Wadi Wurayah Biosphere Reserve

"You don't need to manage nature, it will do that itself. It's the people you need to manage." —Christophe Tourenq, former science research manager, Emerates Wildlife Society–WWF Wadi ("valley" in Arabic) Wurayah lies in the mountainous northern region of the United Arab Emirates, between the Emirates of Sharja and Fujaira. It is a water catchment area within the arid region, making it a critically important ecological site that is home to over 100 species of animals, including critically endangered species such as the Arabian Tahr and Arabian leopard, which are found almost nowhere else today. Following years of research and campaigning by the Emirates Wildlife Society in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund, Wadi Wurayah became the UAE's first protected mountain area, and later its first national park. In 2012, the wadi was also named a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance.