![Al Wathba Wetland was declared a reserve in 1998 by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father.
It was established as a protected area following the first successful breeding of flamingos. Victor Besa /The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QR6QUMDQVTIPL6ROYLHKA3FYXQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=24a061324bdc1aeae456531981a08a1c84e48d631c18228aaa6adf746e5868fe&width=400&height=225)
![Al Wathba Wetland was declared a reserve in 1998 by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father. It was established as a protected area following the first successful breeding of flamingos. Victor Besa /The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3D7TBKOENL3BUVI6DRGJSA567Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=3051bb6531360c91dd492a1f169d5c35ebbf62829278868e75da6c2218be736e&width=400&height=225)
![A record 876 flamingo chicks hatched at Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba Wetland Reserve this season. Victor Besa /The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/E3ZH6ISPLQ4XNLIJ3RAEQGBB5Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=b0ad6cb966904db0ab898f6a223d1a3bd3f0776f36f32fae80b0e8043c59f372&width=400&height=225)
![Al Wathba Wetland was declared a reserve in 1998 by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father.
It was established as a protected area following the first successful breeding of flamingos.
Victor Besa /The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FRPWV6DPXZPNCQOZI3T66CVNYI.jpg?smart=true&auth=3b2d6b342bf57d686e089d8fb923807071655667205f124f05755d5a26805b76&width=400&height=225)
![A record 876 flamingo chicks hatched at Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba Wetland Reserve this season. Victor Besa /The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/EXIPOVSPADUUSTVUF7F7G546OY.jpg?smart=true&auth=9330f9060280d0546f2551c1513d5b70ac094a6f2f712e68ab81a8c82144ae41&width=400&height=225)
![A record 876 flamingo chicks hatched at Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba Wetland Reserve this season. Victor Besa /The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZFM4BNIWK42BEDZ7OUNRVG4SYQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=10d9b5895744870a5e09a5f65118f6298bf48a17405c0945f55899d596e6bdd1&width=400&height=225)
![A record 876 flamingo chicks hatched at Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba Wetland Reserve this season. Victor Besa /The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IEMUS6642NQHZQBGP63LYXEJD4.jpg?smart=true&auth=54d77d7b26ef630a42b72851ce768693975ca9399505d8dbaf83bf763d2b4600&width=400&height=225)
![Al Wathba Wetland was declared a reserve in 1998 by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father.
It was established as a protected area following the first successful breeding of flamingos. Victor Besa /The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SN3COMUIRKMGJT7T5H326MQXWI.jpg?smart=true&auth=4e8e5e3540835e03473b6b033f18eb8fd7b30f70ea830c5ab54e78326f1f7cca&width=400&height=225)
![A record 876 flamingo chicks hatched at Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba Wetland Reserve this season. Victor Besa /The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/O5TIADWCLCU7BVPWC5I2ENIG5M.jpg?smart=true&auth=fd3dcd9a2de8f1d9a13a638e4daeec9f514e567423120bb38c4437b8cdcc3a3a&width=400&height=225)
![Al Wathba Wetland was declared a reserve in 1998 by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father.
It was established as a protected area following the first successful breeding of flamingos. Victor Besa /The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/WZLQETCCMD4XJD3GEQLOY3ABKU.jpg?smart=true&auth=c5677e6920eb4b0811966bbb80f40e8c28b84dbcf9664cd4f20a1dadb9d3c831&width=400&height=225)
![Al Wathba Wetland was declared a reserve in 1998 by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father.
It was established as a protected area following the first successful breeding of flamingos. Victor Besa /The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5BN3HSQD7BR53QZSOFCBY76HTQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=dd89decbb129efd9ea55be94fc01e18e286818377f7549c2c02d97401e8ac27d&width=400&height=225)
![Al Wathba Wetland was declared a reserve in 1998 by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father.
