NEW YORK // Plans to assemble a team of six experts in Abu Dhabi to oversee bird preservation efforts in the Gulf herald a new era in the fight to protect species around the world, a senior UN official said yesterday.
The UAE agreed to host the team after ratifying a memorandum of understanding last week for worldwide co-operation against the threat to migratory birds, an agreement signed by 27 other countries that comes into effect on Saturday.
The MoU is seen as a precursor to the UN Convention on Migratory Species, which aims to halt the decline of species such as falcons, eagles and ospreys.
"The establishment of this tri-continental agreement for birds of prey, with a co-ordinating unit in Abu Dhabi, marks a new era for the convention," said Robert Hepworth, executive secretary of the UN Environment Programme's bird convention. "Here in the Gulf, at the crossroads of migration and culture, we have a chance to establish a new UN base for wildlife conservation.
"This vital new agreement will not only help raptors, which are at the top of the food chain, but also other 'nomads of the air' throughout their journeys. We expect the sharp decline of birds of prey to stop and to see their populations eventually recover."
The UAE has yet to sign the Convention but said it was willing to fund the initiative's secretariat in Abu Dhabi.
Many rare species of predatory birds visit the country, including the Greater Spotted Eagle, the Egyptian vulture and the osprey, of which some 70 pairs breed on offshore islands in the emirate's waters.
The Government has long supported efforts to promote the survival of falcons, a national symbol of the Emirates and historically the cherished hunter used by Bedouin falconers to capture prey.
But birds of prey, like many others protected under the new agreement, are increasingly suffering as their habitats are encroached upon by farmland, forestry and sprawling cities.
Conservationists have concerns about more than half all migratory birds of prey, which are increasingly being poisoned by industrial and agricultural toxins or flying into electricity cables.
"Each year millions of birds pass through the Middle East as they travel between Europe and Africa," said Ibrahim al Khader, head of BirdLife Middle East. "This important agreement will help ensure that migratory birds of prey and owls, including some of the world's most charismatic and threatened species, have a safer passage during their epic annual journeys."
The large saker falcon has declined rapidly in recent years and is listed as an endangered species, but illegal traders capture thousands annually and sell them to wealthy Gulf hunters.
Countries that signed up to the agreement, including Pakistan, Mongolia and Sudan, are committed to protecting birds of prey from illegal killing and safeguarding their habitats.
Dr Sali Javed, deputy bird conservation chief at the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi, said: "We hope that this is just the beginning of an impressive journey that we have started to protect such a fascinating group of birds."
The conservation team will gather information about falcons, ospreys, owls and other hunting birds, analyse their biology, habitat and migration routes, and build a database of knowledge that will assist protection efforts.
The experts will focus on "bottleneck sites" where large numbers of raptors concentrate while migrating from their breeding grounds in the northern hemisphere to wintering territory in the south.
The Government began negotiating the agreement with UK officials in Scotland last year, encouraging other countries to sign up and co-ordinate efforts to protect more than 70 species of migratory birds of prey.
Huw Irranca-Davies, the British minister for wildlife, said: "These measures will protect birds of prey along the whole route that they travel on their annual migration, which can cross the boundaries of many different countries with different laws to protect wildlife."
jreinl@thenational.ae
SERIE A FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Sassuolo v Bologna (11.45pm)
Saturday
Brescia v Torino (6pm)
Inter Milan v Verona (9pm)
Napoli v Genoa (11.45pm)
Sunday
Cagliari v Verona (3.30pm)
Udinese v SPAL (6pm)
Sampdoria v Atalanta (6pm)
Lazio v Lecce (6pm)
Parma v Roma (9pm)
Juventus v Milan (11.45pm)
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Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
The biog
Nickname: Mama Nadia to children, staff and parents
Education: Bachelors degree in English Literature with Social work from UAE University
As a child: Kept sweets on the window sill for workers, set aside money to pay for education of needy families
Holidays: Spends most of her days off at Senses often with her family who describe the centre as part of their life too
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FIGHT CARD
Welterweight Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Tohir Zhuraev (TJK)
Catchweight 75kg Leandro Martins (BRA) v Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR)
Flyweight Corinne Laframboise (CAN) v Manon Fiorot (FRA)
Featherweight Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Bogdan Kirilenko (UZB)
Lightweight Izzedine Al Derabani (JOR) v Atabek Abdimitalipov (KYG)
Featherweight Yousef Al Housani (UAE) v Mohamed Arsharq Ali (SLA)
Catchweight 69kg Jung Han-gook (KOR) v Elias Boudegzdame (ALG)
Catchweight 71kg Usman Nurmagomedov (RUS) v Jerry Kvarnstrom (FIN)
Featherweight title Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) v Alexandru Chitoran (ROU)
Lightweight title Bruno Machado (BRA) v Mike Santiago (USA)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
pakistan Test squad
Azhar Ali (capt), Shan Masood, Abid Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Fawad Alam, Haris Sohail, Imran Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Abbas, Yasir Shah, Usman Shinwari
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Company%20Profile
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Scores in brief:
- New Medical Centre 129-5 in 17 overs bt Zayed Cricket Academy 125-6 in 20 overs.
- William Hare Abu Dhabi Gymkhana 188-8 in 20 overs bt One Stop Tourism 184-8 in 20 overs
- Alubond Tigers 138-7 in 20 overs bt United Bank Limited 132-7 in 20 overs
- Multiplex 142-6 in 17 overs bt Xconcepts Automobili 140 all out in 20 overs
if you go
The flights
Etihad flies direct from Abu Dhabi to San Francisco from Dh5,760 return including taxes.
The car
Etihad Guest members get a 10 per cent worldwide discount when booking with Hertz, as well as earning miles on their rentals (more at www.hertz.com/etihad). A week's car hire costs from Dh1,500 including taxes.
The hotels
Along the route, Motel 6 (www.motel6.com) offers good value and comfort, with rooms from $55 (Dh202) per night including taxes. In Portland, the Jupiter Hotel (https://jupiterhotel.com/) has rooms from $165 (Dh606) per night including taxes. The Society Hotel https://thesocietyhotel.com/ has rooms from $130 (Dh478) per night including taxes.
More info
To keep up with constant developments in Portland, visit www.travelportland.com
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
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FA Cup quarter-final draw
The matches will be played across the weekend of 21 and 22 March
Sheffield United v Arsenal
Newcastle v Manchester City
Norwich v Derby/Manchester United
Leicester City v Chelsea
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SPECS
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5