Sharks and rays bred in captivity have been released into the Arabian Gulf in an effort to safeguard the futures of two threatened species.
Eleven of the near-threatened Arabian carpet shark and four vulnerable honeycomb stingrays were released by conservationists into the shallow waters of the Jebel Ali marine reserve.
The sheltered bay with a gently sloping sandy seabed towards a rocky outcrop is the perfect habitat in which sharks and rays can thrive.
Once densely populated in the waters of the UAE, overfishing and coastal development have threatened marine ecosystems, and the precious sea-life that exist within its borders.
That looks set to change with a government-backed programme by the Atlantis Lost Chambers Aquarium, where marine scientists have carefully reared and nurtured the latest batch of sharks and rays ready for release.
“One of our key pillars is marine conservation, because Atlantis is home to 65,000 marine animals,” said Kelly Timmins, director of marine animal operations and sustainability at The Atlantis on The Palm Jumeirah.
“These species are not endangered but they are native to this area. Unfortunately, they are on a critical rating.
“The most important about doing this kind of release is to ensure everybody understands sharks are not vicious predators that are after them as soon as they get into the water.
“We want to show different species of sharks and show it's completely normal to release them back into their natural environment.”
The two-year-old sharks released were about 50cm in length and are expected to grow up to a metre and live for about 20 years. They are unlikely to leave the bay in which they were released throughout their lifetime.
Nine species of shark and ray fall under the Atlantis breeding programme, including eagle rays, cowtail and porcupine rays.
“Sharks and rays are solitary animals, they're totally fine just swimming off and finding their own way and a new life in the ocean,” said Ms Timmins.
“There are many sharks and ray species, especially around the coast of the UAE.
“We've been so fortunate to see some larger predators over the last year, such as killer whales in the Arabian Gulf.
“There are big sharks out there too but they wouldn't be coming so close into shore to be much of a threat to these smaller sharks.”
Over fishing
Shark finning around the world is the biggest threat to the ocean’s apex predator, that provides a critical role in preserving healthy marine ecosystems.
The gruesome practice is when a fin is cut from a live shark, before it is returned to the ocean to die a slow and painful death. The fins are used to make a soup popular in Chinese communities.
Despite new protective regulations introduced around the world, a recent study published in the Science journal showed shark mortality increased 4 per cent in coastal fisheries in 150 countries between 2012 and 2019.
However, in regulated fisheries such as those across the Atlantic and western Pacific, shark deaths fell by about 7 per cent.
The UAE is playing its part in attempting to rescue sharks from oblivion, said Hiba Al Shehhi, director of biodiversity at the Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment
“This is one of the successful breeding stories that we are really proud of,” she said.
“Sharks are one of the most important species that actually control fish in the wild and help us balance that ecosystem.
“Having these species released, as one of the most endangered species, is really a successful story for the UAE.”
Multiple shark species exist in the Arabian Gulf.
They include the giant whale shark, tiger shark, tawny nurse shark, sicklefin lemon shark, sandbar shark, bull shark and reef shark.
“We have done a red list exercise a couple of years ago and unfortunately we found that, like the rest of the world, shark numbers are declining,” said Ms Al Shehhi.
“A lot of people don't realise how many species of sharks we have and what they do.
“People get scared of sharks, when many are actually peaceful.
“They rarely come near people, and they are one of the priority species in these ecosystems with a tremendous role to play.”
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
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.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
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Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
MATCH INFO
Day 1 at Mount Maunganui
England 241-4
Denly 74, Stokes 67 not out, De Grandhomme 2-28
New Zealand
Yet to bat
AWARDS
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League last-16, second leg:
Real Madrid 1 (Asensio 70'), Ajax 4 (Ziyech 7', Neres 18', Tadic 62', Schone 72')
Ajax win 5-3 on aggregate
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).
Second leg
Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm
Games on BeIN Sports
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Cofe
Year started: 2018
Based: UAE
Employees: 80-100
Amount raised: $13m
Investors: KISP ventures, Cedar Mundi, Towell Holding International, Takamul Capital, Dividend Gate Capital, Nizar AlNusif Sons Holding, Arab Investment Company and Al Imtiaz Investment Group
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
Results
2.30pm Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m
Winner Lamia, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
3pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,000m
Winner Jap Al Afreet, Elione Chaves, Irfan Ellahi.
3.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m
Winner MH Tawag, Bernardo Pinheiro, Elise Jeanne.
4pm Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 2,000m
Winner Skygazer, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
4.30pm The Ruler of Sharjah Cup Prestige (PA) Dh250,000 1,700m
Winner AF Kal Noor, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
5pm Sharjah Marathon (PA) Dh70,000 2,700m
Winner RB Grynade, Bernardo Pinheiro, Eric Lemartinel.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
The Sky Is Pink
Director: Shonali Bose
Cast: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim, Rohit Saraf
Three stars
About Okadoc
Date started: Okadoc, 2018
Founder/CEO: Fodhil Benturquia
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Healthcare
Size: (employees/revenue) 40 staff; undisclosed revenues recording “double-digit” monthly growth
Funding stage: Series B fundraising round to conclude in February
Investors: Undisclosed
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
THREE
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Company%C2%A0profile
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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
MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
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
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5