In recent weeks, the UAE has made international news in a variety of ways, generating enormous media coverage. Much of that has been related to international politics and the US-brokered Abraham Accord, while attention has also been paid to the steps being taken to enable the economy to emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic.
As a result, there has been relatively little attention paid to a rather remarkable scientific discovery, the presence here for a couple of weeks of one of the world’s rarest birds, a Steppe Whimbrel.
As The National reported last week, a migrant Steppe Whimbrel was found on the Saadiyat Beach Golf Course, staying for at least a couple of weeks, apparently, before it moved onwards on its migration route to Southern Africa.
Internationally, the announcement of the bird’s discovery by two local birdwatchers, Oscar Campbell and Simon Lloyd, generated a flurry of attention in conservation circles.
Posts on social media attracted thousands of viewings, not just in the Middle East but as far away as China and North America. The story even made it on to CNN’s Arabic Service, reaching tens of thousands more.
Just for a bird? But this was a rather unusual bird.
Steppe Whimbrels are the rarest of the five sub-species of a bird called a Whimbrel, whose most common sub-species is a regular migrant through the UAE. Steppe Whimbrels, though, always rare, were declared extinct in 1994, before being discovered again in 1997. There are believed to be only around 100 of them in the world, breeding in Southern Russia and migrating to Southern Africa, where a few have been seen in recent years.
The Saadiyat bird was a young bird, a juvenile, born earlier this year and therefore proving that breeding is still taking place.
The sighting is even more significant because a juvenile has not previously been seen in the field anywhere in the world. Hence the delight of the two finders. I am personally in their debt, because they tipped me off and I was able to see it too. It was a “Mega-Mega", in birdwatching terminology.
The excitement, though, has spread throughout much of the global conservation community, since it shows that there may still be an opportunity to save this highly-endangered bird from extinction.
The sighting draws attention to the valuable work of the UAE's various conservation organisations at a global level
If there is to be a realistic chance of doing that, a major international effort will be required.
The migration cycle takes the birds from Southern Russia to Mozambique and back. If a conservation strategy is to be prepared, further studies will be needed in its Russian breeding grounds, in its wintering quarters in Southern Africa and along its migration route. We now know, for the first time, that the UAE lies on that route.
Fortuitously, studies in Mozambique are already being supported by the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund. The managing director, Razan Al Mubarak, has noted of the Saadiyat discovery that: “This is a perfect example of why supporting conservation projects for migrating birds is so important.”
The Steppe Whimbrel may not be a particularly stunning bird, except for dedicated birdwatchers. It offers, however, a good example of one of the key aspects of conservation. Many species of fauna migrate over land, like the great animal herds of East Africa. Birds can migrate over the sea, too, while fish and marine mammals like whales migrate within the oceans. To be effective, conservation needs to take an approach that not only preserves individual habitats, and the species within them, but also to take a trans-border, trans-continental view.
Individual enthusiasts, local and international non-governmental organisations and governments all have a key role to play.
Fortunately, from the earliest days of conservation in the Emirates, that kind of approach has been implemented. The decision by Sheikh Zayed to ban the hunting of houbara in the Emirates, for example, arose out of his recognition that the species needed protection in its wintering grounds.
Today, the Abu Dhabi-based International Fund for Houbara Conservation works to develop conservation programmes across the whole of the range states of the species, from Mongolia to the Emirates.
At sea, our Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi, houses the secretariat of a multinational Memorandum of Understanding on the conservation of the endangered dugong. The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund supports research and conservation programmes around the globe.
The global conservation challenge is a complex task, with many little pieces making up the whole.
It is rare, of course, that a particular observation of a single bird migrating through Abu Dhabi, seen by very few people, can make a significant contribution to conservation.
“Our” Steppe Whimbrel, though, does that partly because of its widely-recognised importance in terms of new information about that particular, highly-endangered sub-species.
At the same time, the excitement generated by the sighting helps to draw attention to the valuable work of the UAE’s various conservation organisations at a global level.
It is a welcome piece of good news in what has been a somewhat challenging year.
Peter Hellyer is a UAE cultural historian and columnist for The National
Boulder shooting victims
• Denny Strong, 20
• Neven Stanisic, 23
• Rikki Olds, 25
• Tralona Bartkowiak, 49
• Suzanne Fountain, 59
• Teri Leiker, 51
• Eric Talley, 51
• Kevin Mahoney, 61
• Lynn Murray, 62
• Jody Waters, 65
RESULT
Manchester City 5 Swansea City 0
Man City: D Silva (12'), Sterling (16'), De Bruyne (54' ), B Silva (64' minutes), Jesus (88')
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Wonka
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Abu Dhabi World Pro 2019 remaining schedule:
Wednesday April 24: Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, 11am-6pm
Thursday April 25: Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, 11am-5pm
Friday April 26: Finals, 3-6pm
Saturday April 27: Awards ceremony, 4pm and 8pm
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
More on Quran memorisation:
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
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SPECS
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
more from Janine di Giovanni
Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics
Ain Issa camp:
- Established in 2016
- Houses 13,309 people, 2,092 families, 62 per cent children
- Of the adult population, 49 per cent men, 51 per cent women (not including foreigners annexe)
- Most from Deir Ezzor and Raqqa
- 950 foreigners linked to ISIS and their families
- NGO Blumont runs camp management for the UN
- One of the nine official (UN recognised) camps in the region
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
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BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
ICC T20 Team of 2021
Jos Buttler, Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, David Miller, Tabraiz Shamsi, Josh Hazlewood, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mustafizur Rahman, Shaheen Afridi
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Three ways to get a gratitude glow
By committing to at least one of these daily, you can bring more gratitude into your life, says Ong.
- During your morning skincare routine, name five things you are thankful for about yourself.
- As you finish your skincare routine, look yourself in the eye and speak an affirmation, such as: “I am grateful for every part of me, including my ability to take care of my skin.”
- In the evening, take some deep breaths, notice how your skin feels, and listen for what your skin is grateful for.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The 12 breakaway clubs
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Company%20profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Omar Yabroudi's factfile
Born: October 20, 1989, Sharjah
Education: Bachelor of Science and Football, Liverpool John Moores University
2010: Accrington Stanley FC, internship
2010-2012: Crystal Palace, performance analyst with U-18 academy
2012-2015: Barnet FC, first-team performance analyst/head of recruitment
2015-2017: Nottingham Forest, head of recruitment
2018-present: Crystal Palace, player recruitment manager
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