It was established as a protected area following the first successful breeding of flamingos. Victor Besa /The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QR6QUMDQVTIPL6ROYLHKA3FYXQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=24a061324bdc1aeae456531981a08a1c84e48d631c18228aaa6adf746e5868fe&width=400&height=225)
![Al Wathba Wetland was declared a reserve in 1998 by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father. It was established as a protected area following the first successful breeding of flamingos. Victor Besa /The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3D7TBKOENL3BUVI6DRGJSA567Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=3051bb6531360c91dd492a1f169d5c35ebbf62829278868e75da6c2218be736e&width=400&height=225)
![A record 876 flamingo chicks hatched at Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba Wetland Reserve this season. Victor Besa /The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/E3ZH6ISPLQ4XNLIJ3RAEQGBB5Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=b0ad6cb966904db0ab898f6a223d1a3bd3f0776f36f32fae80b0e8043c59f372&width=400&height=225)
![Al Wathba Wetland was declared a reserve in 1998 by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father.
It was established as a protected area following the first successful breeding of flamingos.
Victor Besa /The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FRPWV6DPXZPNCQOZI3T66CVNYI.jpg?smart=true&auth=3b2d6b342bf57d686e089d8fb923807071655667205f124f05755d5a26805b76&width=400&height=225)
![A record 876 flamingo chicks hatched at Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba Wetland Reserve this season. Victor Besa /The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/EXIPOVSPADUUSTVUF7F7G546OY.jpg?smart=true&auth=9330f9060280d0546f2551c1513d5b70ac094a6f2f712e68ab81a8c82144ae41&width=400&height=225)
![A record 876 flamingo chicks hatched at Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba Wetland Reserve this season. Victor Besa /The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZFM4BNIWK42BEDZ7OUNRVG4SYQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=10d9b5895744870a5e09a5f65118f6298bf48a17405c0945f55899d596e6bdd1&width=400&height=225)
![A record 876 flamingo chicks hatched at Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba Wetland Reserve this season. Victor Besa /The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IEMUS6642NQHZQBGP63LYXEJD4.jpg?smart=true&auth=54d77d7b26ef630a42b72851ce768693975ca9399505d8dbaf83bf763d2b4600&width=400&height=225)
![Al Wathba Wetland was declared a reserve in 1998 by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father.
It was established as a protected area following the first successful breeding of flamingos. Victor Besa /The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SN3COMUIRKMGJT7T5H326MQXWI.jpg?smart=true&auth=4e8e5e3540835e03473b6b033f18eb8fd7b30f70ea830c5ab54e78326f1f7cca&width=400&height=225)
![A record 876 flamingo chicks hatched at Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba Wetland Reserve this season. Victor Besa /The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/O5TIADWCLCU7BVPWC5I2ENIG5M.jpg?smart=true&auth=fd3dcd9a2de8f1d9a13a638e4daeec9f514e567423120bb38c4437b8cdcc3a3a&width=400&height=225)
![Al Wathba Wetland was declared a reserve in 1998 by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father.
It was established as a protected area following the first successful breeding of flamingos. Victor Besa /The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/WZLQETCCMD4XJD3GEQLOY3ABKU.jpg?smart=true&auth=c5677e6920eb4b0811966bbb80f40e8c28b84dbcf9664cd4f20a1dadb9d3c831&width=400&height=225)
![Al Wathba Wetland was declared a reserve in 1998 by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father.
It was established as a protected area following the first successful breeding of flamingos. Victor Besa /The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5BN3HSQD7BR53QZSOFCBY76HTQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=dd89decbb129efd9ea55be94fc01e18e286818377f7549c2c02d97401e8ac27d&width=400&height=225)
![Al Wathba Wetland was declared a reserve in 1998 by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father.
It was established as a protected area following the first successful breeding of flamingos. Victor Besa /The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QR6QUMDQVTIPL6ROYLHKA3FYXQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=24a061324bdc1aeae456531981a08a1c84e48d631c18228aaa6adf746e5868fe&width=400&height=225)
Flamingos, dugongs and new laws focus of Abu Dhabi's environment efforts
With one million seeds planted, 876 new flamingo chicks and nine new species, 2020 is shaping up to be a good year for conservation
Anna Zacharias
September 01, 2020
September 01, 2020