Bu Tinah

Lore & Background

Bu Tinah is a cluster of islands and shoals, joined or almost so at low water, with no point more than two or three metres above sea level. The main island has a sheltered lagoon opening to the south, where a low-energy environment permits stands of mature mangrove to flourish. The waters of the Persian Gulf are among the most saline and warmest in the world, with summer temperatures reaching 35 °C, yet the reefs here survive conditions that would kill coral species elsewhere. As many as 16 species of coral have been recorded in the area.

The archipelago is closed to visitors; fishing and the collection of turtle eggs are prohibited, enforced by patrols. An Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi Ranger Station is located on the island. Bu Tinah has been designated an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International, supporting breeding Socotra cormorants and wintering Siberian sand plovers. Other fauna include flamingos, ospreys, diverse dolphin species including the endangered Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphin, and the rare hawksbill turtle. The waters are home to the planet's second-largest population of dugong, with about 600 of the estimated 3,000 dugongs in the country living around Bu Tinah.

Reader's Guide

Bu Tinah's significance lies in its role as a unique living laboratory for climate change research, due to its healthy coral community and habitats thriving despite high temperature and salinity levels. The archipelago is part of the largest protected area in Abu Dhabi and lies within the Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve, the region's first and largest UNESCO-designated marine biosphere reserve, recognized since 2001. Its biodiversity includes globally threatened species such as the dugong, listed as vulnerable by the IUCN, and the Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphin. In 2018, satellite tagging of Green sea turtles revealed previously unknown migration linkages between the UAE and Oman, with three turtles swimming over 6,000 km round-trip. This research was featured in the documentary 'Wild Abu Dhabi: The Turtles of Al Dhafra,' which won a finalist award at the New York Festival TV and Film Awards. The archipelago's designation as an Important Bird Area further underscores its ecological value. Bu Tinah's resilience to extreme conditions makes it of keen scientific interest, offering insights into coral survival and marine adaptation.

Did You Know?

• The waters around Bu Tinah host about 600 dugongs, part of the planet's second-largest population of this globally threatened marine mammal.
• In 2018, satellite-tagged Green sea turtles from Bu Tinah were mapped swimming more than 6,000 km to Oman and back.
• The archipelago has been designated an Important Bird Area for breeding Socotra cormorants and wintering Siberian sand plovers.