Fujairah celebrates the International Day for Biological Diversity
Fujairah, 22nd May / WAM / The Fujairah Environment Authority, in cooperation with the Fujairah Research Center, celebrated the International Day for Biological Diversity through a package of field strategies and initiatives that went beyond traditional frameworks to rely on scientific research and technical innovation.
The occasion highlighted the unique geographical character of the emirate, which allowed it to embrace extremely rare and diverse ecosystems, including the Wadi Wurayah National Reserve, the first mountain and biosphere reserve in the country registered within the Ramsar International Wetlands Convention and the UNESCO network of biosphere reserves.
The reserve provides an integrated natural environment and a safe haven for a number of rare mammals that are threatened with extinction, most notably the Arabian tahr, lynx, mountain fox, and Arabian wild cat. It is in addition to being a strategic station and a rich oasis for ornithologists due to its embrace of more than ninety-four species of endemic and migratory birds, as well as hundreds of species of rare wild plants, such as pious trees and medicinal plants, which have been carefully documented and classified.
On the marine level, environmental care efforts were presented to protect the depths and fisheries by activating strict monitoring in marine reserves such as Adna and Al Aqah, in parallel with the implementation of the largest projects in the region to cultivate and stabilize artificial coral reefs. These corals play a vital role in providing ideal incubating environments for the reproduction of aquatic organisms, and preparing the emirate’s beaches to receive, care for, and re-release sea turtles, which directly contributes to supporting marine food security and revitalizing the environmental and tourism sector.
Environmental success in Fujairah is based on employing advanced technology, as field teams rely on remote control aircraft and hidden thermal cameras to monitor wildlife with extreme accuracy and without causing any change in the natural behavior of animals. This technical effort culminates in the national database project for local plants in cooperation between the Authority and the Research Center, which represents a qualitative leap in scientific archiving and protection of the country’s plant genetic heritage.
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