This video from the UAE says about itself:
Kenny and Erica visit the Ras Al Khor Flamingo and Bird Sanctuary in the middle of the city of Dubai.
From Wildlife Extra:
Emirates bird habitats under threat from development
Annual Waterbirds Census reveals that 4 of the 6 most frequented wetlands by waterbirds face highest development pressures
July 2011. The annual census to count waterbirds in the United Arab Emirates, which was undertaken by the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) and its partners this year, showed that 4 of the 6 of the most frequented wetlands by waterbirds (Bul Syayeef, Khor Beidah, Khor al-Khawair and Ra’s al-Khor) are currently facing high development pressures.
The Annual Waterbirds Census is a tool to monitor the number of birds in the country. The census is necessary for the conservation of wetland habitats and species and is in line with the UAE’s commitment to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Ramsar Convention for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. Moreover, such censuses serve as an early alarm signal about the performance of the country’s ecosystems and help the Government to identify sensitive areas along the coastline which need further protection.
Irreversible loss of habitat
“This year’s census revealed that 4 of the 6 of the most frequented wetlands by waterbirds (Bul Syayeef, Khor Beidah, Khor al-Khawair and Ra’s al-Khor) are currently facing the highest development pressures. These important sites have already suffered irreversible loss of habitats and need to be included within protected areas. This will help ensure a greater balance between development and conservation,” said Dr. Salim Javed, Manager, Biodiversity Assessment & Monitoring at EAD and national coordinator for the census.
Bird numbers doubled
“We believe that the number of waterbirds doubled this year, compared to last year, as a result of having more observers and covering more sites. This indicates that a critical success factor for this census is the cooperation of all the partners. We are proud to see that all our partners are fully committed to the long-term continuity of the census every year,” Dr. Javed said.
22,000 Greater flamingo
“This year’s census also found the Greater flamingo to be the most common species with nearly 22,000 individuals, followed by nearly 19,000 Socotra cormorants, nearly 17,000 common black-headed gulls, more than 9000 little stints and more than 5,000 dunlins. We visited 47 sites in 2011 and covered all the seven emirates. 21 were in Abu Dhabi, 7 in Dubai, 9 in Fujairah, 3 in Sharjah, 2 in Ajman, 4 in Ra’s al-Khaimah and one in Umm al-Qaiwain. Bul Syayeef in Abu Dhabi, Khor al-Beida in Umm al-Qaiwain, Khor al-Khuwair in Ra’s al-Khaimah, Ra’s al- Khor in Dubai and Al Wathba in Abu Dhabi were the five most important sites in terms of total numbers of birds, accounting for nearly 62% of all the birds counted during 2011,” said Dr. Christophe Tourenq, science and research manager at EWS-WWF.
“This is the second year that we join our partners and we are proud to see that the number of sites being covered is increasing and that more volunteers are being involved. Every year, we gain even more experience and learn more about our nation’s ecological system,” said Maral Khaled Shuriqi, Geologist, Environment Protection and Development Department, Fujairah Municipality. …
The 2011 census, led by EAD, was undertaken by 23 recorders from six different government and non-government organizations. These include Emirates Wildlife Society in association with World Wide Fund for Nature (EWS-WWF), Emirates Bird Records Committee (EBRC), Higher Colleges of Technology-Fujairah and Fujairah Municipality. The two-day count covered 47 sites across the country and accounted for nearly 95,000 waterbirds. During the census, 98 species of waterbirds from a list of nearly 150 waterbirds were recorded.
Illegal animal trade thriving in UAE: here.
Penguins in the UAE: here.
On July 13, three Flamingo chicks went on exhibit at Columbus Zoo. In recent years, the zoo has been increasingly successful in breeding Flamingos. Keepers have found that hand rearing chicks makes these typicaly easily spooked birds more manageable in their adulthood. Columbus Zoo lightens the load for Flamingo moms by positioning a wooden decoy egg in the nest after removing the real eggs for incubation. This ensures that the females won’t continue to lay, since egg laying is a taxing operation: here.
Tampas Lowry Park Zoo Hatches Six Greater Flamingos: here.
Turkey: Salt harvesting threat to Tuz Golu Flamingos: here.
Pink’s the thing in the Bahamas, where the Caribbean flamingos of Inagua National Park have produced a bumper crop of chicks this year. In June, WCS veterinarians and Bronx Zoo bird experts joined a crew of international researchers to band the juvenile birds, and give them health check-ups. The group also taught local students about Caribbean flamingo conservation, and trained community members to conduct future banding projects: here.
Pingback: UAE wildlife conservation news | Dear Kitty. Some blog
Pingback: New species discoveries in the UAE | Dear Kitty. Some blog
Pingback: Flamingos nesting in Abu Dhabi | Dear Kitty. Some blog
Pingback: Rare white-fronted geese in Kuwait, killed by poachers | Dear Kitty. Some blog