What Really Haunts the United Arab Emirates?

Introduction

The evidence therefore points not to an undiscovered UAE monster, but to several overlapping traditions: supernatural folklore, uncertain animal reports, mistaken identification and genuine wildlife appearing where people do not expect it.

Is there a famous UAE cryptid?

There is no well-documented UAE creature supported by a long sequence of dated sightings, physical traces and organised searches. Reports found in newspapers tend to be isolated incidents rather than parts of an established cryptozoological case. The country’s strongest monster material comes from folklore, especially stories about dangerous beings encountered in deserts, abandoned places or lonely streets.

This distinction matters. A folkloric monster is a character carried through storytelling and cultural memory. A cryptid claim normally proposes that a flesh-and-blood animal may exist despite lacking scientific confirmation. UAE stories frequently blur those categories, but the supernatural element is usually central rather than incidental.

Modern incidents can nevertheless look like miniature cryptid flaps. A blurred video circulates, witnesses enlarge the animal in memory, police or wildlife officers investigate, and speculation spreads faster than identification. The 2021 “Dubai panther” scare followed almost exactly this pattern before authorities concluded that the supposed big cat was an ordinary domestic cat.[thenationalnews.com]thenationalnews.comThe NationalSearch continues after suspected big cat sighting in Dubai…May 19, 2021 — 19 May 2021 — Animal experts said the animal app…Published: May 19, 2021

Umm Al Duwais: the country’s signature monster

Umm Al Duwais is the creature most clearly associated with Emirati monster folklore. She is usually described as an alluring, heavily perfumed woman who approaches or attracts men before revealing a grotesque or lethal form. Common versions give her animal-like feet, cat-like eyes or hands shaped like blades or sickles. Her victims are often men who follow her because they are unfaithful, reckless or unable to resist temptation.[The National]thenationalnews.comThe National The ghost of Emirati presentThe increasingly popular versions of Umm Al Duwais depict her as a villainous temptress…Read more…

The story works on several levels. As a frightening tale, it turns beauty and fragrance into warning signs. As a moral lesson, it discourages young men from wandering after dark or pursuing unknown women. It has also been used more broadly to police ideas about respectable behaviour, particularly female dress and perfume. That social function is visible in recollections of women being compared with the monster simply because their scent announced their presence.[ما وراء الطبيعة - PARANORMAL ARABIA]paranormalarabia.comما وراء الطبيعةPARANORMAL ARABIAUm-Duwais: The Myth of deadly temptation21 Jan 2010 — Explore the folklore of Um-Duwais, a deadly jinn figure from Arabi…

There is no single fixed version. Some accounts present Umm Al Duwais as an indiscriminate killer; others portray her as a punisher of predatory or adulterous men. This flexibility is typical of oral folklore, in which details alter between families, places and generations. It also explains why she has remained culturally useful: the same monster can serve as a childhood fright, a moral warning or a symbol of female anger.

Her modern afterlife is unusually strong. She has appeared in television, student films, festivals, theatre and commercial horror attractions. An Abu Dhabi cultural programme presented her and other traditional characters through illustrated morality stories, while young Emirati filmmakers have reconsidered whether she should always be treated as the villain.[The National]thenationalnews.comThe National The ghost of Emirati presentThe increasingly popular versions of Umm Al Duwais depict her as a villainous temptress…Read more…

That reinvention has changed the legend. Older tellings tend to emphasise seduction, punishment and fear. Newer treatments sometimes recast her as an avenger who exposes hypocrisy. The creature has moved from fireside warning to recognisable pop-cultural figure without acquiring any stronger claim to physical reality.

Desert folklore and the dangers behind it

The landscape of the Emirates gives monster stories a natural setting. Before widespread roads, electric lighting and mobile communication, travelling through desert, mountain or coastal terrain involved genuine risks: heat, thirst, disorientation, flash floods, venomous animals and long distances between settlements. A tale about a shape-shifter leading travellers astray could express those dangers in memorable human form.

