PETA protest at Dubai Zoo ends with whimper

By PMA RASHEED 

The Gulf Today, 16 July 2010 

In what they claimed was a message against cruelty to animals, a small group of activists staged a brief demonstration in front of Dubai Zoo on Thursday under a merciless sun at 1pm.

Clad in the suits of prison inmates and wearing chimpanzee masks, Jason Baker and Ashley Fruno silently marched to the front gate taking a round of the zoo’s wall. The placards they held read, “Zoos: cruel animal prisons,” in both Arabic and English.

The activists of PETA — People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Asia Pacific — flew into Dubai to spread the message on the anguish of animals inhabited in zoos by showcasing a demonstration at the entrance of the Dubai Zoo.

Police officials swiftly stopped the demonstration as the activists and their two local supporters, Sangeetha and Sandhya, congregated “without permission from the police or the civic body.” The activists were asked to move away immediately from the vicinity of the zoo.

American Baker and Canadian Fruno landed in Dubai from Hong Kong on Wednesday with the mission of conducting the protest for animal rights, and will leave the city on Friday.

Col. Abdulla Ali Abdulla Al Ghithi, Deputy Director of Protective Department and Security of Dubai Police, said, “The programme has been organised illegally. These kinds of private congregations in the name of activism for animal rights are not allowed against a government run-organisation, according to the country’s laws and rules pertaining to public security.”

“No resident or visitor to the country is allowed to create hindrances to the public and their safe movements and activities in a public place,” he pointed out.

“The Dubai Zoo is a destination for the residents for entertainment and recreation. It’s operated by Dubai Municipality (DM), which ensures environmental and health safety of global standards to the animals kept in the premise,” added Al Ghithi.

Meanwhile, Fruno told The Gulf Today that the Peta wanted to conduct a peaceful demonstration aimed at raising awareness on animal rights and cruelty against them at zoos, but permission was not granted when we approached the authorities concerned.

“We staged a small demonstration in front of the zoo, even though the Peta has a total of 3,000 supporters across the UAE,” she claimed.

According to her, they wore the monkey mask to highlight the plight of Jojo, the lonely chimpanzee at Dubai Zoo, which has frequently come under fire for housing animals in decrepit and barren enclosures. The Peta philosophy is that animals in zoos are subjected to lifetimes of boredom, misery and loneliness.

“Confined or isolated from others of their own kind, the animals often exhibit signs of psychological distress like rocking, swaying or pacing in circles,” remarked Peta Director Jason Baker.

According to him, zoo visitors learn nothing about wildlife from the bored and unhappy animals that exhibit stereotype behaviour.

“Some animals roam many kilometres a day — activity that is essential to their wellbeing — but the entire Dubai Zoo measures only 0.02 square kilometres,” he said.

“The best way to support the conservation of wild animals is to protest their native habitats, not put them behind bars. Being trapped in a cage or other barren enclosure tantamounts to a life sentence for animals — with no chance for parole,” noted Baker.

The Dubai Municipality (DM) officials were unavailable for comment on the Peta protest on Thursday.

(Image Credit: Nisham A. Manaf)

15 Somalian leopards seized at UAE port

BY PMA RASHEED

The Gulf Today, 11 June 2010

The Ministry of Environment and Water (MOEW) has foiled a major bid to smuggle at least 15 Somalian leopards to the UAE recently.

The endangered species were shipped to the country for trade from the Republic of Somalia without any official document or health clearance certificate, according to a senior official.

Abdalla Salem El Ganaan, the executive director for Agricultural Affairs and Livestock at the MOEW, said the shipment of leopards was booked based on the UAE Federal Law No.11/2002 on application of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

“The leopards had been kept safely at the MOEW’s animal quarantine centre in Al Aweer to take further necessary regulatory actions, and conduct medical examinations on them,” he added.

“The seized panthers including juvenile leopards weighted up to 250 kilogrammes. The species is among the 34 types of listed endangered animals in CITES Convention of 1975. It included in the genus of cheetah,” explained El Ganaan. According to him, the UAE has joined the CITES A and is bound to comply with and implementation of its terms.

“The law in the UAE, allows the import, export or re-export of this kind of endangered animals with sufficient documentation and medical certificates according to the CITES conditions,” he noted.

“The procedures existing in the UAE in this regard ensure safety of public health, protection of humans and animals of the country from communicable diseases or epidemics,” he pointed out.

“The purpose of the environment ministry is to tighten its strategies to raise the rates of bio-security in the country, by ensuring prevention of biological risks from outbreaks of diseases that may affect the country’s animal stock and birds. Such diseases may transfer from the animals to human beings,” El Ganaan explained.

“According to the articles in the federal law, the offenders can be punished with an imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months and a fine of Dhs10,000 to Dhs50,000,” he said.

The environment ministry had last month rejected import of about 540 livestock and birds infected with various contagious diseases through major ports of the country.

