How Abu Dhabi is helping to conserve Africa’s giant pangolin


Daniel Bardsley
  • English
  • Arabic

Covered in scales and capable of curling into a ball for protection, pangolins are among the most distinctive of mammals.

Sadly, these gentle and largely nocturnal creatures are threatened by poachers, with tens of thousands trafficked each year.

Their scales, made of keratin, are used in traditional Chinese and African medicine despite a lack of scientific evidence for their effectiveness.

Pangolins are also killed for their meat, which is considered a delicacy in some countries.

This support from the fund will help establish an environmental education programme in some target primary and secondary schools, where future stewards of the parks rich biodiversity will be engaged

Over the past decade, an estimated one million have been poached, and one is taken from the wild on average every five minutes.

Efforts to preserve Africa’s giant pangolin, a rarely seen animal that is particularly at risk because it is ground-dwelling, have been helped by a $10,000 (Dh36,732) grant made by the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund in its latest funding round last month.

The grant has been given to the Agriculture and Bio-conservation Organisation for Youth Empowerment and Rural Development (Aboyerd), which carries out research and aims to conserve pangolins in Cameroon’s Mbam et Djerem National Park.

Alain Delon Mouafo Takoune, Aboyerd’s chief operating officer, said the grant would help with core costs such as salaries and rent – and would have a direct impact on fieldwork.

“Part of this funding will be used to build the capacity of local assistants in field data collection, such as [through buying] camera traps to assist during this period where movements within the country are restricted,” said Mr Takoune, a doctoral candidate at Cameroon’s University of Dschang who is studying pangolins in the country’s national park.

More data from fieldwork is key, because the abundance, distribution and hunting activities of the park’s three pangolin species – giant, white-bellied and black-bellied – is unclear, which hampers conservation efforts.

A major threat facing giant pangolins in the national park, as elsewhere, is hunting for bush meat and for scales, according to Dr Daniel Ingram, a pangolin researcher at the University of Stirling in the UK and member of the Pangolin Specialist Group at the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

“Use of wire snares is a particularly prominent threat for giant pangolins because the snares are indiscriminate, and hunters can set many at a time,” said Dr Ingram.

Pangolins can also simply be picked up because their response of curling up into a ball leaves them defenceless, said Camille Nkoa Affana, Cameroon country co-ordinator for Man and Nature (Noe), a French conservation organisation.

“They pick them up and put them into a bag,” he said. “If you go to some markets, you will see them being sold openly, and along roads.”

He said local people may earn about 1,000 or 1,500 Central African Francs per animal, only two or three dollars.

Deforestation and human encroachment for agriculture, including cattle grazing, also affect pangolins in the region.

Growing illegal trade between Africa and Asia

Valorian Tegebong, a master's student on internship with Agriculture and Bio-conservation Organisation for Youth Empowerment and Rural Development, holding a dead pangolin a hunter gave to the organisation. Courtesy Aboyerd
Valorian Tegebong, a master's student on internship with Agriculture and Bio-conservation Organisation for Youth Empowerment and Rural Development, holding a dead pangolin a hunter gave to the organisation. Courtesy Aboyerd

Pangolins in Africa have so far not suffered the steep decreases in numbers of their counterparts in Asia, where most pangolin species are classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Africa's pangolins have, however, declined in abundance and two of the continent's four species are Endangered and two are Vulnerable.

Alongside hunting for subsistence is a growing commercial demand.

The scales of African pangolins are often exported to Asia – even though the trade was banned in 2016.

This trade is linked to the increased presence in Africa of Asian interests, whether Chinese road builders or Malaysian foresters, said Dr Matthew Shirley of Florida International University, co-chair of the Pangolin Specialist Group at the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

“With increasing presence of buyers and middlemen from demand countries, there is increasing opportunity for international trafficking of their scales,” he said.

“This is made more complicated by the fact that habitat loss rates in West Africa surpass most other regions of the world.”

With authorities in the region often lacking the capability or resources to protect pangolins, the creatures face what Dr Shirley described as “a perfect storm”.

While the threats facing pangolins are often international, experts say the most effective conservation efforts can often be local, such as those of Aboyerd.

Mr Affana said the organisation’s community-based approach was “highly welcomed” and had the highest chance of success, a point echoed by other pangolin experts.