The wider Arabian ghoul tradition is especially relevant. Ghouls were commonly imagined as beings inhabiting deserts, graveyards, caves or abandoned places, sometimes changing shape to deceive travellers. They belong to a much older Arabian narrative world and should not be treated as uniquely Emirati. In the UAE, however, this regional tradition helped provide the imaginative setting in which local warning figures such as Umm Al Duwais made sense.[EBSCO]ebsco.comOpen source on ebsco.com.

These stories may also have practical value. A monster associated with midday heat gives children a compelling reason to remain indoors. One linked with lonely paths discourages wandering. A being that disguises itself as an attractive stranger warns against trusting appearances. The supernatural explanation is not zoological evidence, but the behaviour encouraged by the story can be entirely rational.

Jinn stories require similar care. They are part of religious, literary and folk traditions rather than claims about an unknown animal species. Because jinn are often said to become visible in animal or human forms, a strange wildlife encounter may be interpreted through that framework. For a country-level cryptid history, such accounts are important as cultural precedents, but they should not be converted into supposed sightings of biological creatures.

The Dubai panther that became a house cat

In May 2021, residents of The Springs, a gated community in Dubai, reported what appeared to be a large black cat moving through the neighbourhood. Video footage circulated online, security teams searched the area and animal specialists initially suggested that the creature might resemble a jaguar or panther. Police warned the public to take care while the search continued.[thenationalnews.com]thenationalnews.comThe NationalSearch continues after suspected big cat sighting in Dubai…May 19, 2021 — 19 May 2021 — Animal experts said the animal app…Published: May 19, 2021

Witness testimony strengthened the impression of an exotic predator. One resident described a powerful animal with broad shoulders and a long tail. In isolation, such details sound persuasive. Yet brief sightings, uncertain scale and fear can distort size estimates, especially when an animal is seen at night, through vegetation or on low-quality video.[The National]thenationalnews.comThe National'Chiselled jaw, big shoulders and long tail' - Dubai resident…21 May 2021 — Latest: Dubai 'panther' sighting just a domest…Published: May 2021

Dubai Police subsequently announced that the supposed wild animal was a domestic black cat. The incident is a useful example of how a phantom-cat report develops:

The report was not absurd. Exotic cats have been kept privately in the region, despite legal restrictions, so an escaped animal was initially plausible. Investigations have documented social-media promotion and trade involving lions, servals and other dangerous or protected species in the UAE. This background makes unusual-cat reports more credible than they would be in a country with no history of private exotic ownership, even though the 2021 case itself proved harmless.[bellingcat]bellingcat.comHow Instagram Celebrities Promote Dubai's UndergroundHow Instagram Celebrities Promote Dubai's Underground

The Dubai episode resembles phantom-cat traditions elsewhere, but it never became a durable legend. There were no repeated attacks, tracks, carcasses or later confirmed sightings. It is better understood as a short-lived identification scare than as evidence of a hidden population of panthers.

Could Arabian leopards still survive in the mountains?

The Arabian leopard provides the UAE’s most serious mystery-animal question because it is a genuine native predator with a historical presence in the region. It once ranged through parts of the Arabian Peninsula, including the rugged Hajar Mountains around Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. By the late twentieth century, however, hunting, habitat loss, reduced prey and conflict over livestock had pushed it towards disappearance.[The National]thenationalnews.comThe National Last Arabian leopard may have left the UAE | The NationalThe National Last Arabian leopard may have left the UAE | The National

In 2008, conservationists reported that there had been no documented wild UAE sighting for roughly a decade. Some researchers allowed for the possibility that one or two animals might remain or occasionally cross from Oman, but others believed the species had already vanished locally. Later national assessment work classified the Arabian leopard as extinct in the wild in the UAE, alongside the Arabian wolf and striped hyena.[The National]thenationalnews.comThe National Last Arabian leopard may have left the UAE | The NationalThe National Last Arabian leopard may have left the UAE | The National

This creates ideal conditions for “last survivor” stories. The northern mountains contain steep ravines, caves and sparsely visited slopes. Leopards are solitary, nocturnal and naturally difficult to observe. A fleeting shape, distant call or unexplained livestock loss could therefore revive the belief that one remains.

