Conservationists awarded for contributions to knowledge of UAE natural history

Binish Roobas received the Sheikh Mubarak bin Mohammed Award for Natural History, and Maj John Stewart-Smith, a founder of the Emirates Natural History Group, received the Bish Brown Award.

Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, presents the Sheikh Mubarak bin Mohammed Award for Natural History to Binish Roobas. Christopher Pike / The National

ABU DHABI // A researcher who has studied an extensive range of UAE butterflies, spiders and other species has been honoured for his contribution to knowledge about the country’s natural history.

Binish Roobas, a zoologist and supervisor at the Butterfly House in Sharjah, said it was an honour to receive the Sheikh Mubarak bin Mohammed Award for Natural History, established by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development.

Mr Roobas co-authored an introductory catalogue of spiders in the UAE – the first such catalogue to be produced. He has also studied lizards, fish, dragonflies and other animals, and plans to publish a paper on butterflies.

“We have about 58 to 59 species of butterflies in the UAE and the paper will be published next year,” said Mr Roobas, who is Indian. “No one has done work about it, so I will be the first one.”

He thanked Gary Feulner, the chairman of Dubai Natural History Group, who has co-authored most of his publications and research in the UAE.

“Without him this award would have been a dream for me,” said Mr Roobas.

Maj John Steward-Smith was awarded the the Bish Brown Award, named after one of the founders of the Emirates Natural History Group, for his conservation work with Sheikh Zayed in the 1970s and his contributions to knowledge of the UAE’s natural history.

“The carrying out of studies into our history, heritage and culture is a fundamental part of the way in which the Emirates must prepare itself for the future,” Sheikh Nahyan said.

Maj Steward-Smith developed a love of nature as a child in Ireland but, under the misconception that the UAE would be barren of wildlife, feared he would not be able to continue it here.

“I quickly realised that the desert was absolutely teeming with wildlife. Out in the desert you’d just have to be patient and ... you’d begin to see all kinds of animals and plants,” he said.

As a military man, he fulfilled his duty to Sheikh Zayed and shared the Founding Father’s love of nature. That relationship helped to establish the first decree on wildlife protection.

Maj Steward-Smith said Sheikh Zayed had “a real, deep appreciation for wildlife”.

“John was a founder and first chairman of the Emirates Natural History Group, back in 1976, and made early and important recordings of the UAE’s bird life and other aspects of natural history, which helped to lay the basis for our knowledge today,” said Peter Hellyer, former chairman of the group.

The winners were awarded at the Emirates Natural History Group’s annual awards ceremony.