Atlantis Dubai and Dubai Environment Authority Release Sharks and Rays at Jebel Ali Sanctuary

By Web Desk / February 15, 2026

Dubai, UAE: Atlantis Dubai collaborated with the Dubai Environment and Climate Change Authority to release five Honeycomb Stingrays and eight Arabian Carpetsharks into the Jebel Ali Wildlife Sanctuary on 12 February. The initiative was part of the Atlantis Atlas Project, a sustainability programme launched in 2021 to manage the destination’s environmental conservation and social responsibility efforts.

The release was attended by government representatives and 25 pupils from local schools, who also participated in a beach clean-up. The animals, aged between six months and five years, were born at the Lost World Aquarium and raised in the resort’s fish hospital.

Prior to the release, the animal care team conducted health assessments and monitored the sharks and rays as they practiced foraging and interacting with other marine life.

Marine Conservation Operations at Atlantis Dubai

The Honeycomb Stingray breeding programme was established in 2019 to address declining populations in the Arabian Gulf, where over one third of shark and ray species are considered threatened. Since its inception, the programme has resulted in the release of 73 Arabian Carpetsharks and 17 Honeycomb Stingrays into the wild.

Kelly Timmins, Executive Director of Sustainability and Marine Animal Operations at Atlantis Dubai, states, “Through initiatives like this release, we are actively supporting local marine populations while helping to educate future generations about the role they can play in protecting our oceans.”

HE Ahmed Mohammed bin Thani, Director General of the Dubai Environment and Climate Change Authority, notes that the collaboration demonstrates how conservation and responsible tourism can work together to safeguard ecosystems.

The resort funds these projects through a contribution initiative where USD $1 from every guest marine animal experience is donated to sustainability efforts. Since June 2021, this has raised over USD $500,000. In 2025, the destination achieved EarthCheck Gold certification and the Forbes Travel Guide VERIFIED™ Responsible Hospitality badge, following the re-development of its aquarium which houses 65,000 marine animals.