The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment Celebrated the second Gulf Wildlife Day on Friday under the theme ‘Together to Conserve Wildlife’ with the aim of enhancing cooperation in the field of wildlife conservation among the GCC countries.

Held on December 30 every year, Gulf Wildlife Day is celebrated in the region by environmental authorities organising wide-ranging activities to raise awareness of wildlife conservation.

Dr. Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, the Minister of Climate Change and Environment said: "Through the ministry and the competent authorities, the UAE has been playing a key role in wildlife conservation. Our country has rich biodiversity that includes a set of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The government is working to preserve this status through developing legislation and adopting initiatives designed to achieve the national goals of the UAE Biodiversity Strategy by 2021."

He added: "In response to the directives of Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, we have launched our Wildlife Sustainability Programme to adopt policies, procedures and research activities concerning the conservation of native species as well as regulation of trade in animal and plant in line with international environmental conventions."

Expanding on the specifics of the programme, he said: "Among its goals are identifying invasive species and implementing mechanisms to control their spread as well as prevent their further imports. The programme has initiated a number of significant steps, such as the National Red List of Threatened Species project, and the National Invasive Species project."

He added: "Relevant local authorities are coordinating with the ministry to increase the number of natural protected areas in the UAE with the aim of the sustainability of threatened species and conserving important natural habitats. Protected areas contribute to maintaining environmental balance, safeguarding genetic resources, as well as restoring degraded ecosystems and rehabilitating species at risk of extinction."

The UAE already has several species rehabilitation initiatives in place, most notably breeding programmes for the houbara bustard, Arabian oryx, Arabian leopard and various birds of prey, such as the saker and peregrine falcons.

source :WAM