Legal action has been pledged as complaints mount over unruly behaviour by families and groups flocking to Buhair Valley, with officials stressing the protected site is strictly off-limits to the public.
What began as isolated incidents has escalated sharply over the Eid holiday, with the 45-million-year-old natural landmark in East Riffa drawing growing crowds after viral social media posts showcased its lush greenery, tall grasses, unique rock formations and flowing streams – a rare sight in Bahrain’s urban landscape.
A visit by the GDN, along with several videos circulating online, revealed visitors driving through restricted areas, climbing protected rock formations, leaving litter across the site, feeding bread to fish and trampling fragile wetlands and tall grasses.
Southern Municipal Council chairman and area councillor Abdulla Abdullatif warned that those entering the site ‘are trespassing on a protected zone and will face legal consequences’.
In July 2022, His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, officially declared the ecological areas and rocky terrain of Buhair Valley a protected nature reserve in a move aimed at preserving its environment and wildlife.
“A formal complaint regarding the unruly behaviour has been sent to Oil and Environment Minister and Special Envoy for Climate Affairs Dr Mohammed Bin Daina,” Mr Abdullatif said.
“We have also requested the ministry to inspect the water in which individuals are swimming, as we believe it may be contaminated and could pose health risks,” he added.
“This is in addition to the fact that these individuals are trespassing on a protected area and must face legal action. Until the valley is properly opened for visitors, all entry remains prohibited.”
Concerns have also been raised over the environmental impact of the growing crowds, with wildlife photographer and geographical information system specialist Ajay Kumar Singh warning that unregulated human activity could severely damage the valley’s fragile ecosystem, which serves as a vital feeding and nesting ground for several bird species.
“I was shocked to see photos and videos of people rushing to the sites with vehicles on non-drivable roads,” Mr Singh told the GDN. “This will definitely change bird behaviour in the area.”
Among the birds that inhabit or migrate through the valley are grebes, herons, egrets, bitterns, plovers, lapwings, ducks, ibises, raptors, shrikes, larks, warblers, pheasants, rails, coots, flamingos, stilts, gulls and terns. Rare migratory species such as the black heron and black-necked stork have also been witnessed at the site.
Such disruptions could trigger a range of ecological consequences, including declining bird populations, as species struggle to find safe alternative habitats. Migratory birds, in particular, rely heavily on predictable stopover points to rest and feed during long journeys, making the loss of these areas especially damaging.
“Continued disturbance could also lead to a loss of biodiversity as species unable to adapt may gradually disappear from the area, ultimately disrupting the natural balance of the ecosystem,” Dr Singh explained.
“This is a valuable biodiversity site that has largely remained undisturbed. It may be the only wetland habitat left in Bahrain with reeds and tall grasses that attract both migratory and resident birds.
“These reeds and grasses provide protection, food sources and nesting sites for several species.
“If they are damaged or disturbed, this may cause resident and migratory birds in Buhair Valley to abandon or alter their nesting, roosting and stopover locations.”
Dr Singh also highlighted the site’s geological significance, noting that Wadi Al Buhair – with ‘wadi’ meaning valley and ‘buhair’ meaning ‘little sea’ – contains rock formations dating back to the middle Eocene epoch, between 40 and 48 million years ago.
The area also contains fossils formed from shells left behind by single-celled organisms known as foraminifera, which bored holes into limestone and left empty spaces after decomposition.
Dr Singh urged content creators and influencers to act responsibly before promoting environmentally sensitive areas online.
“Before posting viral videos, content creators should research the site and understand its significance,” he said. “This is a protected nature reserve with regulations established by the Supreme Council for Environment to safeguard the wildlife and biodiversity of the region.”
Buhair resident Yasser Mossa, 53, who occasionally visits the area to collect discarded glass bottles, said he has witnessed a sharp increase in the number of visitors as well as pollution.
“If I come here on Fridays, the place is completely packed,” he said.
“Most of the people are expatriates and tourists visiting the area. Earlier, you would hardly see many visitors, but there has definitely been a boom recently.
“However, it is sad to see people throwing litter on land that I have called home all my life.”
Meanwhile, a group of Filipina expatriates who visited the valley after seeing a viral TikTok video said visitors should treat the site with greater respect.
“People should not be climbing on the rocks, eating there and taking pictures,” said Marizel Natinga, 42, who was visiting with friends Jenny and Rosel.
“We came to see the place but stayed on the path so we would not disturb the greenery or rocks. If people want to admire the beauty of these areas, they should be more mindful and avoid damaging the environment.”
Concerns over the protection of Buhair Valley are not new.
In June 2022, more than 1,000 people in Bahrain signed an online petition calling for an end to the destruction of the valley to make way for a new commercial mall.
In July 2022, HRH Prince Salman declared the ecological areas and rocky terrain of Buhair Valley a protected nature reserve.
In 2024, the GDN also reported that councillors called for measures to protect ecological areas within Buhair Valley to be fast-tracked following what they described as ‘unacceptable delays’, despite the site already being officially designated a nature reserve.
The Southern Municipal Council stressed the need to map protected areas and instal fencing to prevent trespassing and further destruction of the historic site.
julia@gdnmedia.bh
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