“If you can get community buy-in, then the exploitation is mostly for subsistence, which has a higher probability of being sustainable in the long run,” said Dr Shirley.

Positive steps in pangolin preservation

Mbam et Djerem National Park in Cameroon, where conservation work has been supported by the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund. Courtesy, Alain Delon Mouafo Takoune
Mbam et Djerem National Park in Cameroon, where conservation work has been supported by the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund. Courtesy, Alain Delon Mouafo Takoune

Pangolins are significant in cultural, religious and socioeconomic terms, added Dr Shirley, so conserving them offers benefits to people as well as to the creatures themselves.

Eating as many as 70 million ants and termites a year, they are important ecologically too.

“Pangolins also excavate burrows, a process which helps in the turnover of organic matter and in soil aeration, thus improving soil quality,” said Aghah Valery Binda, Aboyerd’s executive director.

“These are exactly the same roles played by not just the giant pangolin in Cameroon’s National Park, but also the two other species found in the park. Their removal would destabilise these ecosystems.”

Fortunately, conservation efforts in the National Park in Cameroon may be changing how pangolins are perceived, and even poaching is decreasing, said Mr Takoune.

“When I started working on pangolins in 2017, a kilogram of scales cost $50 [Dh184]. Four years later, the kilogram of scales costs $10 [Dh37] and even local people are getting less interested in hunting pangolins,” he said.

Aboyerd promotes alternatives to hunting pangolins, supporting local people to carry out sustainable work such as commercial mushroom production, agroforestry and beekeeping.

“This support from the fund will also help establish an environmental education programme in some target primary and secondary schools, where future stewards of the parks rich biodiversity will be engaged,” said Mr Binda.

Dr Ingram said he was “fairly optimistic” that in some places decreases in the numbers of pangolin species could be reversed.

“However, as with many species, which share similar threats, this can only be achieved by reducing the main threats, such as overexploitation and deforestation, and preserving important habitats,” he said.

The White Lotus: Season three

Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

The%20Secret%20Kingdom%20
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20Z%20FOLD5
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Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Yabi%20by%20Souqalmal%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMay%202022%2C%20launched%20June%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAmbareen%20Musa%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20u%3C%2Fstrong%3Endisclosed%20but%20soon%20to%20be%20announced%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E12%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eseed%C2%A0%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EShuaa%20Capital%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Traces%20of%20Enayat
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EElmawkaa%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hub71%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ebrahem%20Anwar%2C%20Mahmoud%20Habib%20and%20Mohamed%20Thabet%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PropTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24400%2C000%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E500%20Startups%2C%20Flat6Labs%20and%20angel%20investors%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Moon Music

Artist: Coldplay

Label: Parlophone/Atlantic

Number of tracks: 10

Rating: 3/5

The candidates

Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive

Ali Azeem, business leader

Tony Booth, professor of education

Lord Browne, former BP chief executive

Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist

Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist

Dr Mark Mann, scientist

Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner

Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister

Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster

 

How to keep control of your emotions

If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.

Greed

Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.

Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.

Fear

The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.

Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.

Hope

While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.

Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.

Frustration

Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.

Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.

Boredom

Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.

Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.

Points to remember
  • Debate the issue, don't attack the person
  • Build the relationship and dialogue by seeking to find common ground
  • Express passion for the issue but be aware of when you're losing control or when there's anger. If there is, pause and take some time out.
  • Listen actively without interrupting
  • Avoid assumptions, seek understanding, ask questions
Fund-raising tips for start-ups

Develop an innovative business concept

Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors

Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19

Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.) 

Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months

Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses

Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business

* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna

UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

RESULTS

Lightweight (female)
Sara El Bakkali bt Anisha Kadka
Bantamweight
Mohammed Adil Al Debi bt Moaz Abdelgawad
Welterweight
Amir Boureslan bt Mahmoud Zanouny
Featherweight
Mohammed Al Katheeri bt Abrorbek Madaminbekov
Super featherweight
Ibrahem Bilal bt Emad Arafa
Middleweight
Ahmed Abdolaziz bt Imad Essassi
Bantamweight (female)
Ilham Bourakkadi bt Milena Martinou
Welterweight
Mohamed Mardi bt Noureddine El Agouti
Middleweight
Nabil Ouach bt Ymad Atrous
Welterweight
Nouredine Samir bt Marlon Ribeiro
Super welterweight
Brad Stanton bt Mohamed El Boukhari

HOW DO SIM CARD SCAMS WORK?

