City
Abu Dhabi
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
Asia, United Arab Emirates 227 spp. recorded
Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the United Arab Emirates, and of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the seat of the Abu Dhabi Central Capital District and the UAE's second-most populous city, after Dubai. Situated on a T-shaped island, Abu Dhabi extends into the Persian Gulf from the central-western coast of the UAE. Wikipedia
24.469° N 54.385° E
🦜 Nature
227 Species sighted
23,022 Verified sightings From 2019 to 2026
Apr Best month
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
📊 Most Spotted
LC
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
EN
European Rabbit
Oryctolagus cuniculus
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
LC
Rough-tailed Gecko
Cyrtopodion scabrum
LC
Ocellated Bronze Skink
Chalcides ocellatus
📊 Most Spotted
📊 Most Spotted
⭐ Iconic Species
🌙 Most active after dark
Recent sightings in Abu Dhabi
LIVEiNaturalistWhere to look
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
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Abu Dhabi Formal Park
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Abu Dhabi Golf and Equestrian Club
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Mushrif Palace Gardens
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Eastern Lagoon (Eastern Mangroves National Park)
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Eastern Mangroves Hotel and Spa
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Abu Dhabi Rotana Hotel and Mall
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Umm al-Emarat Park
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The Founder's Memorial
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Abu Dhabi Corniche
Sighting Calendar
How many species you'd see in a day
18Jan
24Feb
25Mar
28Apr
21May
19Jun
20Jul
19Aug
21Sep
24Oct
26Nov
21Dec
🏙️ City
Essentials
Green cover
Low
Protected land
—
Protected sea
3%
Protected areas
1
areasWildlife spots
12
spotsZoos & centres
1
placesClimate
Hot desert
World Heritage
No
Climate
Temp °C Rain mm
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Zoos & rescue centres
0.0 Excellent
Wallace's Line Score
How good is this city for seeing wildlife? 🦜
Biodiversity
GoodHow rich is the wildlife?
3.6
Species by taxon
🦅 Birds 392
🐒 Mammals 52
🦎 Reptiles 51
🐸 Amphibians 0
495 Total Species
679 Global average across 380 cities
31 Threatened 0 Endemic
🔭
Sighting
Very goodHow likely to see animals?
4.0
🎯
Top-12 Avg Probability
71% 📊
Coverage (79 species at ≥5% of 495 in the inventory)
16% 🔀
Taxon variety in top 12 (12 bird)
0% 🌟
Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)
3 ⭐
High-prob species (>40%)
13 🏕️
Experience
Very goodHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
3.5
Climate Mixed Medium
Green cover Low Low
Protected land & sea 3% sea Medium
Protected areas 1 Medium
Wildlife spots 12 High
Zoos & centres 1 Medium
What visitors say
Before you go
What animals can you see in Abu Dhabi?
227 species
Abu Dhabi's urban area has 227 recorded vertebrate species. The ones wildlife watchers report most often on a given day are Laughing Dove (over 90%), White-eared Bulbul (over 90%), House Sparrow (about 90%), Rock Pigeon (about 80%) and Purple Sunbird (about 80%). Among reptiles, the most-seen is Northern House Gecko (about 50%).
When is the best time to see wildlife in Abu Dhabi?
April and June
In those months the city's 12 most-seen species average about 80% on a given day, against about 60% in January.
Can you see a White-eared Bulbul in Abu Dhabi?
Yes
Over 90% of wildlife watchers report a White-eared Bulbul sighting in Abu Dhabi on a given day, based on 1,426 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is March to December (over 90%).
Can you see a Delicate Prinia in Abu Dhabi?
Yes
About 60% of wildlife watchers report a Delicate Prinia sighting in Abu Dhabi on a given day, based on 778 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is April to June (about 80%).
Can you see a Heyden’s gecko in Abu Dhabi?
Yes
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Heyden’s gecko sighting in Abu Dhabi on a given day, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is May, July and December (about 50%).
Where in Abu Dhabi is wildlife easiest to see?
Heritage Park
The spot where most wildlife watchers record their sightings is Heritage Park (109 bird species recorded), followed by Abu Dhabi Formal Park and Abu Dhabi Golf and Equestrian Club. See them on the map.
Is Abu Dhabi good for wildlife watching?
4.0 out of 5
On the Wallace's Line Score, which rates each city against other cities, Abu Dhabi gets 4.0/5: 236th of 380 cities worldwide and 98th in Asia. 14 of its species are reported by about 40% or more of wildlife watchers on a given day.
Nearest Parks
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Nearest Zoos & Centres
Sources: urban area GHSL Urban Centre Database R2024A, European Commission JRC (CC BY 4.0) · protected land WDPA, UNEP-WCMC & IUCN (via GHSL) · climate NASA POWER · wildlife GBIF.org citizen-science data