• Al Wathba Wetland was declared a reserve in 1998 by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father. It was established as a protected area following the first successful breeding of flamingos. Victor Besa /The National
    Al Wathba Wetland was declared a reserve in 1998 by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father. It was established as a protected area following the first successful breeding of flamingos. Victor Besa /The National
  • A record 876 flamingo chicks hatched at Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba Wetland Reserve this season. Victor Besa /The National
    A record 876 flamingo chicks hatched at Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba Wetland Reserve this season. Victor Besa /The National
  • Al Wathba Wetland was declared a reserve in 1998 by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father. It was established as a protected area following the first successful breeding of flamingos. Victor Besa /The National
    Al Wathba Wetland was declared a reserve in 1998 by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father. It was established as a protected area following the first successful breeding of flamingos. Victor Besa /The National
  • A record 876 flamingo chicks hatched at Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba Wetland Reserve this season. Victor Besa /The National
    A record 876 flamingo chicks hatched at Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba Wetland Reserve this season. Victor Besa /The National
  • A record 876 flamingo chicks hatched at Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba Wetland Reserve this season. Victor Besa /The National
    A record 876 flamingo chicks hatched at Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba Wetland Reserve this season. Victor Besa /The National
  • A record 876 flamingo chicks hatched at Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba Wetland Reserve this season. Victor Besa /The National
    A record 876 flamingo chicks hatched at Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba Wetland Reserve this season. Victor Besa /The National
  • Al Wathba Wetland was declared a reserve in 1998 by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father. It was established as a protected area following the first successful breeding of flamingos. Victor Besa /The National
    Al Wathba Wetland was declared a reserve in 1998 by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father. It was established as a protected area following the first successful breeding of flamingos. Victor Besa /The National
  • A record 876 flamingo chicks hatched at Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba Wetland Reserve this season. Victor Besa /The National
    A record 876 flamingo chicks hatched at Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba Wetland Reserve this season. Victor Besa /The National
  • Al Wathba Wetland was declared a reserve in 1998 by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father. It was established as a protected area following the first successful breeding of flamingos. Victor Besa /The National
    Al Wathba Wetland was declared a reserve in 1998 by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father. It was established as a protected area following the first successful breeding of flamingos. Victor Besa /The National
  • Al Wathba Wetland was declared a reserve in 1998 by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father. It was established as a protected area following the first successful breeding of flamingos. Victor Besa /The National
    Al Wathba Wetland was declared a reserve in 1998 by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father. It was established as a protected area following the first successful breeding of flamingos. Victor Besa /The National
  • Al Wathba Wetland was declared a reserve in 1998 by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father. It was established as a protected area following the first successful breeding of flamingos. Victor Besa /The National
    Al Wathba Wetland was declared a reserve in 1998 by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father. It was established as a protected area following the first successful breeding of flamingos. Victor Besa /The National

Flamingo travels 10,000km since leaving Abu Dhabi two years ago


Haneen Dajani
  • English
  • Arabic

A flamingo that was released from Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba Wetland Reserve a little over two years ago travelled more than 10,000 kilometres before recently settling in Kuwait.

Amelia, a greater flamingo named after US aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart, was tagged by the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi in November 2018. Their data showed Amelia crossed most of Central Asia before settling in Kuwait three months ago.

During her journey, she briefly settled in Lake Urmia in northern Iran and Lake Van in eastern Turkey.

"The migration along the Gulf in a non-stop flight from Abu Dhabi is something quite significant," said Dr Salim Javed, acting director of terrestrial biodiversity division at the agency.

The two-year journey undertaken by the flamingo, Amelia, since she was tagged by Environment Agency Abu Dhabi. Courtesy: Environment Agency Abu Dhabi.
The two-year journey undertaken by the flamingo, Amelia, since she was tagged by Environment Agency Abu Dhabi. Courtesy: Environment Agency Abu Dhabi.

