said.Beyond its historical and cultural significance, the island is well known for its geological features; it is one of a series of salt domes that includes Jebel Dhanna and Delma Island, reads an inscription on the island.Sir Bani Yas rose from the sea as the peak of a salt dome created millions of years ago. "Deep layers of salt, deposited between 541 and 635 million years ago, were overlain by heavier volcanic rock, limestone and sandstone. Between 5.3 and 16 million years ago, the salt was forced upwards under the pressure of heavier rock. It broke through the surface in a dome shape, bringing deeply buried minerals with it," according to an inscription on the island. "A rise in sea levels around 9,000 and 8,000 years ago led to the flooding of low-lying areas around the salt dome and the formation of the island," it added.
History and Culture Sir Bani Yas Island was first mentioned in European literature around 1590 by Gasparo Balbi, an Italian jeweller and merchant, who referred to it as being located in a region where pearls were found, according to an inscription on the island.It also played a crucial role in the history and culture of the Bani Yas tribe, especially in agriculture and pearling. Khor Da'sa on the southeast coast provided a natural harbour for the boats that sailed to the pearl banks between May and October, when the warmer water was preferable for pearl divers.Excavations in Al Zahr in the north revealed a well and a walled date palm garden, pointing to the agrarian past of the island dwellers.
A Guide for VisitorsThose who wish to have a preview of what the island offers could stop by the visitor centre, which provides a rich selection of curated artefacts, along with information panels. The island also offers kayaking, mountain biking, archery, hiking, equestrian and snorkelling activities. Day tours to the park, however, can only be booked through the Anantara activities team.American visitor Rachel, who explored the island with her children, was in awe of the many fascinating insights that can be learnt from the destination. Aboard the 4WD on the nature wild drive, she told her kids the story of the UAE's Ghaf tree and other fascinating information about the island's inhabitants.
"It's an amazing and informative experience. It also reinstils in us the importance of nature preservation," she said.