 The sandy desert surrounding the city supports wild grasses and occasional date palms . Desert hyacinths grow in the sabkha plains east of the city , while acacia and <unk> trees grow in the flat plains within the proximity of the Western Al Hajar mountains . Several indigenous trees such as the date palm and neem as well as imported trees such as the eucalypts grow in Dubai 's natural parks . The <unk> bustard , striped hyena , caracal , desert fox , falcon and Arabian oryx are common in Dubai 's desert . Dubai is on the migration path between Europe , Asia and Africa , and more than 320 migratory bird species pass through the emirate in spring and autumn . The waters of Dubai are home to more than 300 species of fish , including the <unk> . The typical marine life off the Dubai coast includes tropical fish , jellyfish , coral , dugong , dolphins , whales and sharks . Various types of turtles can also be found in the area including the hawksbill turtle and green turtle , which are listed as endangered species . 