The sources at the environment ministry revealed that a shipment of about 300 sheep arrived at the Ghuwaifat Sea Port in Abu Dhabi was denied access to the country, as the livestock were infected with contagious Brucellosis disease.

In another incident, around 240 birds affected with bird flu (H1N5-Influenza) that arrived at the Sharjah International Airport were also refused entry to the country.

The MOEW also had issued last month an animal protection welfare guide as part of a programme to boost levels of biological safety, focusing on highest care for the animals in the country.

Major monkey trafficking bid foiled by UAE Customs

BY PMA RASHEED

The Gulf Today, 25 April 2010

An attempt to smuggle 42 baboons, a rare and endangered monkey species, into the UAE from Saudi Arabia through a Western region border of the country has been foiled by customs officials.

A senior official at the Ministry of Environment and Water (MOEW) said that the baboons scientifically named Papio hamadryas were found being transported without sufficient documents including health certificates and trade permits, violating the animal welfare law of the UAE.

The major animal trafficking bid through the Al Ghuwaifath border in Abu Dhabi was thwarted jointly by officers at the Abu Dhabi Customs Department and inspectors of the environment ministry, revealed Sultan Ahmed Alwan, Executive Director for Agricultural and Animal Affairs at the MOEW on Saturday.

"The veterinary inspectors at environment ministry have confiscated the monkeys and kept them at the veterinary quarantine centre of the MOEW. The inspectors also conducted all the necessary examinations on the animals in order to ensure that they are free contagious diseases," Alwan explained.

According to him, the smugglers violated the regulations on veterinary quarantine while the animals were being shipped to the UAE.

The baboons are endemic to the Asir Mountains between Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

“The smuggling of the rare species is a serious violation of international laws on the transportation of endangered animal and plants. The import of all monkeys is currently banned in the UAE, aimed at ensuring the bio-security. The only exceptions being for regulated scientific or breeding centres," he pointed out.

He noted that the ban of monkey import to the UAE also aims to protect the public from the spread of various diseases or epidemics including tuberculosis, hepatitis, herpes and Ebola and Aids. Domesticated monkeys can carry intestinal diseases and cause injuries or overpower their owners.

The confiscated baboons are under examination for diseases especially common among humans and animals, he said.

"The UAE issued a federal law in 2002, concerning the regulations to control the international trafficking of animals and plants that are in the class of endangered species," he added.

Black-backed jackals arrive at Al Ain Zoo

BY PMA RASHEED

The Gulf Today, 16- April 2010

A pack of six black-backed jackals have reached at the Al Ain Wildlife Park and Resort (AWPR). The family of jackals included two males and four females; the species are presented to the public for the first time at the AWPR.

"The black-backed jackals are slender creatures, weighing five to 10 kilogrammes," said a spokesperson of the zoo. "Their sides, head and legs are a sandy tan to reddish gold in colour. The black-backed jackal's most distinctive feature is the mantle of black hair on the back that contrasts with its rust-coloured body."

"The tail of the animal is black-tipped, as is that of the golden jackal. The species is usually the most frequently seen as it is more diurnal than the other two species," said Dr Mike Maunder, chief officer of conservation, collection and education at the AWPR.

"Indigenous to the Southern and Eastern regions of Africa, the black-backed Jackal is one of the few animals that mate for life," he added. "The animals are the most abundant and widespread of the larger carnivores in sub-Saharan Africa."

According to him, jackals are not currently in danger of extinction, but they are wildly and unnecessarily killed for their fur, as animal farmers believe the species kill their livestock.

"But, they are very cunning and resourceful. Although usually considered scavengers, they do pick over kills made by large carnivores and frequent rubbish dumps -- they also hunt and kill a variety of prey," explained Maunder. "Farmers believe that the black-backed jackals hunt domestic animals including dogs, cats, pigs, goats, sheep and poultry. Sheep farmers fear the jackals more. But, they rarely target cattle."

"Jackals usually den in holes made by other species, though they will occasionally dig their own; females will dig tunnels one to two metres in depth with a one metre wide entrance," he noted.

"Sounds made by black-backed jackals include yelling, yelping, woofing, whining, growling and cackling. When calling to one another, they emit an abrupt yelp followed by a succession of shorter yelps," he pointed out. "Jackals of the same family will answer each others calls, while ignoring those of strangers."

"The AWPR is committed to the protection and conservation of arid land carnivores. The jackals are now on exhibit near the white lion exhibit at the zoo, which is open during the day, beginning from May 1. The wildlife park [is] regularly open [at] evenings from 4pm to 12 midnight and on Fridays from 10am to 12 midnight."

World's smallest snake spotted in Dubai

BY PMA RASHEED

The Gulf Today, 19 March 2010

DUBAI Zoo's animal specialist Dr Mohammed Ali Reza Khan and his colleagues were on a day-long field trip outside the bustling city in the conservation desert area of Bab Al Shams, hen they stumbled upon an interesting wildlife discovery.

