The wetlands of our planet are breeding grounds for thousands of species of flora and fauna . It plays a very important role in maintaining the balance of our ecosystem .  If one were to analyse the geographical locations of these wetlands , one would be amazed to find that these seem to be strategically dotting the globe so as to provide a resting or recuperating point of migratory birds . One such extremely strategically located wetland is situated in Dubai , known as the ?Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary (RAKWS)?. It?s a stone?s throw away from the towering skyscrapers of the city but is actually a world of its own .

According to the  information on its website , it  is ? located at the head of the 14Km long watercourse known as Dubai Creek, and covers an area of 620 hectares featuring sabkhas saline flats, intertidal mudflats and mangroves, small lagoons and pools, and a few tiny islands which lies at the interface between the Arabian Gulf and the Al Awir Desert. During winter, RAKWS supports more than 20,000 water birds of 67 species and acts as a critical staging ground for the wintering birds of the East African-West Asian Flyway. The site hosts more than 500 species of flora and fauna and is one of the best-managed arid zone wetlands in the region. Located within Dubai city, it is an important eco-tourism destination and receives increasing numbers of local and international visitors .The importance of RAKWS is beyond its aesthetic value. It serves as a beacon on the significance of biodiversity as a life supporting system for humanity's continual existence and its being an integral part of the cultural and traditional heritage of the UAE?.