Sharjah Ruler blocks hotel development on Kalba Beach to protect nesting turtles

Sharjah Ruler Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi has rejected proposals to build a hotel on Kalba Beach, stating that no investment argument will override the responsibility of preserving the site as a vital nesting ground for endangered sea turtles.

"He who builds does not destroy," said Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah during a phone-in session on the Direct Line programme broadcast by Sharjah Radio and Television on Tuesday (April 14). He emphasised a 'true builder preserves rather than destroys', noting that environmental considerations take precedence over commercial interests.

Kalba Beach lies adjacent to Khor Kalba Conservation Reserve, home to the country's oldest mangrove forest and a key nesting site for the critically endangered hawksbill turtle. The beach is also the only known breeding ground in the UAE for the Arabian-collared kingfisher, a species found nowhere else in the world.

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Scientific studies show that nesting activity on the beach declined sharply over recent decades due to human disturbance, with only one recorded nesting in 2014 and another in 2015, despite the five-kilometre stretch of beach having historically seen regular annual nesting.

The Sharjah Ruler rejected repeated investment proposals seeking to develop the site commercially, stating that the emirate's natural resources are a public trust that must be protected. The decision follows a series of environmental directives announced earlier this month, including the designation of Al Qalqali Beach in Khorfakkan as an internationally registered nature reserve to protect a species of lizard found exclusively in the area.

Khor Kalba Reserve, established by Emiri decree in 2012, spans nearly 5,000 square kilometres. Scientific estimates indicate that approximately 500 female hawksbill turtles nest annually in UAE waters, while the global population of nesting females does not exceed 8,000.

Any disturbance to nesting sites whether from light pollution, construction activity, or noise poses a direct threat to sea turtle reproduction cycles, according to specialised environmental studies.