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January 2001
It is
ironical how lands that still have a semblance of wilderness and wildlife are
witnessing their destruction, while those that lost a sizeable number are
making desperate attempts to regain these for posterity. Some nations are recognised
as ‘megadiversity’ countries, on the basis of the enormous range of species
found on their territories. Yet, they are unable to devote adequate protection to
their wildlife and natural ecosystems, whether in nature reserves or outside or
even in captivity.
The
UAE hasn’t a fraction of the biodiversity found in a megadiversity country. Moreover,
it has either lost, or almost lost, some species in the wild. It is, however,
making a valiant attempt to turn the tide. When I visited Al Ain Zoo, I was
delighted to see the well–tended animals, many of which will be relocated to a
new zoological park with a fantastic design. I was introduced to an endearing
little female tiger cub that was being hand reared with tender loving care. But
then, I had to fight a sudden wave of depression. What flashed in my mind was
the plight of little Sakhi, the tigress that was skinned by an intruder right
within the confines of her cage in Hyderabad zoo.
While it
is reassuring that tigers are being looked after here, there is one disturbing
thought - that tiger skins are openly sold in some UAE souqs, the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) notwithstanding.
Poachers wouldn’t poach if there weren’t a market.
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On a warm July morning the apes in Al Ain Zoo are up
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to their usual pranks. In what seems like a practiced performance, they pose for pictures and look annoyed if you ignore them. The orangutan ambles about seemingly grinning at spectators, the chimpanzee flays his arms in the air (he’d hurl a pebble at you if you didn’t gaze at him in awe) and the gorilla leans against the wall, arm on waist, prompting you to photograph him.
The animals look content. But they have another reason to be cheerful - a spanking new home awaits them. Soon, the zoo’s African denizens will move to a shelter that is as closely akin to their natural habitat as can possibly be achieved in an ex situ conservation endeavour. The apes, gazelles, scimitar horned oryx, giraffes, zebras, lions, leopards, zebras and the birds will shift in the coming months. The elephants, hippos and others must wait for the second phase of zoo development.
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“The completed section is called ‘Africa Close-up.’ This initiates an extensive expansion and redevelopment programme that will make Al Ain Zoo easily the best in the Middle East, if not in all of Europe,” says Abdullah Hassan, undersecretary, Al Ain Municipality, as he prepares to visit the USA and Germany for co-ordinating collaborative programmes between the Al Ain and other zoos. The zoo premises will also encompass a sanctuary, nature reserve and national park, one of the conservation goals being to exemplify and demonstrate the practical differences between these protected area categories in terms of their management objectives.
Aimed at education, public awareness and recreation is the display area of the zoo, which will extend into a national park over the adjoining slopes of Jebel Hafeet.
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Here, wildlife, mainly gazelles, will roam free and visitors (on guided safaris) can view them in natural surroundings. This, however, is still at the development stage. Meanwhile, the rocky landscape of the completed zoo section simulates wilderness – the natural habitats of captive animals. Moats replace boundary fences, so “ in some enclosures there are no barriers seen between the public and animals, enabling hidden communication between the two,” explains Abdulrahman Abdul Al Azeez Al Dusari, acting manager, Al Ain Zoo.
Gardening is on full swing, sprinklers and drip irrigation systems are in place and no effort is being spared to coax the vegetation out of the soil. Shaded walkways have been laid down to lead visitors around the grounds and, sprinkled about the place, are attractive hutments for relaxing and plenty of viewing towers.
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The recreation-cum-educational area has been the first to be established because of pressure from the public. The most vital component of the zoo, however, is the breeding of endangered species. “The breeding zone will be closed to the public. The zoo has several endangered species a few of which, we fear, may be extinct from the wild unless successfully bred and re-introduced in their original habitats after restoration,” says Dusari. For instance, the main population of the Saudi gazelle is here and, in fact, a male and two females were sent to Saudi Arabia from the Al Ain zoo stock.
The breeding zone will have an in vitro fertilisation (IVF) facility, which will gain international recognition so that it may be tapped for semen and embryos of endangered and rare desert animals for purposes of breeding, increasing their populations and conducting research.
