Mangrove “Hara” Forests of Iran’s Qeshm Island

“Hara” Forests of Iran’s Qeshm Island, the Seven Wonderland of Iran, has the most beautiful and unique natural phenomenon in it. Hara forest is one of the attractions on the Qeshm’s Seven Wonders list. Hara forests with 22,000 km of vastness are located on the shores of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. This forest is one of the rare natural phenomena in the world.

The trees of this forest are green throughout the year and reach 3 to 6 meters in length. The Hara tree, a salt-water plant that is often submerged at high tide, grows to heights of three to eight meters and has bright green leaves and twigs.

An interesting feature of these trees is that after millions of years, they have adapted very well to saltwater. Therefore, they feed on saltwater and naturally refresh the water by repelling salt.

Due to the favorable conditions, mangrove forest is a safe habitat for migratory birds from the tropics. Birds such as Goliath Heron, Great egret, Western reef heron, Indian pond heron, Spoonbill, gray plover, the Curlews, and the Large white-headed gulls. Therefore, this forest is one of the best places for bird watching for different species of birds. The forest is also a great habitat for fish, mollusks, and crustaceans. Tide mode occurs in this forest every 6 hours. The water level of this forest is about 1 and a half meters in normal condition.

But in the time of sea ebb, the trees of this forest go underwater, and the influx of fish in ebb mode makes it a suitable place for fishing. Interestingly, in inflow conditions, it seems that these trees have grown on dry land. In addition to sailing and enjoying the unique scenery of this forest, in the winter you can see a large number of migratory birds.