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Part of Emirates Nature-WWF's Leaders of Change initiative, the volunteers helped document wildlife in the area and capture toads to measure them and release them back into their natural habitat. The exploration event was conducted with the help of the Fujairah Environment Authority (FEA), which manages the restricted area.
For Dr Nadia Al-Alawi, the programme was a trip down memory lane.“In the 1970s, before it become a restricted area, my parents used to bring us down here to camp,” she recalled.“There was a pool here and we used to jump into it. It was such a lovely memory for us as children. I stood in front of that area and took a picture to send to my little sister.”
Dr. Nadia Al-Alawi
A special hidden oasis that has been recognised as the first mountain protected area in UAE, the Wadi Wurayah National Park conserves over 1,000 species of flora and fauna. The area is also host to the country's only permanent natural waterfall.“Over 60 springs feed into the water stream that extends over six kilometres and drains into the waterfall that is 13 metres high,” said AbdulNasser Obeidat, head researcher at the FEA.“This waterfall is here throughout the year and according to geologists have been flowing uninterrupted for at least 10,000 years. The Garai fish lives in the pond around it. It is a fish that can survive flash floods in the area and has a very healthy genetic pool.”
According to him, the plant called Wara'a is widely found in the area.“The leaves of the plant was used to make summer houses,” he said.“It is because of this plant that the area came to be known as Wadi Wurayyah”.
Wara'a plant
Study and conservation programmes
Apart from studying the area, the FEA also plants trees and runs conservation programmes. Their Arabian Tahr conservation programme has been successful in increasing the population of the endangered species.“We started with 11 animals,” said AbdulNasser.“Today, we have over 100 animals. This year, we will begin re-introducing them in to the wild.”
Arabian Tahr
After hiking for almost 2.5 kilometres through the wadi, the volunteers reached a pool from where they collected toads to measure them and release them.“Toads and dragonflies are very good indicators of the freshness of a water source,” said Ahmad Abu Samra, senior outreach officer at Emirates Nature-WWF.“They are sensitive to immediate changes in pollution and water temperatures. We collect this information every month to have the data about the area.”
One person who enjoyed the process of catching the toads and measuring them was teenager Sarah Aminian, who dreams of being a geologist when she grows up.“It was a really good experience for me,” she said.“It was also the first time I caught toads with my hands. I enjoyed the experience of observing the different structures of the mountain.”
Sarah Aminian
Leaders of change
The leaders of change programme by Emirates Nature-WWF aims to engage the community to make an impact on the environment. The paid initiative gives residents the opportunity to contribute to the UAE's sustainability and conservation efforts.
Scottish expat Chris McConnell said he stumbled upon the group by chance.“I love going on walks and discovering nature but I used to do it alone,” he said.“However, since discovering the group 1.5 years ago, I walk with other nature enthusiasts. I have been to Wadi Wurayyah a few times before. It is fascinating to see the different features of the mountains.”
Chris McConnell
Although the area remains off-limits to the general public, the team at Wadi Wurayah National Park are exploring ways to open small parts of it to people.“Getting people up close to such natural beauty helps them get connected to nature,” said Kakembo Swamiti, Terrestrial Project Coordinator at Emirates Nature WWF.“It is important for humans to connect with nature closely so that they can continue to coexist peacefully.”
As of now, the only way for people to visit the area is to register as volunteers for the Leaders of Change programme.