Two orcas were spotted by fisherman off the coast of Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, prompting the government to issue a warning against swimming in the sea for the next two days.
Some hotel owners in Abu Dhabi received an email from the city's Department of Culture and Tourism's environment health and safety unit ordering them to immediately cancel all beach swimming activities for the next two days.
The National was able to get an email that warned businesses to avoid the beach because of killer whales.
The beach at St. Regis Saadiyat was closed until Friday, and a note was given to all residents to that effect.
"We have been notified by the relevant authorities of the presence of a killer whale in the waters along the Abu Dhabi coast," the email read.
It has been recommended that, "effective immediately," no more swimming or other water activities should be undertaken.
Because of this, the St. Regis has announced that the residence beach will be closed today and tomorrow.
Well-travelled wildlife
Killer whales aren't known to pose a threat to humans, but the Abu Dhabi Environment Agency has issued a warning about getting too close to some of the most well-traveled marine mammals.
The agency posted a warning on Instagram, stating, "Orcas are usually not a threat to humans, however, we urge the public to keep a safe distance when spotting [them] and alert the Abu Dhabi government call centre on 800555."
The organisation also noted that while the most recent encounter was unusual, orcas do occasionally swim across Abu Dhabi's waterways.
The recent sightings of the mammals, according to Maitha Al Hameli, manager of marine evaluation and conservation at Abu Dhabi Environment Agency, speak to the high quality of the waterways in the emirate.
"The whales in Abu Dhabi waters are a testament to the health of marine life because [several] sources of food," Ms. Al Hameli told Emirates TV.
The Abu Dhabi Environment Agency has been working hard to preserve marine life and prevent overfishing, therefore this success story is a direct outcome of their efforts.
