Bu Tinah – Marawah Marine Biosphere

Bu Tinah is a small archipelago amid coral formations and marine vegetation about 25 km south of Zirku and 35 north of Marawah in the United Arab Emirates. It is located in the waters of Abu Dhabi and is protected as a private nature reserve. Bu Tinah Island, rich in biodiversity, is located within the Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve with a territory of more than 4,000 square kilometers. This site was recognized by UNESCO as a marine biosphere and is closed to visitors.

In reality, Bu Tinah is nothing more than a set of islands and sandbanks, united at low tide, with nothing more than two or three meters above sea level. The main island has an opening that constitutes a protected lagoon to the south with low energy environment that allows mature mangrove forests to flourish.

It has shallow crystal clear waters and sandy beaches that remain remote. from man-made pollution, since Bu Tinah is a private nature reserve.

A coral paradise since it has 16 different species of corals. These survive in conditions that would kill other reefs, for example, waters of 35 degrees Celsius, while most corals only live if temperatures are between 23 and 18 degrees, so they are a subject of study.

It also has marine vegetation and species such as the sea turtle, the flamingo, fish of various species, the crab, the dolphin, the osprey and the hawksbill turtle, the latter in danger of extinction.

You can also find the second population of dugongs, a species of sirenians (an order to which Caribbean manatees also belong) in danger of extinction. In the waters of these islands and their surroundings there are 600 of the 3,000 specimens of this species that exist.

You can also see mangroves that can reach up to seven meters high.