A turtle rehabilitation programme will be established at the National Aquarium in Abu Dhabi by the emirate’s environment agency.
The programme, managed by Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, will launch once the National Aquarium opens in the capital's Al Qana development and will last at least five years.
“Having such facilities within the confines of Abu Dhabi will assist our continuous efforts to preserve wildlife in the emirate,” said Dr Shaikha Al Dhaheri, the agency’s secretary general.
“By collaborating with the National Aquarium, we will be able to rehabilitate various wildlife species before releasing them into their natural habitats, while expanding our scientific studies.”
The aquarium will support the agency’s satellite tagging programme, its research studies and data collection, offer internships for biology and veterinary students, and promote educational experiences.
Its conservation programmes will focus on the critically endangered hawksbill turtle and the endangered green turtle. The agency’s conservation work has stabilised the two species' local population.
“As far back as 2001, we have been working on conserving turtles in Abu Dhabi waters,” said Dr Al Dhaheri. “Now, the overall foraging sea turtle populations, namely hawksbill and green turtles, have been relatively stable over the last decade. Based on data from aerial surveys, we have more than 5,000 wild sea turtles in our waters.”
The National Aquarium will provide veterinary support and in-house care to injured marine animals until they can be released into the wild.
“Our daily lives have become disconnected from the natural world and while we are slowly realising the impact that humans are having on the environment, there is still a long way to go to address these issues,” said Paul Hamilton, the aquarium’s general manager.
“That is why it is so important to reach new audiences and educate future generations about the importance of protecting and rehabilitating our wildlife and ecosystems.”
Wild turtles are among the most highly migratory animals on the planet and their populations are a great reflection of the condition of marine environments. Of the seven species of marine turtles in the world, two occur in Abu Dhabi's waters: the critically endangered hawksbill turtle and the endangered green turtle.
The National Aquarium was scheduled to open this year in the entertaining and dining development of Al Qana, on Al Maqta creek.
The aquarium, which spans more than 7,000 square metres, will be home to 33,000 marine creatures that will be cared for by a team of 80 sea-life experts and specialists. As well as focusing on local marine life of the UAE and Arabian Gulf, the aquarium will also feature species from as far as the tropical Pacific Ocean.
Organisers said the animals will be responsibly and ethically sourced from around the world.
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Series result
1st ODI Zimbabwe won by 6 wickets
2nd ODI Sri Lanka won by 7 wickets
3rd ODI Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets
4th ODI Zimbabwe won by 4 wickets
5th ODI Zimbabwe won by 3 wickets
Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champioons League semi-final:
First leg: Liverpool 5 Roma 2
Second leg: Wednesday, May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
TV: BeIN Sports, 10.45pm (UAE)
The biog
Full name: Aisha Abdulqader Saeed
Age: 34
Emirate: Dubai
Favourite quote: "No one has ever become poor by giving"
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Unresolved crisis
Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraine’s Kremlin-friendly president was ousted, Moscow annexed Crimea and then backed a separatist insurgency in the east.
Fighting between the Russia-backed rebels and Ukrainian forces has killed more than 14,000 people. In 2015, France and Germany helped broker a peace deal, known as the Minsk agreements, that ended large-scale hostilities but failed to bring a political settlement of the conflict.
The Kremlin has repeatedly accused Kiev of sabotaging the deal, and Ukrainian officials in recent weeks said that implementing it in full would hurt Ukraine.
The 12 Syrian entities delisted by UK
Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Defence
General Intelligence Directorate
Air Force Intelligence Agency
Political Security Directorate
Syrian National Security Bureau
Military Intelligence Directorate
Army Supply Bureau
General Organisation of Radio and TV
Al Watan newspaper
Cham Press TV
Sama TV
Notable cricketers and political careers
- India: Kirti Azad, Navjot Sidhu and Gautam Gambhir (rumoured)
- Pakistan: Imran Khan and Shahid Afridi (rumoured)
- Sri Lanka: Arjuna Ranatunga, Sanath Jayasuriya, Tillakaratne Dilshan (rumoured)
- Bangladesh (Mashrafe Mortaza)
How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.
“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.
People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.
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