Mangroves National Park

Just outside Abu Dhabi city center, the sprawling swathes of the Mangrove National Park continue to be one of the emirate’s most important ecological assets. Protected by the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD), the Mangrove National Park constitutes about 75 percent of the total mangrove forest area in the UAE and is a biodiversity hotspot that includes mangrove forests, salt marshes, mudflats, and algal communities.

Most often found growing in the sea waters of tropical and sub-tropical coastal areas, the indigenous trees of the mangroves act as a natural windbreak, protecting the region against tidal surges and purify the surrounding water. The water body is also highly effective at removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. A real haven for nature lovers, the mangroves are also home to a wide variety of different aquatic inhabitants, including crabs, herons, flamingos, and fish. The national park also provides a habitat for turtles, foraging foxes and marine mammals such as the dugong and dolphin.