Little did they know that they had come across a specimen that would turn out to be the world's smallest snake existing in the deserts of Dubai.

The thread snakes, at a length of 40 centimetres, were found earlier only in some scattered Caribbean islands.

The trip, through the Dubai Municipality's departmental conservation area No.8, turned out to be worthy as they also spotted a couple of other rare wildlife species, roosting in the wilderness: an Asian desert warbler and the Eurasian thick-knee, better known as the Karawan.

"We had both cloudy and clear skies and temperature was also good for long distance walking. The moments were quite unexpected and a once-in-a-lifetime experience where we encountered the rare species of animals in a totally different environment," narrated Dr Khan.

"We spotted the thread snake under a stone in the civic body's special conservation area in the Bab Al Shams deserts. The non-venomous snake, which looked much more like an earthworm, had a length of 40 centimetres with just the thickness of a lady's hairpin," he explained.

The slender thread snakes, known in its scientific name, Leptotyphlopidae, are featured with smooth and shiny scales. Members of this family look much like blind snakes, and all of them have tube-shaped bodies that are about the same diameter from head to tail. The snakes have short heads with mouths that open downward instead of right on the front end of the head.

Dr Khan said, "An Asian desert warbler was the next one in our rare wildlife species discovery of the day. The bird, also one of the world's smallest, is rarest in the desert of the UAE."

"The length of the Asian desert warbler is less than 10 centimetres, having prominent yellow eyes and legs," he added. "The bird is fed only on insects, their larvae and spiders."

According to him, the bird is no doubt a friend of our plants and gardens.

Dr Khan's and colleagues' third catch of the day of Bab Al Shams desert tour was also a rare bird named Karwan.

"Karwan is the Arabic name for the Eurasian thick-knee, which used to be hunted with falcons during the last century," he noted. "But currently there are no more hunting activities in our desert areas."

"We found three Karwan birds among the bases of the scattered forests of Acacia Ehrenbergiana, a multi-stemmed small shrub spreading from the base, in the Bab Al Ahams," said Dr Khan.

He has also seen another rare bird named Ashy Drongo during a walk in Safa Park in the buzz of the city.

"The Ashy Drongo was chasing a Hoopoe bird to snatch food - a cut worm - larva of a garden beetle from it, as I entered the park through Gate No. 3 at around 3.30 in the evening and took a left turn towards the boating lake to approach the road," he said.

"In December, the bird was seen once at the Sewage Treatment Plant at Al Warsan," Dr Khan stated. "The bird had also appeared in Abu Dhabi and Ain Al Faydah recently.

Dubai to conduct migratory birds’ census

BY PMA RASHEED

The Gulf Today, 2 Feb 2010

The civic authorities in Dubai will conduct on Feb.5 a special census of migratory birds perched at the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary, to account the diverse species of migratory birds in the sanctuary in time of the winter migration.

A comprehensive survey of the wetlands in the emirate will also be carried out soon by Dubai Municipality (DM) as a prelude to preparing a national strategy to preserve the wetlands.

A senior DM member said that the preparations are in pipeline for the detailed survey, as the civic body has agreed to take the necessary legal procedures for the protection of wetland sites.

Hamdan Al Shaer, Director of Environment Department at the DM, made the announcement as the Municipality joins the global celebrations in observation of the World Wetlands Day that falls on Tuesday.

"Dubai Municipality observes the wetlands day as a manifestation of its support in the worldwide campaign to spread awareness on the significance of protection and conservation of wetlands," he said.

According to him, the DM has charted out various activities to mark the occasion observed this year with the theme, "Caring for Wetlands - an answer to Climate Change."

"Caring about climate change is caring about our wetlands, which means caring about biodiversity. The 2010 has been declared as International Year of Biodiversity" pointed out Shaer.

"The Municipality focuses on two key areas which are endangered biodiversity and threats of climate change on the planet, exploring the relationship between the two issues that pose irreversible risks on wetlands and people," he explained.

He added that this year the DM's observation of the wetlands day at the Municipality Club will focus on wetland values and benefits in response to the decisions of the Johannesburg conference in support of the Ramsar Convention.

"The convention aims to protect the wetlands around the world, which amounted to about 6 per cent of the earth's surface represented in more than 1000 sites and to preserve the biological and physical components through the sustainable use of those resources," noted Shaer.

"Wetlands are vulnerable to human-induced climate change. But wetland ecosystems and their biodiversity can play a vital role in the mitigation of the problems of climate change, if they are being managed well," said.

According to him, caring for wetlands is part of the solution to climate change, as it will significantly help humans to adapt to climate change through critical role in water and food security.

Shaer said the UAE is the 156th member of the RAMSAR Convention and the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary in Dubai is the 1,715th RAMSAR site around the globe. The occasion marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands held in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea on Feb.2 in 1971.

"Each year since 1997, governmental and non-governmental organisations undertake actions aimed at raising public awareness of wetland," Shaer added.