A ban on hunting ordered by President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan several years ago, has allied with massive breeding programmes to turn the UAE into a major bird sanctuary and resurrect some of the endangered animals.
The Oryx, believed to be the origin of the legendary unicorn, and the Arabian deer, have mushroomed and now stroll safely and undisturbed in various reserves in the country after they were brought back to the wildlife in large-scale breeding programmes.
The endangered Arabian wolf, which has not been seen for years, has been sighted in the mountainous areas at the Omani border and will likely reappear in the UAE.
But chances for the resurgence of the Striped Hyena are still weak as the animal has not been sighted for several years and is believed to have become extinct.
According to a wildlife study by the Western zoologists provided by the Ministry of Information and Culture, the ban on hunting and breeding programmes coupled with enormous afforestation projects have also restored balance in other parts of the animal kingdom and turned the UAE into one of the biggest bird sanctuaries in the world.
"At any time during migration periods of July, November and April, probably in excess of 250,000 waders are present on intertidal areas of the country's Gulf coast," the study said.
"Taking into account the likely turnover of shorebirds, the mudflats of the southern Gulf probably support several million individuals over the course of a year. For example, the current UAE population of Socotra cormorants is around 200,000, which is about 15-33 per cent of the estimated total world Socotra population."
It said the UAE also holds the Gulf's largest breeding population of Sooty Falcon, a strongly migratory species, the bulk of which winters in Madagascar.
Experts believe the UAE would continue to attract millions of migratory birds every year given its warm weather and the steady expansion in its farming and afforestation sector. Such projects are tempting some birds to stay longer and others to settle in the UAE.
The ban on hunting and ongoing breeding programmes spearheaded by Sheikh Zayed could also reverse the sharp erosion in the wildlife and ecological balance caused by massive hunting and development projects after oil was discovered four decades ago.
Breeding programmes have focused on highly endangered animals, including the Oryx, which has mushroomed into hundreds from a handful of animals captured alive in the country's wilderness more than 30 years ago.
The oryx became extinct in the early 1960s but today there are large herds at various locations in Abu Dhabi and other emirates. Oryxes are the largest of the Arabian antelopes and are creatures of the open desert being able to live in areas without trees or standing water.
Some of them are expected to be moved for breeding at a new animal reserve being built on the man-made Lulu island just opposite Abu Dhabi Corniche.
"The Lulu Island is being developed to become a major wildlife sanctuary. The project includes man-made lakes and ponds, parks, recreation and entertainment facilities and areas reflecting the traditional lifestyle of the country," said Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Information and Culture.
"This mega project has been designed to make the island a natural wildlife sanctuary where the animals, which include the deer and Oryx, live peacefully and breed without disturbance," Sheikh Abdullah said in reply to an online question.
While breeding programmes have made substantial progress in those animals, they have not expanded to such wild creatures as the endangered Arabian Wolf.
"The Arabian wolf is probably not present in the UAE at the time of the writing," the wildlife study said. "However, they are able to travel up to 60km in a night and may therefore appear suddenly in an area where they have not been seen for a long time."
In neighbouring Oman, the wolf population has increased significantly since hunting was banned, and there is a "strong possibility that they will reappear in the UAE."
But the study said Arabian wolves have started to lose their local characteristics apparently because of inter-breeding with foreign species.
"The pure Arabian wolf's eyes are yellow with black pupils. Today many are found with brown eyes, a sign that they are not of pure blood any more and that their ancestors have interbred with feral dogs. This poses a very serious threat to the survival of this species."
The study was not equally optimistic about the Striped Hyena, which it said had not been sighted in the UAE for several years.
"Since the animal appears to be absent from northern Oman at the present time, the chances of the Hyena recurring in the UAE seem to be slim."
Gulf News 2003
