A report from the United Arab Emirates
Dr Marijcke Jongbloed
The author, a long term resident of Dubai, has played an important role in efforts to increase public awareness on conservation issues in the UAE and breeds the endangered Gordon's wildcat in her garden. Fifty offspring have been sent to 15 zoos around the world. She is a founder member of the Arabian Leopard Trust.

The year that is coming to an end has seen some major developments in conservation efforts in the United Arab Emirates. The Emirates Natural History Group (started in 1977 in Abu Dhabi, with a branch in Al Ain and an independent group in Dubai) has always focused on conservation issues and was instrumental in creating protected areas for key species of wading birds. The Al Ain Zoo has been breeding endangered Arabian wildlife for many years, and its herd of Arabian oryx now stands at over 140 animals. Other species that are being bred successfully in captivity include the sandcat (Felis margarita), with 24 offspring of four wild-caught, unrelated animals; 48 reem gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa marica); 38 Arabian dorcas (Gazella dorcas) and 120 dhabi (Gazella gazella). The wolves, which are breeding abundantly, are unfortunately hybridised with feral domestic dogs. One pair of pure Arabian wolves, obtained from Saudi Arabia, has not yet bred.

The Gordon's wildcat (Felis silvestris gordoni) has been bred in captivity by private owners in Dubai. From one pregnant female about 50 offspring have been distributed to 15 zoos around the world, including Dubai Zoo and Kuwait Zoo. In order to infuse new blood into the breeding programme, a cat-catching campaign was launched during the first five months of 1993, sponsored by local companies and individuals, which resulted in the capture of a young male. The result of the highly publicised campaign was that many people became aware for the first time that there were endangered animals in the desert that were worth saving.

The increased public awareness of nature paid rapid dividends for, when a spate of killings of Arabian leopards and caracal lynxes was reported in the local press during the first quarter of 1993, this brought a group of residents together to form The Arabian Leopard Trust. This Trust operates under the umbrella of a local charity named The Environment Friends. The aims of the Trust are threefold: to educate the general public about threats to the environment, particularly in relation to the big cats; to support efforts directed at establishment of nature reserves in the UAE and southern Arabia; and to promote the breeding of endangered Arabian species with the objective, wherever possible, of releases back into the wild.

The Arabian Leopard Trust faces a major challenge for the issues are complicated and tend to rate a relatively low priority in the socio-economic climate of the region. There have however been many signs that public awareness campaigns are bearing fruit and interest in such conservation issues is growing. We can only hope that there is still time to save the Arabian leopard from extinction.

UAE hit by "RED TIDE"
Peter Hellyer

Fishing off the coast of Abu Dhabi was suspended for a two week period in late September and early October following reports of a number of incidences of fish-kills that were initially ascribed to high levels of mercury poisoning. The Federal Environmental Agency, officially created earlier in the year, invited scientists from the United States and Britain to help investigate the incident, with responsibility finally being placed upon what was officially described as "isolated outbreaks of algal blooms" or "red tides".

Extensive searches of coastal waters and the shoreline after the fish kill was first reported, probably the most detailed ever made, produced several dead dolphins, mostly bottle-nosed dolphins, which are relatively common in deeper waters off the UAE coast. These deaths were later connected to a probable bacterial infection.

Efforts to compare the level of dolphin mortality with usual rates of death proved impossible as the investigating committee, headed by FEA Chairman and Health Minister Ahmed Saeed al Badi, found that no proper previous records had been kept. One result of the incident is that plans are now being laid for the creation of a register where details of deaths of marine mammals and other animals like turtles can be kept, which, in turn, should lead to a better understanding of their status in the southern Arabian Gulf.

During the investigation, a number of fish were found to contain encysted nematodes, similar to parasites previously reported from Kuwait. These were taken to the United States for analysis and study.

One by-product of the incident was a recognition of the need for greater study of the UAE's sea and marine biology, which, in turn, should produce extensive new knowledge on the threats from pollution to the increasingly busy waterways of the southern Gulf.