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Presently IVF attempts are being made to breed gorillas, a daunting and difficult task. “Even as many as 20 fertilisation attempts may not result in conception,” illustrates Dr. Nael Abuzeid, acting technical director. “And, as you know, one never does research on few numbers of very rare species. You have to breed them first.”
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Al Ain zoo houses some 90 species of mammals and has achieved remarkable success in breeding them, particularly gazelles, several of which have been released into the green belts of Al Ain. A veterinary hospital, research laboratory and incubation unit will be distinct advantages of the expansion plan.
Also on the cards is an enchanting new aquarium that would make the visitor get a feel of the ocean depths, a new reptile house, nocturnal house and indoor birdhouse with a glass dome, cafes, trains, cable cars…..
This is certainly a wildlife park to look forward to.
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Turtles get a Headstart
Some weeks ago Earthsense carried a feature on sea turtles. We follow up with more on a programme of hatchlings rearing and release under way.
Each year, between March and June, hawksbill turtles clamber ashore to nest on the beaches of Qarnayn island, off Abu Dhabi. Female turtles drag themselves up the sands, select suitable sites and dig out body pits using their front flippers, and then egg chambers - 35-45 cm deep - with the aid of hind flippers. In these, they lay eggs, an average of 60 per nest, tossing sand over them to prevent detection by predators. They then scramble back into the sea.
The eggs will incubate for some 60 days. After they hatch, young turtles may take 3 to 7 days to dig their way to the surface and then, head for water in groups, guided by the greater light intensity of the open horizon. Some hatchlings make it; others may fall prey to seabirds, excessive heat or sheer exhaustion.
On Qarnayn island, however, the hatchlings receive help from scientists of the Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency (ERWDA) who monitor the nesting and hatching process under the patronage of H H Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, State Minister for Foreign Affairs and Deputy Chairman of ERWDA. Selected nests have a ‘gargour’ (wired fish trap) placed over them, so when the hatchlings emerge (this is in the late evening or night) many will be collected and released into the sea, while some will be taken to a rearing unit on higher ground about 200 metres away. Here they will be tended till they are ready to fend for themselves and then, they will be set free into the waters of the Arabian Gulf.
This is ERWDA’S sea turtle hatchling rearing and release programme (the process is called headstarting) aimed at minimising hatchling mortality in natural conditions and increasing the wild turtle population.
Some 20 small and 10 large rearing tanks have been set up each supplied, via pipes, with a continuous flow of fresh seawater to restrict infection rates. Young hatchlings are kept in small tanks for two weeks, after which they are moved to larger tanks. Here they grow, fed on a balanced diet, receiving regular check ups for injury and infection (injured ones being separated for treatment), and having their tanks scrubbed clean every other day. Finally, they are released when they attain weights ranging from 100 – 300 grams. The programme has seen the liberation of 970 healthy hatchlings in the two years that it has been operational.
Some problems encountered in the initial phase of rearing have been ironed out over time. For instance, hatchlings tended to bite and injure each other. Distracting them with feed (equal to 2 - 5 % of their body weight) twice during the day (a little at a time) rectified this. Algal growth on their bodies was cleaned with a soft toothbrush. Rising water temperatures with the advancing season were controlled by dropping ice cubes in tanks, as well as transferring hatchlings in water stored during the night. Further, experimentation revealed that hatchling numbers be restricted to around 200 at any given time, so as not to over-crowd the tanks.
As a result, mortality in captivity has dropped from 27 per cent at the start of the programme, to a mere 6 per cent today. Scientists have succeeded in standardising the turtle rearing method, so an increasing number will continue to be released in nature.
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WHAT ON EARTH CAN WE DO?
Reduce our exposure to toxic cleaning chemicals and insecticides. Tips - a combination of powdered sugar and borax in equal proportions can kill cockroaches and ants. Oven grease can be cleaned with rag and vinegar. Salt can be spilt on grease spills, allowed to rest for a while, and washed clean.
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