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.
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.
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Overall head-to-head
Federer 6-1 Cilic
Head-to-head at Wimbledon
Federer 1-0 Cilic
Grand Slams titles
Federer 18-1 Cilic
Best Wimbledon performance
Federer: Winner (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012)
Cilic: Final (2017*)
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
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
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Other simple ideas for sushi rice dishes
Cheat’s nigiri
This is easier to make than sushi rolls. With damp hands, form the cooled rice into small tablet shapes. Place slices of fresh, raw salmon, mackerel or trout (or smoked salmon) lightly touched with wasabi, then press, wasabi side-down, onto the rice. Serve with soy sauce and pickled ginger.
Easy omurice
This fusion dish combines Asian fried rice with a western omelette. To make, fry cooked and cooled sushi rice with chopped vegetables such as carrot and onion and lashings of sweet-tangy ketchup, then wrap in a soft egg omelette.
Deconstructed sushi salad platter
This makes a great, fuss-free sharing meal. Arrange sushi rice on a platter or board, then fill the space with all your favourite sushi ingredients (edamame beans, cooked prawns or tuna, tempura veggies, pickled ginger and chilli tofu), with a dressing or dipping sauce on the side.
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Twin-turbocharged%204-litre%20V8%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E542bhp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E770Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEight-speed%20automatic%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh1%2C450%2C000%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