Sim swap frauds are a form of identity theft.

They involve criminals conning mobile phone operators into issuing them with replacement Sim cards, often by claiming their phone has been lost or stolen 

They use the victim's personal details - obtained through criminal methods - to convince such companies of their identity.

The criminal can then access any online service that requires security codes to be sent to a user's mobile phone, such as banking services.

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202-litre%204-cylinder%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E153hp%20at%206%2C000rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E200Nm%20at%204%2C000rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E6-speed%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E6.3L%2F100km%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDh106%2C900%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs

Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo

Power: 435hp at 5,900rpm

Torque: 520Nm at 1,800-5,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Price: from Dh498,542

On sale: now

SQUAD

Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Adel Al Hosani, Mohammed Al Shamsi, Bandar Al Ahbabi, Mohammed Barghash, Salem Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Hassan Al Mahrami, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamis, Yousef Jaber, Saeed Ahmed, Majed Sorour, Majed Hassan, Ali Salmeen, Abdullah Ramadan, Khalil Al Hammadi, Fabio De Lima, Khalfan Mubarak, Tahnoun Al Zaabi, Ali Saleh, Caio Canedo, Muhammed Jumah, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue, Zayed Al Ameri

TO ALL THE BOYS: ALWAYS AND FOREVER

Directed by: Michael Fimognari

Starring: Lana Condor and Noah Centineo

Two stars

Quick%20facts
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EStorstockholms%20Lokaltrafik%20(SL)%20offers%20free%20guided%20tours%20of%20art%20in%20the%20metro%20and%20at%20the%20stations%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EThe%20tours%20are%20free%20of%20charge%3B%20all%20you%20need%20is%20a%20valid%20SL%20ticket%2C%20for%20which%20a%20single%20journey%20(valid%20for%2075%20minutes)%20costs%2039%20Swedish%20krone%20(%243.75)%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ETravel%20cards%20for%20unlimited%20journeys%20are%20priced%20at%20165%20Swedish%20krone%20for%2024%20hours%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EAvoid%20rush%20hour%20%E2%80%93%20between%209.30%20am%20and%204.30%20pm%20%E2%80%93%20to%20explore%20the%20artwork%20at%20leisure%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X

Price, as tested: Dh84,000

Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo

Transmission: Six-speed auto

Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm

Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km

More from Armen Sarkissian
ALRAWABI%20SCHOOL%20FOR%20GIRLS
%3Cp%3ECreator%3A%20Tima%20Shomali%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%C2%A0Tara%20Abboud%2C%C2%A0Kira%20Yaghnam%2C%20Tara%20Atalla%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Results

Stage 7:

1. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal - 3:18:29

2. Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - same time

3. Phil Bauhaus (GER) Bahrain Victorious

4. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep

5. Cees Bol (NED) Team DSM

General Classification:

1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - 24:00:28

2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers - 0:00:35

3. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 0:01:02

4. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:01:42

5. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo - 0:01:45

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

Coming 2 America

Directed by: Craig Brewer

Starring: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Jermaine Fowler, Leslie Jones

3/5 stars

EMIRATES'S%20REVISED%20A350%20DEPLOYMENT%20SCHEDULE
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APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)

Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits

Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine

Storage: 128/256/512GB

Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4

Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps

Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID

Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight

In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter

Price: From Dh2,099

The biog

Favourite hobby: taking his rescue dog, Sally, for long walks.

Favourite book: anything by Stephen King, although he said the films rarely match the quality of the books

Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption stands out as his favourite movie, a classic King novella

Favourite music: “I have a wide and varied music taste, so it would be unfair to pick a single song from blues to rock as a favourite"

Company Profile

Company name: Yeepeey

Started: Soft launch in November, 2020

Founders: Sagar Chandiramani, Jatin Sharma and Monish Chandiramani

Based: Dubai

Industry: E-grocery

Initial investment: $150,000

Future plan: Raise $1.5m and enter Saudi Arabia next year

Tips for job-seekers
  • Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
  • Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.

David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East