Yet remoteness alone is not evidence. A surviving leopard would be expected eventually to leave tracks, droppings, prey remains or camera-trap images. Modern surveys have successfully photographed much smaller and rarer animals in the UAE, including caracals, porcupines and Arabian tahr. The absence of comparably strong recent leopard evidence weighs heavily against a hidden resident population.[The National]thenationalnews.comThe National Rare caracal sighting: how the fate of the country's mostThe National Rare caracal sighting: how the fate of the country's most

Occasional movement from neighbouring Oman is harder to rule out completely, but a wandering individual would not establish that a breeding UAE population survives. Until physical evidence appears, mountain-cat reports are best treated as memories, possible misidentifications or hopeful rumours surrounding a real lost species.

Real animals that can look legendary

The UAE contains enough unusual wildlife to produce mystery reports without requiring unknown species. Desert heat, poor visibility, unfamiliar anatomy and the lack of an obvious scale reference can make ordinary animals look much larger or stranger than they are.

Caracals are secretive wild cats with long legs, tufted ears and a silhouette that can look surprisingly large. They are rarely recorded, with camera-trap sightings regarded as important conservation events. A caracal seen briefly could be mistaken for a leopard or escaped exotic cat.[The National]thenationalnews.comThe National Rare caracal sighting: how the fate of the country's mostThe National Rare caracal sighting: how the fate of the country's most

Arabian tahr live on steep mountain slopes and can be difficult to observe directly. Their horns, shaggy coats and ability to stand on apparently impossible ledges may create a striking impression when seen at a distance. Camera trapping has been necessary to monitor the small population around Jebel Hafeet and the Hajar Mountains.[The National]thenationalnews.comendangered arabian tahr spotted and tagged on al ain mountain 1.1147924endangered arabian tahr spotted and tagged on al ain mountain 1.1147924

Gazelles and Arabian oryx can appear unexpectedly near roads, reserves and landscaped desert developments. The oryx’s pale body and long straight horns are particularly dramatic in haze or moonlight. The species really did disappear from the wild before being restored through captive breeding and reintroduction, showing that an animal can move from memory to living presence without being a cryptid.[The National]thenationalnews.comThe National Life remains a struggle for the Arabian oryxThe National Life remains a struggle for the Arabian oryx

Escaped or released non-native animals add another layer of confusion. Patagonian maras, large rabbit-like South American rodents, have established themselves around Al Qudra Lakes. Public sightings began attracting attention around 2020, but their origin remains unclear; the most likely explanation is escape or release from captivity. Their long legs, large ears and unfamiliar body shape make them an almost perfect modern “mystery animal”, although their identity is known.[AP News]apnews.comOpen source on apnews.com.

The maras demonstrate an important point: an animal can be genuinely anomalous without being scientifically unknown. The mystery may concern how it arrived, rather than what species it is.

Sea monsters without a monster

The waters around the UAE host animals large enough to startle swimmers, boat crews and waterfront residents. Whale sharks, dugongs, rays, dolphins, turtles and occasional whales can all produce an apparently monstrous outline when only part of the body is visible.

Whale sharks are the world’s largest fish, but they feed by filtering small organisms rather than hunting people. The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi monitors sightings and asks the public not to disturb or harm them. Their enormous spotted backs and broad mouths can still be alarming when they surface near beaches or boats.[EAD]ead.gov.aeOpen source on ead.gov.ae.

Orcas have also been recorded near Abu Dhabi. A pair filmed in 2023 generated considerable attention because killer whales are uncommon in local public experience, even though the species is capable of travelling across warm as well as cold waters. A brief view of a tall dorsal fin could easily inspire exaggerated retellings.[Gulf News]gulfnews.comGulf News Watch: Killer whales spotted near Abu Dhabi coastGulf News Watch: Killer whales spotted near Abu Dhabi coast

