In 2024, a record number of Russians invested money and moved to Dubai indefinitely. It is safe on the streets, but are there sharks in Dubai in the UAE and what other creatures should be feared in the sea.
Content of the material
- What sharks are in the UAE
- Shark attacks in the UAE
- Is it possible to see a shark on the beaches
- Other dangerous animals
- Conclusion
- Moving to Dubai with family and children: personal experience, video
What sharks are in the UAE
Most of the emirates are located along the Persian Gulf, and Fujairah is on the coast of the Gulf of Oman.
There are about 30 species of sharks in the Persian Gulf. Off the coast of the UAE you can find:
| Shark species | Is it dangerous for humans? | Brief characteristics |
| Whale | No | The largest shark. It looks like a whale in appearance and behavior. The length is up to 12 meters, the back is covered with spots and stripes. It eats plankton, recently it has often appeared near Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It is listed in the Red Book. |
| Bull | Very dangerous | It is found in the Abu Dhabi area in June for divers. It is this species that is most dangerous for people, it can attack at a shallow depth. They can live both in the sea and in fresh water. |
| Hammer | Can bite | The average length is 4-5 meters, sometimes they swim to the shore. The mouth is small, so they cannot eat a person. |
| Reef | Not dangerous | The most common shark in the Persian Gulf. The length is about 1-1.5 meters. It hunts at night, sleeps during the day, and lives near coral reefs. Rare cases of diver bites were recorded, which disturbed her. |
| Zebra | No | It lives at the bottom, does not bite if it is not angry. Young sharks have stripes, adults have leopard spots. |
Shark attacks in the UAE
There are very few cases when a shark attacked a person or bit him. All the victims survived. There are also many episodes when the shark was simply seen in the beach area.
2010, Dubai.
In the Jumeirah area, a diver was bitten on the leg by some animal, tooth marks remained. The case was entered into ISAF (Shark Attack Database).
2011, Dubai.
On the coast in the Dubai Marina area, rescuers noticed 2 hammerhead sharks. They left the beach after 10 minutes, no one was touched.
2016, Fujairah.
56 kilometers from the shore, a 4-meter mako shark jumped into the fishermen’s boat. One of them was injured while they were catching her.
2017, Sharjah.
A fisherman who was fishing with a harpoon suffered from the Madagascar sharptooth shark. He had a bag of fish with him, which probably attracted the shark. She bit the fisherman on the leg.
2020, Dubai.
Whale sharks swam up to residential areas of Dubai Marina. No one was injured.
2020, Abu Dhabi.
A 7-meter whale shark was spotted in the Al Bahia Channel area.
Is it possible to see a shark on the beaches
Sharks almost never swim to the beaches of the UAE. The probability of encountering dangerous species is almost non-existent.
Whale sharks may appear. On many beaches of hotels in Dubai, special nets are installed and lifeguards are on duty to warn vacationers of the danger. They see sharks from afar.
Other dangerous animals
Sharks near the shore should not be feared, but other representatives of the animal world can cause significant harm.
Jellyfish
Jellyfish living in the Persian Gulf are quite dangerous to humans. Touching them causes a burn that will bother you for at least a few days.
Rescuers, as a rule, have means to treat such wounds. Jellyfish can be found in large numbers on the coast in September – October.
Sea urchins
Sea urchins can be found on all beaches in the UAE. They are poisonous, while symptoms may not appear within an hour. Watch your feet carefully!
Sea Serpents
They feed on fish. They can bite a person on the finger if they feel danger. You need to be careful if you see a snake on the shore. They are sometimes washed out on the sand. She can pretend to be dead, although she herself is alive. You can’t touch it.
Fish is a stone
It can be found on wild beaches with stones and reefs. It has very poisonous dorsal fins. It is difficult to notice it, the fish is perfectly camouflaged. Therefore, on wild beaches, swim in special shoes.
Sharp shells can also hurt your foot.
For more travel tips to know before traveling to Dubai in 2024, watch this video.
Conclusion
There are sharks in the UAE, but they are very rare on the beaches. Species dangerous to humans live far from the coast. There are other marine life to be wary of.
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