The proposed Wadi Rum Nature Reserve is located in southern Jordan among the well-known Rum mountains and covers an area of approximately 500 sq.kms. The location is centred on 35°25' East longitude and 29°35' North latitude. The boundaries enclose the distinctive, sheer sided mountain masses of the Rum area along with some of the typical sandy wadis and the diverse vegetated wadi Rumman. Elevation ranges from 800m to 1750 m above sea-level.

Wadi Rum is the result of an enormous upheaval that thrust granite and sandstone outcrops through the surface of the earth millions of years ago. Looking at the cliffs, one sees the colourful phenomenon of ever changing hues, depending on the hour of the day. Human habitation dates back 8000 years with numerous sites and rock drawings bearing witness to this fact. Ruins of a Nabatean temple found at the great massif of Jebel Rum identifies Wadi Rum as an important centre for Nabateans in early times.

Plant cover includes communities dominated by Lygos raetam, Haloxylon reticulatum, Anabasis articulata and Artemisia inculta.

The proposed nature reserve is one of the few remaining places that harbour remnant populations of large animals such as ibex and the goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa). In addition hedgehogs, striped hyena, hare, red fox, rock hyrax and porcupine are reputed to occur. resident birds include mourning wheatear, white-crowned black wheatear, Sinai rosefinch and the brown-necked raven.

Over-grazing, soil pulverisation and altering of the area's archaeology remain significant problems facing the proposed site. In addition, poverty, unemployment, lack of basic services and the intricate structure of the Bedouin community would compound problems associated with implementation unless carefully considered. The Nature Reserve will ultimately constitute an adequate level of protection for the area.

TRAINING WORKSHOP

A third training workshop for rangers was held at the NCWCD Headquarters from 9 October to 9 November 1993. The Workshop includes discussions and practical training related to the ranger's duties and is directed at improving their performance. Fifteen rangers from the ten protected areas in the Kingdom have participated in this workshop.

WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT CONGRESS

Five staff members from NCWCD participated in the First International Wildlife Management Congress held in San Jose, Costa Rica from 19-25 September, 1993. Three papers dealing with wildlife in the Kingdom were presented at the Congress. In addition, the Secretary-General of the NCWCD, Prof. Abdulaziz Abuzinada presented a cheque for US$10,000 to the President of the American Wildlife Society as a contribution from the Government of Saudi Arabia towards organisation of the Congress and printing of the Congress Proceedings.

HOUBARA WORKSHOP

An international workshop on restoration of houbara bustard populations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was organised by NCWCD, at the National Wildlife Research centre, Taif and Riyadh, from 29 September to 5 October, 1993. Experts from UK, USA, Khazakstan, Russia, New Zealand, Germany, France, South Africa and Saudi Arabia participated in the workshop. As a result of the workshop, a strategy for captive breeding and reintroduction of the birds is being developed.

SAUDI BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY

The Saudi Biological Society will hold its 15th Annual meeting in May 1994. The venue is to be Umm Al Qara University in Makkah, and the theme of the meeting is Biological Aspects of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

IUCN SPECIES SPECIALIST GROUPS

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will be represented by NCWCD at the IUCN General Assembly and Species Specialist Groups meetings which will be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina in January 1994. A contribution of US $15,000 from the Saudi Government towards the organisation of these meetings will be presented to the organisers. Also, an exhibit on the achievements of the Commission in the field of wildlife conservation in the Kingdom, with emphasis on the System Plan of Protected Areas, will be displayed during the meetings.

SAVED TURTLE

Last spring, a weakened young turtle saved by fishermen in the Red Sea, north of Jeddah, was presented to the Commission. The turtle was nurtured back to good health by Commission staff and released back to the Red Sea on 6th October by members of the NCWCD Turtle Research Team.

