This World Wildlife DaySaadiyat IslandAbu Dhabi reaffirms its commitment to protecting its natural inhabitants, while celebrating the contribution the animals and plants make to our lives and the health of the planet on March 3. Expect to see the endangered hawksbill turtles nesting seasonally on the shores of the island’s beaches, while bottlenose dolphins stun guests with their charismatic nature, while the native Arabian gazelles roam freely across the island.
Abu Dhabi’s leading beach destination, Saadiyat Island Abu Dhabi offers guests natural surroundings, pristine white sandy beaches, luxurious resorts, a vibrant cultural and entertainment scene and animals roaming the island in their natural habitat.
The first resort in the Middle East recognised and awarded The Oceanic Standard (TOS) for its revolutionary reduction in single-use plastic and sustainable initiatives, Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island Resort is set amid natural beauty and demonstrates its commitment to conservation this World Wildlife Day.
Upon check-in, guests will be offered tote bags and reusable water bottles and can take advantage of water stations positioned across the resort to refill. Miles of untouched shorelines are lined with recycling bins to encourage guests to throw and segregate their trash. Further, the resort ensures that its dunes are kept clean with non-motorised sports and takes strides to prevent any activity taking place on them, ensuring that animals are free to roam.
As the sun rises, marine experts patrol the shores across Saadiyat Island Abu Dhabi to check on the hawksbill turtles, with patrols increasing during the nesting season to ensure nests are safe from harm followed by dim lighting during the evenings to encourage the hatchlings to begin their journey towards the shores.
In the skies, guests can spot a kaleidoscope of colours with over 300 species of birds across Saadiyat Island Abu Dhabi in vibrant hues. An Arabian gazelle roaming around Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is par for the course, along with biodegradable golf balls that feed the local marine life. Or keep an eye out for the friendly dugongs (also known as sea cows), who are known to pay guests a visit. Not hard to miss, these creatures are three metres long and weigh around 400 kilos.
Neighbouring Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas runs a special Saadiyat Turtle Beach Patrol organised by the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi – EAD, and all lifeguards and security teams are educated about the importance of reporting any turtle nests across the beach. This in-house team can report, segregate and alert The National Aquarium Abu Dhabi and EAD if turtle nests are found.
The resort contributes to flora and fauna research continuously in line with its sustainability system, while conducting workshops on marine conservation and wildlife in partnership with the Emirates Natural History Group, with topics that include ‘bird awareness’ and ‘nature journalling workshop’ open to guests and the community to participate.