Fujairah’s position on the Gulf of Oman creates further possibilities. Deep water lies relatively close to the coast, and research expeditions have looked for sperm whales and other large marine animals in the offshore depths. The existence of such wildlife does not confirm sea-serpent tales, but it explains why unfamiliar blows, fins or moving shadows should not immediately be dismissed as impossible.[What's On]whatson.aeWhat's On Is there something lurking in the depths offWhat's On Is there something lurking in the depths off

Environmental effects can seem creature-like too. In 2018, thousands of glowing blue points appeared along a Fujairah beach. Specialists identified the display as bioluminescent dinoflagellates, microscopic organisms that produce light when the water is disturbed. What looked supernatural was a well-known biological phenomenon.[Gulf News]gulfnews.comGulf News Fujairah beach-goer spots mysterious glowing blue lightsGulf News Fujairah beach-goer spots mysterious glowing blue lights

Dugongs and the mermaid connection

Dugongs are the UAE animals most closely linked with worldwide mermaid explanations. They are large marine mammals with rounded bodies, paddle-like forelimbs and fluked tails. When a dugong rises vertically to breathe, especially while holding a calf, a distant observer may briefly perceive a vaguely human posture.

The suggestion that dugongs helped inspire mermaid traditions is widely repeated, although it cannot explain every historical mermaid account. It is most convincing as a mechanism for particular sightings: sailors expecting strange beings encounter an unfamiliar mammal, see only its head and upper body, and interpret it through stories they already know.[SeaWorld Abu Dhabi]seaworldabudhabi.comOpen source on seaworldabudhabi.com.

Abu Dhabi has an estimated population of about 3,000 dugongs, concentrated around seagrass habitats such as the Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve and Al Yasat Marine Protected Area. Authorities describe it as the world’s second-largest dugong population after Australia’s. This makes the UAE one of the places where an apparently legendary “sea person” could have a very real animal behind it.[EAD]ead.gov.aeOpen source on ead.gov.ae.

Dugongs also have a far deeper relationship with the region than modern sightings suggest. Archaeological work on Marawah Island uncovered a structured concentration of dugong bones dating to the fourth millennium BCE, interpreted as evidence that the animals had ritual or symbolic importance for early Gulf coastal communities. The find does not prove a monster belief, but it shows that these large, unusual mammals occupied human imagination as well as the food economy thousands of years ago.[Wikipedia]WikipediaArchaeology of the United Arab EmiratesArchaeology of the United Arab Emirates

Why sightings cluster in particular places

UAE mystery-animal reports are shaped by habitat rather than being evenly spread across the country.

The Hajar Mountains, particularly in Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and the eastern borderlands, encourage stories of hidden cats and surviving predators. Broken ground limits visibility, while memories of leopards and hyenas provide ready-made identities for indistinct animals.

Al Qudra and Al Marmoom combine desert scenery with artificial lakes, lawns, planted areas and recreational traffic. This modified habitat attracts native wildlife while supporting introduced species such as maras. Visitors expecting an empty desert may therefore encounter animals they cannot immediately name.[AP News]apnews.comOpen source on apnews.com.

Residential edges in Dubai and Abu Dhabi produce viral sightings because security cameras, phones and neighbourhood messaging groups rapidly transform a glimpse into a public event. Domestic cats, escaped pets and gazelles may appear larger or more exotic when seen at night among villas.

Abu Dhabi’s islands and shallow western waters are the main setting for dugongs, turtles and dolphins because extensive seagrass beds provide food and shelter. The same shallow conditions that support marine life also allow boaters to see bodies, wakes and feeding groups close to the surface.[EAD]ead.gov.aeOpen source on ead.gov.ae.

Fujairah and the Gulf of Oman coast offer deeper offshore water and a different marine community from the shallow Arabian Gulf. Large rays, sharks, whales and unusual fish are correspondingly more plausible sources of “unknown creature” reports there.

What counts as good evidence?

Most UAE monster claims remain weak because they lack the evidence needed to separate an unknown animal from a familiar one seen badly. Eyewitness accounts are useful starting points, but perception is affected by darkness, distance, fear, expectations and the absence of a reliable size reference.