“Moving to Lake Urmia in Iran and then to Lake Van in Turkey is something different from what we have seen with other tracked flamingos.”

“It has taken a very unusual path, by flying over the Gulf, along its length until Shatt Al Arab [River or Arvand Rud in Iran]. Which is quite unusual,” Dr Javed said.

Amelia was tagged in collaboration with Etihad and was one of 10 flamingoes released from Al Wathba reserve and Bul Syayeef Marine Protected Area.

The animals were released as part of the Birdathon project developed by the environment agency to raise awareness about the importance of wetlands.

Participating birds included a flamingo representing Abu Dhabi Police called Flamingo 5.

“The migration of flamingos out of Abu Dhabi and their use of wetlands locally has provided interesting information on flamingos’ movement ecology,” Dr Javed said.

“[It] is helping us identify important sites along the way.”

Since arriving in Kuwait in November, Amelia has been flying locally in the country's bay but Dr Javed says she could return to Abu Dhabi.

Three other birds that were released at the same time have already returned to the UAE capital.

"They usually travel to Central Asia. It is a bit unusual for those birds to go Turkey, so it was nice to see our birds going to other places."

Environment Agency Abu Dhabi has been tagging and tracking greater flamingos since 2005.

 

 

RESULTS

6.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh82.500 (Dirt) 1,400m

Winner Meshakel, Royston Ffrench (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)

7.05pm Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m

Winner Gervais, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

7.40pm Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (Turf) 2,410m

Winner Global Heat, Pat Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.

8.15pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,900m

Winner Firnas, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.

8.50pm UAE 2000 Guineas Trial (TB) Conditions Dh183,650 (D) 1,600m

Winner Rebel’s Romance, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

9.25pm Dubai Trophy (TB) Conditions Dh183,650 (T) 1,200m

Winner Topper Bill, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar

10pm Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (T) 1,400m

Winner Wasim, Mickael Barzalona, Ismail Mohammed.

The President's Cake

Director: Hasan Hadi

Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem 

Rating: 4/5

Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

TO A LAND UNKNOWN

Director: Mahdi Fleifel

Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa

Rating: 4.5/5

The Vile

Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah

Director: Majid Al Ansari

Rating: 4/5

The Sky Is Pink

Director: Shonali Bose

Cast: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim, Rohit Saraf

Three stars

The biog

Alwyn Stephen says much of his success is a result of taking an educated chance on business decisions.

His advice to anyone starting out in business is to have no fear as life is about taking on challenges.

“If you have the ambition and dream of something, follow that dream, be positive, determined and set goals.

"Nothing and no-one can stop you from succeeding with the right work application, and a little bit of luck along the way.”

Mr Stephen sells his luxury fragrances at selected perfumeries around the UAE, including the House of Niche Boutique in Al Seef.

He relaxes by spending time with his family at home, and enjoying his wife’s India cooking. 

Gulf Under 19s final

Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B

Libya's Gold

UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves. 

The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.

Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EWilliam%20Friedkin%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKiefer%20Sutherland%2C%20Jason%20Clarke%2C%20Jake%20Lacy%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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%3Cp%3EThere%20are%20regular%20flights%20from%20Dubai%20to%20Kathmandu.%20Fares%20with%20Air%20Arabia%20and%20flydubai%20start%20at%20Dh1%2C265.%3Cbr%3EIn%20Kathmandu%2C%20rooms%20at%20the%20Oasis%20Kathmandu%20Hotel%20start%20at%20Dh195%20and%20Dh120%20at%20Hotel%20Ganesh%20Himal.%3Cbr%3EThird%20Rock%20Adventures%20offers%20professionally%20run%20group%20and%20individual%20treks%20and%20tours%20using%20highly%20experienced%20guides%20throughout%20Nepal%2C%20Bhutan%20and%20other%20parts%20of%20the%20Himalayas.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode

Directors: Raj & DK

Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon

Rating: 4/5