Wadi Wurayah Waterfall, Fujairah, United Arab Emirates
The UAE’s first national park, Wadi Wurayah, has won worldwide acclaim – after securing Unesco Biosphere Reserve status.
The Fujairah nature spot was one of 24 sites to win the seal of approval, which recognises protected areas that demonstrate a balanced relationship between people and nature, and encourage sustainable development.
The wadi’s pools, streams and waterfalls support a rich variety of wildlife that include the Omani owl and the urothemis thomasi dragonfly, which was so rare it had not been sighted since 1957 and was thought to be extinct.