A strong anomalous-animal case would require several kinds of mutually supporting evidence:

The Arabian leopard question shows how this standard works. Its former presence is established, its habitat is known and survival would be biologically possible in principle. Yet decades without verified remains, genetic material or camera images make continued residence increasingly unlikely. By contrast, camera traps have confirmed rare caracals and rediscovered animals previously thought absent, demonstrating that systematic monitoring can resolve at least some wildlife mysteries.[The National]thenationalnews.comThe National Rare caracal sighting: how the fate of the country's mostThe National Rare caracal sighting: how the fate of the country's most

Social-media popularity is not an evidence category. Reposted clips frequently lose the date, location and original file quality needed for verification. A video labelled “Dubai monster” may have been filmed elsewhere, staged or cropped to conceal an ordinary explanation.

Hoax, misidentification or living tradition?

The UAE’s creature stories fall into several distinct groups, and treating them all as one category creates confusion.

Folklore: Umm Al Duwais and desert ghouls belong primarily to oral and artistic tradition. Their value lies in what they express about danger, temptation, isolation and social expectations, not in zoological proof.

Misidentification: The Dubai panther scare shows how an ordinary cat can become extraordinary through uncertain scale, testimony and online repetition.

Known but surprising wildlife: Dugongs, whale sharks, orcas, caracals and tahr are scientifically recognised animals whose rarity or unusual appearance can produce monster-like encounters.

Introduced animals: The Patagonian maras at Al Qudra are real, identified and apparently breeding, but their route into the wild is still unresolved.

Possible survival claims: Reports concerning Arabian leopards have a factual historical basis, yet the current evidence supports local extinction rather than a concealed breeding population.

Deliberate fabrication: Staged photographs, misleading captions and recycled videos inevitably circulate, but no major UAE cryptid legend has been traced convincingly to a single famous newspaper hoax. The more common pattern is exaggeration built around a genuine but poorly observed animal.

How the legends have changed

Rapid urbanisation has not erased Emirati monster traditions; it has changed how they travel. Stories once transmitted within families or neighbourhoods now appear in films, festivals, horror attractions, online illustrations and short-form videos. Umm Al Duwais has proved especially adaptable because her visual markers—perfume, beauty, animal limbs and bladed hands—are easy to translate into modern horror imagery.[The National]thenationalnews.comThe National The ghost of Emirati presentThe increasingly popular versions of Umm Al Duwais depict her as a villainous temptress…Read more…

At the same time, wildlife mysteries have moved from oral report to instant footage. A resident no longer returns from the desert with only a story; they upload a clip before specialists have identified what it shows. This can improve documentation, but it also rewards the most dramatic interpretation first.

Conservation has produced a further change. Creatures formerly treated as threatening or mysterious are increasingly presented as endangered parts of national natural heritage. Dugongs, whale sharks, caracals, tahr and Arabian leopards now appear in education and conservation campaigns. Even uncertainty has acquired value: the question of whether a rare animal remains can encourage habitat protection, provided hope is not confused with evidence.

The most likely explanation

The UAE has a rich mystery-creature culture, but not a strong case for an undiscovered large animal. Its memorable monsters arise from three powerful sources: Arabian and Emirati cautionary folklore, encounters with rare wildlife, and the modern ability of ambiguous images to circulate before they are checked.

Umm Al Duwais remains the country’s defining legendary creature because she expresses enduring fears about strangers, desire, betrayal and hidden danger. The Arabian leopard supplies a more grounded wilderness mystery, although current assessments support extinction in the UAE. At sea, dugongs and giant fish show how real animals can generate apparently fabulous encounters. The Dubai “panther” demonstrates how quickly uncertainty can grow—and how ordinary the answer may ultimately be.

The result is less a catalogue of hidden beasts than a study in how landscape, memory and expectation transform animals into monsters.

Amazon book picks

Further Reading

Books and field guides related to What Really Haunts the United Arab Emirates?. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.

Book

Arabian Sands

By Wilfred Thesiger

Provides cultural and environmental background for regional folklore and legends.

See on Amazon

Book

Abominable Science!

By Daniel Loxton, Donald R. Prothero

Explains how folklore, sightings, and media interact.

