Back in 1982, an emergency outflow from Abu Dhabi's Mafraq Sewage Treatment Plant led to the discharge of millions of gallons of treated effluent.
The spill created a semi-permanent water body - 3 km long and 0.5 km wide, shallow in some places, and several metres deep in others. Over time, wildfowl started congregating here in large numbers.
Today, this is Al Wathba Wetland Reserve.This 5 km² area is home to about 250 bird species, including greater flamingos that have even bred here. It also provides a safe refuge for many other species of reptiles, small mammals and insects and is an important area for biodiversity conservation in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Migratory birds stop here to rest, refuel and even breed. In the season October to April, one may see hundreds of waterfowl feeding and roosting. There are shelducks, shovelers, teals, black-winged stilts, redshanks, dunlins, little stints, curlew sandpipers, Kentish plovers…and in their midst, greater flamingos - the pride of Al Wathba!
source:
www.ameinfo.com