Environment authorities in Abu Dhabi are monitoring a pair of endangered whale sharks seen swimming around the waters of a beachside community.
Residents of Raha Beach spotted the two in the canals of the area over the past few days.
The Environment Agency Abu Dhabi - which is monitoring the sharks - implored people not to approach them.
“Considered endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list of threatened species, whale sharks appear occasionally in the marinas and waterways of Abu Dhabi during this time of year and are not harmful," it said.
“If you come across a whale shark, we urge you to not approach it and for boat drivers to keep a safe distance.”
Whale sharks are the largest living species of shark and can grow up to 12 metres and weigh as much as 40 tonnes.
They have a broad, flattened head with stripes and spots on their bodies and rows of more than 300 tiny teeth.
They are, however, gentle giants and filter feeders, existing on krill and plankton.
The message was echoed by Reef Check UAE, the local branch of the global research and education organisation which aims to protect the world’s oceans.
"If you see it take a picture of it but please don't try and interfere," Kathleen Russell, the owner and founder of Al Mahara Diving Centre, who runs Reef Check UAE, told The National.
“It’s possible they are following the flow of something, or they got lost in the channel.”
However, she said it is not unusual to see them so close to land. And just a few months ago residents of Al Raha Beach spotted another one.
“In the past year we have seen them in front of Saadiyat and Bateen. We have even seen them by the bay in front of Emirates Palace. So they have been along our coastline.”
However, she said date was lacking on the numbers of whale sharks in the area.
“They are in the Gulf but we are data deficient,” she said.
Ms Russell urged anyone who sees the whale sharks to report the sighting to the whaleshark.org site.
“If they are close to you, please swim at least a distance of three meters away and don’t swim in the front of them,” she wrote on her group's Facebook page.
"Anyone with an underwater camera should take a picture of their spots along the left side of their gills.
"This can serve as their unique identification and you can report this to the whaleshark.org site in which they can track the movements of reported whale sharks to collect more data for the whale sharks for conservation measures."
Whale sharks are believed to live as long as 130 years and are found in all warm waters of the world, although there are only thought to be around 7,000 left in the wild.
Despite their size, some have been captured and displayed in aquariums. A female whale shark with extensive abrasions was rescued from shallow waters in 2008 was briefly kept in Dubai’s Atlantis. However, the aquarium released it in 2010, after 19 months in captivity.
A tracker monitoring her movements fell off after 33 days, when she was in the waters off the coast of Qatar.
The Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi asked anyone who sees whale sharks to get in touch on 800555.
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Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch automatic
Power: 169bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh54,500
On sale: now
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Date Started: May 2015
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When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
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The National will broadcast live from the IMF on Friday October 13 at 7pm UAE time (3pm GMT) as our Editor-in-Chief Mina Al-Oraibi moderates a panel on how technology can help growth in MENA.
You can find out more here
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- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
