Saadiyat’s Wildlife

Long before the island was developed, the Arabian Sand Gazelle (Gazella marica) roamed this landscape.

Today, these beautiful, vulnerable land mammals are one of Saadiyat’s most cherished residents.

Protected by conservation efforts, herds of the Arabian Gazelle can often be seen grazing freely across the island’s expansive golf course and natural dunes.

Their presence is a symbol of the island’s success in balancing luxury development with the preservation of native desert wildlife and heritage.

The clear, shallow waters surrounding Saadiyat Island are part of a critical sanctuary for the magnificent Dugong (or "sea cow").

These slow-moving, placid marine mammals are one of the most important protected species in the region.

Dugongs feed almost exclusively on the vast seagrass meadows found in the Saadiyat Marine National Park.

The Abu Dhabi region hosts the world's second-largest population of this gentle giant, offering a rare opportunity to witness them in their natural habitat as they gracefully graze the seafloor

Look beyond the tranquil beaches and into the open water, and you may be rewarded with a spectacular sight: pods of Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphins leaping through the waves.

These resident dolphins are frequently sighted close to shore due to the rich biodiversity of the island's protected marine park.

Saadiyat's clear, warm waters and abundant fish populations provide a stable environment for these intelligent coastal mammals, solidifying the island's reputation as a rare destination where luxury and wild nature meet.