Foreign pets in wadis pose serious risk to local wildlife

Foreign pets in wadis pose serious risk to local wildlife

Species of African fish or terrapins from Florida have been found in a wadi in Fujairah, which has alarmed environmentalists as the damage caused by these pets could be far greater than initially estimated.

Viruses like salmonella can easily be spread if nothing is done to eradicate certain invasive species from a habitat that is not their own, said Christophe Tourenq, science and research manager of the Emirates Wildlife Society-WWF.

Today is World Biodiversity Day, a United Nations awareness day held every year on May 22.

Tilapia fish, usually introduced to eat mosquito larvae, have been seen in wadi Wurrayah in Fujairah, an area currently awaiting federal protection by decree. A red-eared slider, or terrapin, was also found by researcher Emma Smart from the Wadi Fish Project.

"Predators or diseases that keep invasive species under control in their own habitat often don't exist in foreign habitats, which is why they flourish.

"Tilapia have probably been introduced by weekenders to give themselves something to fish," said Smart.

Tourenq added: "I imagine they were released with good intentions but terrapins in wadi pools could eat all wadi fish. Luckily, despite being a female, the terrapin we found was not fertile and did not lay eggs."

"Animals take decades to adapt to the harsh environment here but in a year an endemic species can be destroyed by an alien species," he said.

According to Tourenq, 15 species of introduced ants have been recorded in the UAE so far, probably through soil brought in with foreign plants.

"The Singapore ant, the Samsum ant and the ginger or tropical fire ant can pose serious risks to public health in terms of causing allergies and creating nuisance pests."

There are voluntary invasions caused by people returning with saplings in their luggage and involuntary invasions caused, for example, by tankers emptying their ballast waters placing marine organism in foreign seas.

"The introduction of the American comb jelly to the Black and Azov Seas in the early 1980s caused the near extinction of anchovy and sprat stocks and the collapse of local fisheries," said Tourenq.

The accidental introduction of the brown rat and house mouse on some islands of the Arabian Gulf during the building of oil exploitation facilities, has, in some cases, called for the introduction of domestic cats as a way to control the rodents.

The non-native cats now threaten the unique biodiversity of the islands of the Arabian Gulf, which are home to nearly 40 per cent of all UAE bird species.

Predators or diseases that keep invasive species under control in their own habitat often don't exist in foreign habitats."

http://archive.gulfnews.com/nation/Environment/10215078.html

Dolphins and seals put on a show at new facility

The facility was opened to the public on Wednesday, with three dolphin and seal displays a day.

Christopher Richardson, General Manager of Dubai Dolphinarium, said: "Our facility follows international standards. There are so many metres that you need for the pools and you should have a veterinarian, which we have. We give the dolphins vitamin supplements and we import special rock mackerel. Their diet is also supplemented with different species. I say our dolphins have better treatment than I do. I don't have my own veterinarian, my office is a lot smaller than their pool and I'd work for fish too."

The new centre houses three bottlenose dolphins and four seals, which have been moved from the Karadag Dolphinarium in Ukraine. Performing dolphins start training at a young age, according to Tommy Wilken, dolphin trainer at the new centre.

"The dolphins are trained their entire lives - we start when they're young to build a relationship between the dolphin and trainer. They're eating, they seem to be integrating into the social group we have, so it's anthropomorphic for me to say that they're enjoying it, but from my experience and what I know, they're definitely happy."

He said the seals have an air-conditioned living area and an ice order is delivered during the summer months. "Seals have their own thermal regulation around their front and hind flippers. They have a network of veins that circulate cold blood around the body at all times ... regulating their body temperature. In my experience, seals have adopted well to tropical climes."

Three main pools are located at the centre, including the arena show pool and training pool. The arena pool is a 5.5m deep, 26m wide elliptical pool - dimensions for other pools were not available.

Wilken said, "If you keep feeding a dolphin, which happens in some swim programmes around the world, the dolphin is relaxed, they put on a lot of weight and get heart problems. So the jumping that you see in the show also acts as exercise, which is vitally important for their well-being."

The two-year project has been established by Dubai Government and Dubai Municipality, and is run by Sea Magic Recreational Services. It offers educational programmes for children and a variety of therapy programmes for children with special needs.

According to a dolphinarium spokesperson, more than 100 special needs schools in Dubai have been approached about the programmes on offer

MUSCAT — Oman, represented by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs, will today join other countries to mark the World Bio-diversity Day. This year's theme is "Bio-diversity and Agriculture" which calls for preserving biodiversity and supporting natural and wildlife ecological systems by developing agriculture and natural resources. The government has accorded much attention for the preservation of Oman's natural wealth.

Fifteen wild and marine natural sanctuaries have been built to preserve natural life in the Sultanate. A Royal Decree was promulgated in 2002 ratifying an agreement on preservation of natural life and habitat in the GCC states. Also, Royal Decree No 6/2003 promulgates the natural sanctuaries and preservation of the natural habitat law. The Sultanate also signed the biodiversity agreement during the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, which was ratified by Royal Decree No 119/94.

http://www.omanobserver.com/

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