Bu Tinah Shoals are a cluster of low coral islands and sea grass beds in the Persian Gulf. The shoals lie about 80 miles (130 kilometers) west of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Bu Tinah’s main island has a sheltered lagoon forested with mangrove trees.
The shoals are part of the Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve, a large marine protected area in the Persian Gulf. They support populations of green turtles and hawksbill turtles, both of which are endangered sea turtles. Dugongs, a threatened sea mammal, inhabit the sea grass meadows. The dugongs share the shallow and surrounding waters with large populations of humpback and bottlenose dolphins. Migratory birds visit the islands during their long flights from central Asia to Africa. Birds that visit or nest in the area include Socotra cormorants, greater flamingoes, osprey, and white-cheeked terns. Today, the Bu Tinah Shoals are sparsely populated, and only a limited number of supervised visitors are allowed.
