Nature And Ecology Tour in Dubai

Ecological Dubai comes down to four protected sites, and the heavyweight is the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve: 225 square kilometres, the first national reserve in the country, roughly a tenth of the emirate. The Arabian oryx, gone from the wild by 1972, was reintroduced here alongside gazelles, sand foxes and the Arabian hare. Entry is only with a licensed operator and only on fixed routes, so a visit is a slow drive with long halts.

Ras Al Khor lies inside the city, where the creek meets the salt flat. Thousands of flamingos winter in this mangrove sanctuary between November and March, and over 450 animal species have been recorded there; three hides are free to enter and binoculars are handed out on the spot. The Jebel Ali mangroves are worked by kayak, threading between stands of Avicennia marina, the only mangrove species in the Emirates. Al Qudra and Love Lake were dug by machine, yet migrating birds adopted them as a stopover, and 86 kilometres of cycle track ring the water.

Practical side. Birdwatching season lasts from November to March; in summer activity falls away and the heat leaves little to see. The strongest window is the first hour after sunrise, after which the light hardens and animals withdraw into shade. Bring binoculars, water and closed shoes. Leaving the trail, feeding animals and flying drones are all prohibited inside the reserves. Several routes need advance registration, so agree the date early rather than turning up on spec.