IN THE NEWS

INTERESTED IN PRINTED T-SHIRTS?
WANT TO SEND AN ECARD?
We welcome any news items relating to Arabian wildlife and the environment.

NEW ENVIRONMENTAL MAGAZINE FOR UAE SCHOOL CHILDREN
Collaboration between the Food and Environment Control Center in Abu Dhabi and Shell Abu Dhabi has resulted in the launch of a new magazine aimed at raising environmental awareness of the the UAE's young people.

Al Bee'ee Al Sagheer is the first magazine of its kind is devoted to all aspects of environment. The first issue has been launched on Wednesday 18th April 2001, and distributed free of charge to all the schools in Abu Dhabi Emirate. All the articles were written by elementary, and middle school students (5 to 15 years old). This first issue had many environmental articles such as Q&A, views, my country, GCC before oil discovery, recyclable materials, a trip to the beach, coral reefs, Egretta alba bird, the soil worms, the types of turtles, insects, pollution sources, word search, drawings, dictionary, agreements, web-sites.

Al Bee'ee Al Sagheer provided all the young environmentalists with an opportunity to publish their work for a peer audience as follows:

1. Mailed to P.O.Box 32877 Abu Dhabi, UAE.
2. e-mailed to [email protected]
3. Hand delivered to Eng. Manale Elewah,
Media & Publications Officer at the FECC, Al Salam Street.

Goals of Al Bee'ee Al Sagheer
1. To provide students with an opportunity to publish their participation and research in a magazine, as a scientist would publish in a refereed magazine.
2. To provide students an opportunity to write about environmental topics and receive recognition for their efforts.
3. To raise environmental consciousness of students and to motivate a wide variety of students to pursue environmental issues through the reading, collection and compilation of information to be profiled in the magazine.
4. To provide educational materials for teachers who wish to enhance their environmental education program through writing skills and student environmental programs.


EGYPTIAN CHEETAH EXPEDITION

by Peter Gross

As pictures in the tombs of the ancient Egyptians verify, the pharaohs kept and trained cheetah to help on hunting expeditions. Today the total worldwide population of the cheetah is highly endangered. The number of African cheetah is rapidly diminishing due to competition with mankind for suitable habitat.

Of late there have been reports that a small and isolated cheetah population might possibly still exist in some desert areas of Egypt. If upcoming field studies are able to prove the existence of cheetah in Egypt, urgent measures to protect and conserve this endangered population will need to be immediately implemented. Proof of surviving cheetah would not only be sensational news to the global wildlife conservation effort, but it could even be the decisive link for preserving the future of this beautiful animal.


DANCES WITH WHALE SHARKS

by Peter Elvin

Two weeks of planning culminated in six of us busily loading the boat with diving gear at six thirty on a perfect U.A.E winter's morning. Fifteen minutes later and we eased out of the harbour to a mirror glass sea. The boat lifted easily on to the plane as the two giant twin two hundred horse power engines took us to our cruising speed of over sixty kilometres per hour.

Our destination that morning was the wreck of the Energy Determination; possibly one of the best dive sites there is and, at the time of it's sinking, the longest shipwreck in the world. But now, resting in up to 80 metres of water, it’s definitely only a dive for the experienced. We had a fairly good idea of what was to come as the wreck is like a giant restaurant. Shoals of barracuda, hamour, tuna, jacks and sha’ari wait for the smaller fish to come up over it, and rays and sharks also turn up occasionally.

We anchored over the wreck and, to our amazement, a five-metre whale shark swam to within a metre of the boat and stopped. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity for us, as few divers ever have the chance to swim with these graceful, plankton-eating creatures. We slipped into the water with mask and fins; man and fish looked at one another. As the whale shark moved away, completely unafraid of our presence, we swam along beside it. During the course of the day, at about half-hourly intervals, more whale sharks swam up to the boat, seeming strangely attracted by it. A total of four individuals were seen, the largest about seven metres in length. By the time we left the dive site we had all made numerous encounters with the whale sharks.

This was a very special day for us and our story will be retold many times as the years go by. Will my grandchildren ever have the same opportunity to dance with the whale sharks?

I hope so.


STUDENTS CLUB TOGETHER FOR CONSERVATION

by Michelle and Peter Wright

Seven 7th grade students from the American School of Dubai donated over Dh 500 for conservation projects in Arabia. Their efforts have gone towards developing and printing posters for a public awareness conservation campaign in Yemen; part of a joint project between the Environment and Protected Areas Authority Sharjah and the Environment Protection Council of Yemen.

Thanks go to the following students: Dana Jaff, Sarah Jordan, Diva Datwani, Harris Atmar, Alan Hassan, Jake Arakal and Jason Campbell.


WITH THE AID OF A SHRIMP...

Kevin Thompson

Researchers from the Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife and the Pest Control Section of Dubai Municipality have made an exciting discovery that will aid biological control implementation.

During recent surveys conducted in the Emirates of Dubai and Sharjah, researchers have managed to isolate populations of the tadpole shrimp, Triops sp.. These tadpole shrimps have previously only been found on the Arabian peninsular in Saudi Arabia, Oman and Yemen, and further afield in Syria. Populations are also expected to occur in the Empty Quarter but, as of yet, none have been documented.

The tadpole shrimp is regarded as a relic from another age and records for the shrimp date back as far as the Upper Cambrian – that’s about 500 million years ago! Remarkably, their basic structure has remained unchanged; they still have a shield-like carapace with a pair of fused eyes, a segmented abdomen and paired tail filaments.

These crustaceans are considered important for biological control as part of their diet consists of midge and mosquito larvae. They are easy to use in control situations because of their fast life cycle and the fact that their cysts (eggs) are able to survive drought conditions for up to 10 years.

After rain, temporary pools become home to many different organisms, amongst them mosquito and midge larvae. These larvae can be a serious pest, particularly when they act as vectors (transmitting agents) for various parasites and diseases. Control by using poisons and other insecticides are not always pest-specific though, and can harm the other useful animals. If the tadpole shrimp were present however, a new method of safe, environmentally friendly control can be used to eradicate these pests.

The knowledge that the tadpole shrimp is indigenous to certain countries or regions makes their introduction as a control species (to these specific areas) more acceptable. Great difficulties often arise when an alien species is imported for biological control purposes.



All material on this page is copyrighted by Trident Press Ltd and/or individual contributors.
Unauthorised use of photographs or text is strictly prohibited.

Back to HOME Contact us: EMAIL Subscribe to ARABIAN WILDLIFE MAGAZINE LINK your site to ours Leave a message on our WEB BOARD Visit our BOOK SHOP