See on Amazon

Book

Myths and Legends of the Middle East

By Anonymous retellings edited by various authors

Introduces supernatural traditions that inform UAE monster stories.

See on Amazon

Book

Abominable Science! Origins of the Yeti, Nessie, and Other Fa...

By Daniel Loxton and Donald R. Prothero

Explains how folklore, sightings, and media interact.

See on Amazon

Browse more on Amazon:Arabian SandsAbominable Science!Myths and Legends of the Middle East

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

eBay marketplace picks

Marketplace Samples

Live-tested eBay searches with available results related to this page.

Shop location

UsingUSA USA USAUKCanadaAustraliaIreland

Example eBay listing

Framed Signed Desert Camel Caravan Painting Wall Art with People Scene

SearcheBay.co.uk: desert animal wall art

Browse similar oneBay.co.uk

Example eBay listing

Desert Hare Poster - Natural History Animal Wall Art - 16x12/20x16/24x18/36x24

SearcheBay.co.uk: desert animal wall art

Browse similar oneBay.co.uk

Example eBay listing

Animals of the Kalahari Desert Retr Framed Wall Art Poster Canvas Print Picture

SearcheBay.co.uk: desert animal wall art

Browse similar oneBay.co.uk

Example eBay listing

1960 DESERT WARTHOG Print - Vintage Animal Wall Art - Mammal - 7.5 x 10.6 Inches

SearcheBay.co.uk: desert animal wall art

Browse similar oneBay.co.uk

Browse more oneBay.co.uk

Example items shown for inspiration; availability and pricing can change. Branchoria may earn a commission if you purchase through outbound eBay links.

Endnotes

1. Source: ead.gov.ae
Link:https://www.ead.gov.ae/en/Discover-Our-Biodiversity/Mammals/Dugong

2. Source: paranormalarabia.com
Title: ما وراء الطبيعة
Link:https://www.paranormalarabia.com/en/articles/2010/01/um-duwais-the-myth-of-deadly-temptation

3. Source: ebsco.com
Link:https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/literature-and-writing/ghoul-mythical-creature

4. Source: Wikipedia
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghoul

5. Source: bellingcat.com
Title: How Instagram Celebrities Promote Dubai’s Underground
Link:https://www.bellingcat.com/news/middle-east/2021/02/08/how-instagram-celebrities-promote-dubais-underground-animal-trade/

6. Source: ead.gov.ae
Link:https://www.ead.gov.ae/en/Discover-Our-Biodiversity/Sharks-and-Rays/Whale-Shark

7. Source: ead.gov.ae
Link:https://www.ead.gov.ae/en/Discover-Our-Biodiversity/Plants/Seagrass

8. Source: Wikipedia
Title: Archaeology of the United Arab Emirates
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaeology_of_the_United_Arab_Emirates

9. Source: Wikipedia
Title: List of cryptids
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cryptids

10. Source: Wikipedia
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dugong

11. Source: thenationalnews.com
Title: The National The ghost of Emirati present
Link:https://www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/the-ghost-of-emirati-present-1.293127

12. Source: thenationalnews.com
Link:https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/2022/03/06/uae-says-almost-half-of-all-mammals-in-the-country-are-endangered/

13. Source: thenationalnews.com
Link:https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/search-continues-after-suspected-big-cat-sighting-in-dubai-suburb-1.1225301

Published: May 19, 2021

14. Source: gulfnews.com
Title: dubai police clarifies rumours of jaguar on the loose 1.1621533002841
Link:https://gulfnews.com/uae/dubai-police-clarifies-rumours-of-jaguar-on-the-loose-1.1621533002841

Published: May 2021

15. Source: thenationalnews.com
Link:https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/chiselled-jaw-big-shoulders-and-long-tail-dubai-resident-tells-of-close-encounter-with-big-cat-1.1225699

Published: May 2021

16. Source: thenationalnews.com
Link:https://www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/five-things-to-do-today-catch-the-documentary-short-term-12-and-celebrate-holi-the-festival-of-colours-1.324432

