New United Arab Emirates nature reserve

This video is about hawksbill turtles.

From Wildlife Extra:

Fifth Ramsar site for the UAE

Sir Bu Nair Island a nesting site for Critically Endangered Hawksbill turtle

December 2013: The UAE has designated its fifth Wetland of International Importance, a salt dome island belonging to the emirate of Sharjah lying some 65km off the coast of Dubai.

The Sir Bu Nair Island Protected Area site covers 4,964 hectares and includes the island itself, formed from regional tectonic activities and rich in minerals, with a terrestrial area of 1,333 ha. The remaining 3,631 ha constitutes extensive and healthy coral reef that surrounds the island.

Despite its small size, the site supports a wealth of biodiversity. A total of 40 coral species and 76 reef fish species have been recorded, including seven coral species that are Red Listed as Vulnerable. The site is an important nesting site for the Critically Endangered Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), and it supports more than 1% of the regional breeding population of the Sooty gull (Larus hemprichii).

The island is of historical importance as pottery has been found dating back to about 3,500 years ago. It also used to be a meeting point for fishermen and a base for pearl divers. The island was declared a National Protected Area in 2000 and visits are permitted only for environmental surveys and studies. There is a plan to develop a limited area of the site for commercial tourism.

The Ramsar Convention (formally the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl Habitat) is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. It is named after the city or Ramsar in Iran where the Convention was signed in 1971.

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