Al Zorah Nature Reserve

Al Zorah Nature Reserve is a protected mangrove and lagoon area at the mouth of Ajman Creek, inside the Al Zorah coastal development in Ajman. It is for birdwatchers, kayakers and families who want to see mangroves and coastal wildlife close to Dubai and Sharjah, and it is listed as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.

What the reserve is

The Ramsar Sites Information Service lists the Al-Zora Protected Area (site number 2309) as a 195-hectare protected area, designated on 27 September 2016, at the end of the one-kilometre Ajman Creek, which flows into the Gulf. It is dominated by mangrove forest and also includes intertidal mudflats, lagoons and creeks. Ramsar describes it as the only protected area and the largest mangrove area in the Emirate of Ajman.

Wildlife

Ramsar records 87 bird species at the site, including the greater spotted eagle and the Socotra cormorant, and notes the greater flamingo in winter. The developer, Al Zorah Development Company, says close to 58 bird species live in the reserve and more than 150 others join them during the seasonal migration, and that the lagoon and mangroves also hold corals, fish, molluscs and native plants. It says pink flamingos can be seen all year, and more often in the nesting season.

Activities and getting there

According to Al Zorah City, pathways run through the mangroves, and the creek and lagoon are used for kayaking, diving and snorkelling. The developer has committed to doubling the size of the protected reserve by planting 500,000 more mangrove trees.

Al Zorah is linked directly to Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road. By the developer’s figures it is a 25-minute drive from Dubai International Airport and 20 minutes from Sharjah International Airport, and it can also be reached by boat through its four marinas.

Good to know

• Neither source publishes opening hours, entry fees or activity prices, so check before you go.
• The two sources give different bird counts. The Ramsar figure of 87 species comes from the site’s information sheet, last published on 24 July 2017.
• For flamingos, Ramsar mentions winter, and the developer mentions the nesting season.
• The developer’s office is at The Pavilion Al Zorah, Al Ittihad Road, Ajman, and its published office hours are Monday to Thursday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Description written from official sources, checked 24 October 2026: alzorahcity.com and rsis.ramsar.org. Confirm details with the business before you go.