A sighting of a "rare and secretive" species of fox in a mountainous area of Fujairah has been hailed as a boost to conservation efforts.
A Blanford's fox – critically endangered in some parts of the country – was detected by infrared cameras in Wadi Wurayah National Park.
The 220-square-kilometre protected nature reserve is also home to species of wildcat and hedgehogs, and the caracal, an elusive Arabian hunting cat.
Blanford's fox – Vulpes cana or the Royal fox in Arabic – lives exclusively in mountainous areas. It was classified as 'vulnerable' in 2018 in the National Red List by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, meaning its numbers are on the decline and require close monitoring.
It was labelled as critically endangered in Abu Dhabi in a listing of at-risk species released by the emirate's Environment Agency three years later.
“These animals are very rarely seen and so each record gives new information on the distribution of the species and its status,” said Dr Andrew Gardner, associate director of Biodiversity Conservation at environmental charity, Emirates Nature-WWF.
“We are excited to capture such clear images of the rare and secretive Blanford’s Fox. These sightings provide critical insights into the UAE's rich biodiversity, helping us understand and protect our unique wildlife.”
It was sighted as part of the Notice Nature campaign, launched by Emirates Nature-WWF and UAE bank Mashreq and the Fujairah Environmental Authority, to support the conservation of animals.
The cameras used for the scheme are designed to be unintrusive and have previously captured key footage of species of hedgehogs, red foxes, snakes, dragonflies and geckos.
"This data not only expands our knowledge of the UAE's diverse ecosystems but also allows us to address the detrimental impacts of urbanisation, pollution, and climate change on the country's flora and fauna,” said Muna Al Ghurair, group head of marketing and corporate communications at Mashreq.
The Blanford's fox grows to a length of between 40 and 50 centimetres and weighs 3 to 4 kilograms.
While the fox reveals itself infrequently, it has become more visible in recent years as surveillance efforts aimed at supporting conservation continue.
It was previously sighted in 2021 and 2019 near the Al Ain mountain, in the east of Abu Dhabi. Before then, it had not been seen in the Emirates since 1999.
UAE conservation drive – in pictures
In numbers
- Number of children under five will fall from 681 million in 2017 to 401m in 2100
- Over-80s will rise from 141m in 2017 to 866m in 2100
- Nigeria will become the world’s second most populous country with 791m by 2100, behind India
- China will fall dramatically from a peak of 2.4 billion in 2024 to 732 million by 2100
- an average of 2.1 children per woman is required to sustain population growth
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
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