??r Ban? Y?s is a natural island located 170 km (110 mi) southwest of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. It lies 9 km (5.6 mi) offshore from Jebel Dhanna, which serves as a crossing point to other islands such as Dalma. Sir Bani Yas is 17.5 km (10.9 mi) from north to south and 9 km (5.6 mi) from east to west, making it the largest natural island in the United Arab Emirates. Located just off the shore of the western region of Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas was originally home to Arabia‘s largest wildlife reserve. Spanning over 87 km² (34 sq mi), the reserve was established in 1977 by SheikhZayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Thanks to decades of conservation work and ecological investment, it is now home to thousands of large free-roaming animals and several million trees and plants. A bird sanctuary as well as a wildlife reserve, Sir Bani Yas showcases nature through activities such as adventure safaris, kayaking, mountain biking, archery, hiking and snorkeling.
The island is home to many species, from Arabian oryx, Somali ostrich, gazelle and deer to reticulated giraffes, dolphins and sea turtles. Many of the more than one-hundred species of wild birds which can be found on the island are indigenous to the region. The island is home to around 30 species of mammals, including a variety of antelope and one of the world’s largest herd of endangered Arabian oryx. The Arabian oryx, a species of antelope, was formerly extinct in the wild, but the island is home to a herd of over 400 who roam freely on the island. Taking up about half of Sir Bani Yas, the Arabian wildlife Park provides an environment for wild animals to freely roam while the island remains open for visitors. The Park houses some 13,000 animals indigenous to the Arabian Peninsula including the endangered Arabian Oryx, Sand Gazelle and Mountain Gazelle as well as free-roaming predators and scavengers such as the cheetah and striped hyena. While research and conservation efforts are a major part of the park’s current development, a number of wildlife and adventure activities are already available for visitors. These include game drives, nature trails, mountain biking, and outdoor dining. Sir Bani Yas is home to many animals that the International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies as critically endangered or vulnerable, including sea turtles, sand gazelles, Barbary sheep, Arabian tahr and oryx. Therefore, the island plays a significant role in protecting these animals for future generations. More than 10,000 animals from Sir Bani Yas have been released into wildlife reserves such as the one in the Liwa Desert, on the Abu Dhabi mainland. This program has been carried out in conjunction with the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi.
Located adjacent to a lagoon, on the northwest reaches of the island, is the Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara with 64 rooms including six private lodges. The resort is also home to three restaurants, a spa, health club, kids club and business facilities. TDIC (Tourism Development and Investment Company) has announced in May 2014 that it was marketing a new hotel lease possibility in the island. Several cruise lines, in particular MSC Cruises, uses a small section of the island as a Private island destination on week long cruises. The section contains beaches and several bar and buffet areas.
The island is being developed with respect to its nature and delicate ecosystem. The island operates the region’s first wind turbine, which has a production capacity of 850 kilowatts is currently it is producing energy to power the island’s facilities alongside conventional supply from the national grid. The island also uses solar energy to power part of the staff accommodation which is not currently connected to the electricity grid. The Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy company Masdar has declared plans to raise wind production capacity to 30 megawatts. Flights are available through Sir Bani Yas Airport.