The latest issue, Vol.3.2, of Tribulus, the bi-annual Journal of the Abu Dhabi-based Emirates Natural History Group, appeared recently. As usual, it contains a mixture of items of interest both to natural historians and archaeologists, including a summary of recent sightings of the Arabian leopard and caracal lynx in the UAE and the neighbouring Musandam enclave of Oman; a preliminary list of ant records from Abu Dhabi; the second part of a listing of fossil sea-urchin tests found in the UAE and neighbouring Oman; notes on Brandt's hedgehog, the desert monitor, and a carpet viper eating an Arabian toad; as well as some interesting archaeological items. Also included, in both English and Arabic, is the Law of the UAE's new federal Environmental Agency, as well as a report by Simon Aspinall and Erik Hirschfield on the greater flamingo colony reviewed in this edition of Arabian Wildlife by Tribulus Editor, Peter Hellyer.

Funded largely from sales and the support of a number of corporate sponsors, the magazine, now entering its fourth year, is in A4 format, with colour illustrations, and is the only journal devoted purely to the natural history and archaeology of the Emirates. Copies are available from the ENHG, P.O.Box 2380, Abu Dhabi, UAE, or from the Ornithological Society of the Middle East, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire, SG192DL, UK.

BAHRAIN NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY
by Professor Phil Basson, Chairman.

The Bahrain Natural History Society, which was originally established in the mid-1970's, is involved with a diverse and wide ranging list of activities. The Society has a monthly meeting on the first Tuesday of every month, at which time an illustrated talk is presented to the membership and general public. There is an executive committee of about 14 members which is responsible for planning programmes and directing the activities of the Society.

From time to time, the BNHS publishes a report entitled Wildlife of Bahrain (i.e. 1977, 1984, 1987, 1990) containing items pertaining to the natural history of Bahrain's island nation. It also presents an up-dated list of birds sighted on a semi-annual basis. In November 1993, society member Dr Saeed Mohamed, saw the launch of his fine illustrated book on Bahrain's bird life. Published in Arabic the book is the first of its kind and should make a strong impact on Bahrainis. Two other society members: Tom Nightingale and Mike Hill, have also written and illustrated a beautiful book on Bahrain's birds, published this time in English. Meanwhile another member of the Society, Steve Green, is collecting material for a book on Bahrain's sea-shells.

The society plays an active role in communicating the conservation message and in taking practical steps to protect wildlife. The society's role in joint programmes operated together with the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and the Environmental Protection Committee of Bahrain, the EPC, has been ably co-ordinated on behalf of BNHS by Joy Elliott. Activities in this field have included "Climb for the World"; a Mini-Earth Summit; a one-day teacher training session on the ecology of Tubli Bay and its associated mangrove area; and, during the Gulf War oil spill crisis, a wildlife clean-up programme for oil-fouled animals. There are also a number of specific bird oriented projects including ringing and observations for the world-wide wetlands bird survey.

NATIONAL AVIAN RESEARCH CENTRE
ESTABLISHED IN ABU DHABI
Richard J. Hornby

It was the need to solve the 'houbara problem' and disentangle the complexity of ecological factors involved in its decline, that led to establishment of the National Avian Research centre in Abu Dhabi. The legal basis of the Centre is vested in a Royal Decree approved in September 1989 by HH The Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan. The Centre is charged with responsibility for carrying out scientific ecological research (particularly into houbara bustards), to promote scientific understanding and public interest in the conservation of birds and to develop and implement appropriate plans and projects with Government institutions. The ultimate aim is to increase the number of houbara wintering in Abu Dhabi. Significant resources will be devoted to managing the houbara already in captivity in Abu Dhabi, particularly at Al Ain Zoo, in order to increase their breeding output. Avicultural methods clearly need to be developed using scientific principles, and the possibility of large-scale breeding and release remains a possibility. For the time being, however, all options will be pursued with equal vigour. The number of houbara wintering in Abu Dhabi could be increased by persuading the migrants to spend longer there before continuing south, or by establishing a new resident breeding population. Captive breeding, restoration of habitat in Abu Dhabi, and improvement of conditions in the breeding grounds in central Asia, are all part of NARC's game-plan. (extracted with permission from Oman Bird News).