Rare blue hole spotted off Abu Dhabi coast

Abu Dhabi’s Environment Agency is monitoring a rare blue hole located in the Al Dhafra region.

This unique habitat holds at least 10 types of coral species, forming a reef at the edges of the hole.

The semi-circular area topography is flat with a maximum depth of 12 meters and has a bottom composition combination of silt and sand.

The blue hole is also home to many fish communities and provides shelter for a variety of fish, including the Grouper, Sweetlips, Emperor Fish and Jackfish.

.@EADTweets is monitoring the presence of a rare ‘blue hole’ found in the waters of Al Dhafra region. The natural phenomenon reflects the rich biodiversity of #AbuDhabi’s marine ecosystem. pic.twitter.com/hisiTrKlY1

— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@ADMediaOffice) October 9, 2021

Preliminary analysis of the seabed area indicates a depressed, semi-circular area roughly around 5,000 square meters, although, an environmental assessment survey will be conducted to better understand the ecosystem.

In addition, to better determine the health of the existing coral reef community and assess localised ecosystem health, the agency will continue to conduct scientific and topographic surveys to further understand this unique natural phenomenon.

The blue hole is a natural phenomenon characterized by a deep marine depression compared to the shallow areas that surround it. The deepest blue hole, The Yongle, lies in the South China sea and reaches 300 meters. Other internationally famous blue holes include the Great Blue Hole in Belize, Gozo’s Blue Hole in Malta, the Blue Hole at Dabahb in Egypt and Dean’s Blue Hole in the Bahamas.