Sharjah's nature reserves are meant to protect wildlife, not for people to stroll around, says Sheikh Sultan

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, stressed that the nature reserves in the Emirate of Sharjah are not projects for people to walk in, but rather a balanced environment to preserve wild plants, trees, animals, insects and reptiles, to maintain the balance of nature.

His Highness revealed a new environmental project that will be established on Al Dhaid Road, where camels, goats, sheep and horses will be released in a large fenced area. Parking will be provided on the side of the road so that people can view this wonderful scene of natural life.

In a telephone intervention on the "Direct Line" programme aired on Sharjah Broadcasting Authority, His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, addressed a request from a viewer regarding opening nature reserves to visitors.

He explained, "These reserves were established to protect plants, trees, and animals that are at risk of extinction. Many birds are hunted for trivial reasons, and the reserves provide them with a safe haven. In these areas, various creatures — including birds, insects, reptiles, and animals — find refuge and can reproduce. Allowing public access would compromise their safety, especially with snakes present in the reserves."

Meticulous attention to detail

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah emphasised: "We pay meticulous attention to every detail to ensure the reserve is a safe and suitable environment for preserving and nurturing wildlife. We consider factors like the location and size of the iron fence, which allows animals to enter and stay securely.

Understanding that air and animals from the north may enter, we designed the fence openings to be small enough to prevent foxes from entering and preying on the animals. These openings are only large enough for rabbits, allowing them to come in and reproduce naturally without interference. Given this careful management, how could we allow people to enter and disrupt the reserve?"

Sheikh Sultan asked Sharjah TV to film the “Night World”, saying: “I ask Sharjah TV to go to the reserve at night and film what is called the ‘Night World’; these are the living creatures that appear at night, which is another world.”

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah continued, saying: “The nature reserve area contains fruits, Sidr trees and small plants for birds, providing food for the living creatures inside it. Birds live their natural life cycle with each other as God created them to ensure survival. We also preserve large animals such as the Arabian leopard, gazelles and others.

We increased the number of gazelles in Al Hefaiyah Reserve in Kalba by about 100, so we now have 400 gazelles. So this project is not for people to go for a walk, but rather it is a project to preserve plants, animals and birds. We are preserving our country, its mountains, sands and deserts. This is a wealth and advantage that God has blessed us with, and we must preserve it.”

Details of new project

Sheikh Sultan revealed a new environmental project that will be established on Al Dhaid Road, saying: “We will establish a new environmental project on Al Dhaid Road, where there is a large area that we will fence to protect it, and we will release camels, goats, sheep and horses in it, and there will be parking spaces on the side of the road for those who want to view this wonderful scene of natural life.”

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah said: “We tell people ‘Love your country’. People must love this country because it has protected, fed and preserved them. One person should not come and ask to enter the reserves and another comes and asks for the animals to graze inside.

We have provided pastures for animals to graze in, not in the reserves. I want to make it clear to people that the reserves are a project to preserve wild plants, trees, animals, insects and reptiles. All of these living creatures are ‘protected’. We call on people not to spoil nature with negative behaviour such as trampling plants while riding bicycles.”

'I have never, and will never, tire of environmental conservation'

His Highness added: “I have been working in the Environment Conservation Programme since 1972, and I will continue to conserve seeds, plants, animals and others. I have never, and will never, tire of this work. I have faced many situations and challenges at the beginning of this programme. When we started the seed and plant conservation programme, after we made a great effort, it was all lost because of someone who was working with us.

We then started from scratch again and did not stop or tire, and thanks be to God, we have reached where we are now. We also have situations when we started to conserve animals, and one of the most prominent things we remember from these situations is when we lost the “sand cat” that we wanted to breed. With every situation, our determination increased and our resolve was renewed. Thanks be to God, we succeeded in completing a large step in this programme, which we will continue with, God willing.”

'Balanced' reserves

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah continued; “We have natural treasures in Sharjah and we are preserving them. For example, we have the big mountain facing the sea behind Khorfakkan. We have received requests from people for places to build on, but I told them that this area contains a type of lizards that is not found anywhere else in the world. If we eliminate them, they will become extinct from the face of the earth.

"God Almighty created them and we must preserve them. We do not want to multiply them to export them, for example, but rather to preserve the balance of nature. The number of these lizards will not increase through reproduction and will not decrease on its own.

Rather, their rate will remain constant due to the balance of nature that God Almighty created. All the reserves that we have in Sharjah are “balanced” and do not need us to put food inside them for the living creatures that live inside them. We find the owl eating the snake, and the snake eating the eggs of pigeons and others, and the cycle of life continues in balance. If the number of one creature overwhelms the other creatures, the balance will be disturbed. It is a chain. It is integrated and we cannot cut off."

'History of the Prophets'

Regarding the historical religious culture, Sheikh Sultan stressed that a person should contemplate the meanings of the Holy Quran when reading it, as it is from it that he learns the stories of the prophets. His Highness said: “I am now writing in the historical project “History of the Prophets”, which is a work that the reader will enjoy; as it includes an interpretation of the abundant lessons and meanings, and it is derived from the Holy Quran and has no other source. We see many people trying to contemplate the Holy Quran, but unfortunately they do not have the linguistic ability to achieve that, as language is the tool.

An example of this is the meaning of the Holy Verse No. (36) in Surat Hud; when Allah Almighty said: “And to [the people of] Madyan [We sent] their brother Shu'ayb”, the meaning of “their brother” here is not their brother, as it is not from the word “brother” but from the word “wakh” which means “intended”, so it becomes clear to us that the meaning here in the Holy Verse is that Shu’ayb came to Madyan; not that Shu’ayb is their brother. This is how the Holy Quran is contemplated by thinking and relying on the linguistic background in understanding the meanings.”