17. Source: arabnews.com
Link:https://www.arabnews.com/node/1860871/offbeat

18. Source: thenationalnews.com
Title: The National Last Arabian leopard may have left the UAE | The National
Link:https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/last-arabian-leopard-may-have-left-the-uae-1.537254

19. Source: thenationalnews.com
Title: The National Battling extinction of the Arabian leopard
Link:https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/battling-extinction-of-the-arabian-leopard-1.528421

20. Source: thenationalnews.com
Title: The National Rare caracal sighting: how the fate of the country’s most
Link:https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/environment/rare-caracal-sighting-how-the-fate-of-the-country-s-most-threatened-species-can-be-changed-1.830152

21. Source: thenationalnews.com
Title: endangered arabian tahr spotted and tagged on al ain mountain 1.1147924
Link:https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/environment/endangered-arabian-tahr-spotted-and-tagged-on-al-ain-mountain-1.1147924

22. Source: thenationalnews.com
Title: The National Life remains a struggle for the Arabian oryx
Link:https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/environment/life-remains-a-struggle-for-the-arabian-oryx-1.289290

23. Source: apnews.com
Link:https://apnews.com/article/c1a9460d8635a69d8f9a7e5a96e52ccf

24. Source: gulfnews.com
Title: Gulf News Watch: Killer whales spotted near Abu Dhabi coast
Link:https://gulfnews.com/uae/watch-killer-whales-spotted-near-abu-dhabi-coast-1.95665844

25. Source: whatson.ae
Title: What’s On Is there something lurking in the depths off
Link:https://whatson.ae/2017/04/something-lurking-depths-off-coast-fujairah/

26. Source: gulfnews.com
Title: Gulf News Fujairah beach-goer spots mysterious glowing blue lights
Link:https://gulfnews.com/uae/fujairah-beach-goer-spots-mysterious-glowing-blue-lights-1.61001776

27. Source: seaworldabudhabi.com
Link:https://www.seaworldabudhabi.com/en/stories/meet-the-dugongs

28. Source: ead.gov.ae
Title: Two Champion Plus Awards 2024
Link:https://www.ead.gov.ae/en/Media-Centre/News/Two-Champion-Plus-Awards-2024

29. Source: ead.gov.ae
Title: EAD World Restoration Flagship Project
Link:https://www.ead.gov.ae/en/Media-Centre/News/EAD-World-Restoration-Flagship-Project

30. Source: instagram.com
Link:https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZgpyTJEwVV/

31. Source: instagram.com
Link:https://www.instagram.com/reel/DY7tdiEOtYJ/

32. Source: instagram.com
Link:https://www.instagram.com/p/DZzlxZvjnxi/

33. Source: instagram.com
Link:https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZZXPZFojDy/

34. Source: instagram.com
Link:https://www.instagram.com/p/DUdkaVDjelM/

35. Source: instagram.com
Link:https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cxf2cQsrUjy/?hl=en

36. Source: instagram.com
Link:https://www.instagram.com/p/DTrWNuZk_3j/?hl=en

37. Source: instagram.com
Link:https://www.instagram.com/p/DXebj28iiqZ/

38. Source: instagram.com
Link:https://www.instagram.com/reel/CsicqE7oCzn/

39. Source: instagram.com
Link:https://www.instagram.com/p/DSj3OTaEqsO/?hl=en

40. Source: instagram.com
Link:https://www.instagram.com/p/DZMlyS2Enyg/?img_index=3

41. Source: instagram.com
Link:https://www.instagram.com/p/DZMlyS2Enyg/?img_index=2

42. Source: instagram.com
Link:https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6yV70aJy72/?hl=en

43. Source: instagram.com
Link:https://www.instagram.com/reel/DB4MEAUyR7m/

44. Source: instagram.com
Link:https://www.instagram.com/p/DZMlyS2Enyg/

45. Source: gulfnews.com
Title: lose yourself in kenya and tanzanias wilderness 1.1985942
Link:https://gulfnews.com/travel/lose-yourself-in-kenya-and-tanzanias-wilderness-1.1985942

