40 reports of wild animals and reptiles in Fujairah last year

The specialized biological team at the Fujairah Environment Authority revealed that it dealt with 40 reports related to wild animals, some of which were poisonous, and various environmental conditions, which were reported by community members and concerned authorities, during the past year.

The director of the Fujairah Environment Authority, Asila Al-Mualla, explained to Emirates Al-Youm that the biological team dealt with 12 cases related to reptiles, two cases of rare birds, one report about a lynx, another about a fox, in addition to two cases related to bee hives, and one case of a mouse, while Other cases involved miscellaneous organisms.

Al-Mualla added that the Authority received 40 reports during the past year, including 23 from official bodies and 17 from community members. She pointed out that the Authority deals with reports immediately and systematically through a trained team, so that wild animals that are caught are transferred to specialized centers. Such as the Wadi Wurayah Reserve, where these creatures undergo monitoring and rehabilitation operations, and an identification chip (code) is placed on the wild animals to follow them after they are returned to their natural environments away from residential areas.

For his part, the Director of the Wadi Wurayah Reserve, Dr. Ali Hassan Al-Hamoudi, confirmed that environmental experts and researchers work under the umbrella of the Fujairah Environment Authority, where they focus on monitoring and protecting various wild species, and enhancing biological diversity in the emirate, stressing that 20 species of mammals have been recorded, including Lynx, red fox, and Arabian tahr, in addition to 114 species of birds, 28 species of reptiles, and 714 species of invertebrates, including These are three species that were named “Al-Wari’ah” after the location of their discovery.

Al-Hamoudi stressed the need to adhere to safety guidelines when finding predatory or dangerous animals, such as calling the hotline designated for reports, leaving a safe distance between the person and the animal, and monitoring it without approaching it until the competent teams arrive, pointing out that this approach contributes to preserving the safety of individuals. And facilitate the work of the biological team in dealing with these cases efficiently.

In May last year, the Fujairah Environment Authority was able to locate the filming location of a circulating video clip of a lynx cat in the Emirate of Fujairah, and reached its owner, who expressed his cooperation and voluntarily surrendered the animal, and it was handed over to one of the country’s zoos.

Last October, the Fujairah Environment Authority team responded to a report from a citizen who found a bird of prey in critical condition near his farm in the Al Hallah area in Dibba Al Fujairah. The citizen provided initial care for the bird before informing the authority, which sent the biodiversity team to examine it and evaluate its condition. It turned out that the bird was one of Migratory birds of prey known as the “scavengers”, which pass through the Emirates during the seasonal migration, and the team installed an identification ring on the leg. The bird, as part of efforts to document its movement, was then safely released back into the wild.

Last December, the authority succeeded in returning the baleen whale, Bryde, to its migratory path.

The whale was spotted near the port of Fujairah, and scientific studies and marine surveys were conducted to evaluate its health condition and behavior and examine its vital functions, which proved that it is in good health. The teams also monitored the quality of the sea water in its surroundings, and monitoring and research operations continued around the clock using modern technologies to ensure the safety of the whale. And ensuring its return to its course without affecting the navigational movement in the port.