Al Houbara Protected Area facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Al Houbara Protected Area |
|
|---|---|
| محية الحبارى الطبيعية | |
|
IUCN Category IV (Habitat/Species Management Area)
|
|
The Houbara Bird
|
|
 Al Houbara Protected Area
Location in United Arab Emirates
|
|
| Location | Emirate of Abu Dhabi |
| Area | 774 km2 (299 sq mi) |
| Governing body | Environment Agency Abu Dhabi |
The Al Houbara Protected Area is a special natural place in the United Arab Emirates. You can find it in the Abu Dhabi emirate. This area is named after a unique bird called the Houbara. This large bird lives on the ground and is often found near the Persian Gulf. The reserve has many plants and flat coastal areas. The ground here is sandy and gravelly, which means water drains away easily.
About Al Houbara Reserve
This reserve is very important for protecting Houbara birds. It runs the biggest programs in the UAE to help these birds live and grow. The Al Houbara Protected Area is also special for another reason. It is the only place where sand cats have been seen again. These small wild cats were thought to be gone for a long time. The Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi manages this reserve. The whole area covers about 774 square kilometers. That's a huge space for wildlife!
Protecting the Arabian Oryx
The Al Houbara Reserve also helps protect other amazing animals. For example, it is home to the Arabian oryx. This is a type of antelope with long, straight horns. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan is a very important leader. He is the ruler's representative in the Al Dhafra region. He also leads the Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi.
Under his guidance, a new group of Arabian Oryx was released into the Houbara Reserve. This was the first group out of 100 oryx that will be released. Sheikh Hamdan shared that bringing back the Arabian Oryx has been very successful. In 2011, their status on the IUCN Red List changed. They went from "Endangered" to "Vulnerable." This means they are still at risk but are doing much better.
See also
- Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve
- Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve National Park
- Khor Kalba Nature Reserve
