A 4.5 square kilometre area used for dumping trash until a few years ago has now blossomed into a flourishing nature reserve, with birds flocking from around the world, it was announced on Monday.
Wasit Nature Reserve (WNR), located on the Sharjah-Ajman border, was declared a protected area in 2007 by Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.
On Monday, Shaikh Sultan inaugurated the Wasit Wetland Centre (WWC), a 1.5 square kilometre centre, equipped with air-conditioned glass-sealed corridors, which allows visitors to have a closer look at rare birds and other wetland species.
The nature reserve houses four natural lagoons attracting around 150 species of birds, both migratory and resident, throughout the year.
The reserve boasts a diverse ecosystem, which comprises coastal sand dunes, salt flats (sabkhas), and linking ponds, apart from a large lagoon.
The water bodies are supported by underground water channels flowing out of Hatta Mountain and Al Falaj areas.
“The Wasit Wetland Centre aims to bring nature closer to people. It will help educate people about the importance of protecting natural habitats and create awareness about their role in preserving vital ecosystems,” said Hana Saif Al Suwaidi, director of the centre.The centre is equipped with special telescopes for watching birds, and amplifiers that allow visitors to listen to the sounds produced by the birds.
A 4-kilometre-long track has also been built for visitors to walk around the reserve. Environment-friendly electric buggies can also be used to travel around the reserve, giving bird watchers a close-up view of the birds’ natural habitat. Towers have also been built for watching birds near water areas.
She said the wetland was earlier neglected and was filled with trash, which caused mosquitoes and insects to breed.
“After it was declared a protected area, a great amount of work was done to clear the place of all the trash and clean the water bodies which helped in attracting migratory as well as local birds,” she added.
Sharjah’s Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPPA) began to develop WWC in 2013, with the aim of making it a destination for those who wish to know more about wildlife in the UAE.
“WWC houses about 60 species and 350 birds within the enclosed area that live on wetland. The enclosures are divided into six different type of birds according to their habitat. Detailed information is provided on each and every species,” said Paul Vercammen, operations manager at EPAA.