46. Source: gulfnews.com
Title: some grandparents are truly magical 1.73754984
Link:https://gulfnews.com/opinion/off-the-cuff/some-grandparents-are-truly-magical-1.73754984

47. Source: thenationalnews.com
Title: umm al duwais and the mother of all frights 1.498660
Link:https://www.thenationalnews.com/opinion/editorial/umm-al-duwais-and-the-mother-of-all-frights-1.498660

48. Source: thenationalnews.com
Link:https://www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/travel/leopard-spotting-1.513245

49. Source: thenationalnews.com
Title: Local species ‘face extinction’
Link:https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/environment/local-species-face-extinction-1.516774

50. Source: thenationalnews.com
Title: danger ahead uae s vibrant wildlife faces fight for survival 1.759920
Link:https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/environment/danger-ahead-uae-s-vibrant-wildlife-faces-fight-for-survival-1.759920

51. Source: thenationalnews.com
Link:https://www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/more-than-1-200-species-are-under-threat-around-the-world-new-study-finds-1.836606

52. Source: ead.gov.ae
Title: Donor Agreement CMS
Link:https://www.ead.gov.ae/en/Media-Centre/News/Donor-Agreement-CMS

53. Source: ead.gov.ae
Link:https://www.ead.gov.ae/-/media/Project/EAD/EAD/Documents/Resources/EAD_AD-Species-Redlist-Report_LoRes_1.pdf

54. Source: ead.gov.ae
Title: 032021 Dhahi Khalfan Visit
Link:https://www.ead.gov.ae/en/Media-Centre/News/032021-Dhahi-Khalfan-Visit

55. Source: ead.gov.ae
Link:https://www.ead.gov.ae/-/media/Project/EAD/EAD/Documents/Resources/EAD-Strategy-Report-Digital-EN.pdf

56. Source: ead.gov.ae
Title: EN Abu Dhabi Climate Change Adaptation Plan for the Environment v4
Link:https://www.ead.gov.ae/-/media/Project/EAD/EAD/Documents/EN_Abu-Dhabi-Climate-Change-Adaptation-Plan-for-the-Environment-v4.pdf

57. Source: ead.gov.ae
Link:https://www.ead.gov.ae/-/media/Project/EAD/EAD/Documents/KnowledgeHub/Resources-and-Materials/EAD-Fisheries-Bulletin-2023—EN.pdf

58. Source: sciencefocus.com
Link:https://www.sciencefocus.com/nature/monsters

59. Source: whatson.ae
Link:https://whatson.ae/2026/07/venomous-creatures-dubai/

60. Source: apnews.com
Link:https://apnews.com/article/dubai-patagonian-mara-uae-argentina-exotic-animals-c1a9460d8635a69d8f9a7e5a96e52ccf

Additional References

61. Source: youtube.com
Title: Arabian leopard: Phantom Of The Arabian Peninsula
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH1V3FDZsfI

62. Source: youtube.com
Title: Arabia’s Last Great Cat: The Return of the Arabian Leopard
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTGuNXRPgIs

63. Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/justblogo/posts/an-unexpected-marine-visitor-turned-heads-in-dubai-as-a-whale-shark-was-spotted-/1280045211009066/

64. Source: creepyhouse.ae
Link:https://creepyhouse.ae/um-al-duwais/

65. Source: geotoys.com
Link:https://geotoys.com/blogs/geotoys-blog/cryptids-across-continents-global-legends-of-mystery-and-myth?srsltid=AfmBOopjocWmCSgQP11MNrBS9nQFbPpK6jBQyxFBjzwnhluy5smKD5jR

66. Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/NikkuVlogzFB/posts/haunted-arabian-desert-me-aagaye/471665432540121/

67. Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/groups/PADIDiversAroundWorld/posts/820532728818348/

68. Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/groups/271625487184735/posts/1236313717382569/

69. Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/groups/26571873022/posts/10162971443518023/

70. Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/khaleejtimes/posts/rare-aquatic-creatures-are-routinely-spotted-in-uae-waters/10158704790007864/