Sharjah 24: Participants in the 23rd edition of the Sharjah International Conservation Forum for Arabia’s Biodiversity discussed the theme of wildlife rewilding and multi-species reintroductions through the papers and research presented during the second day's sessions of the event, which was organised by the Environment and Protected Areas Authority in Sharjah (EPAA), and held in Sharjah Safari, from 5 to 8 February, with the participation of over 200 experts, researchers, and specialists in the environmental field and biodiversity issues from around the world.
The agenda for the second day included taking participants on an enjoyable touristic journey around the Sharjah Safari project to become acquainted with its natural environments and the various animals within.
The Arabian Peninsula is a central hub for wildlife rewilding
In this context, Her Excellency Hana Saif Al Suwaidi, Chairperson of the Environment and Protected Areas Authority in Sharjah (EPAA), affirmed that the concept of wildlife rewilding emerged for the first time 30 years ago and has witnessed numerous projects that have been implemented since then and have continued to evolve globally. This concept mainly diversified into two types: the first is passive wildlife rewilding, through reducing human intervention and allowing nature to recover on its own by eliminating threats and stressors; the second type is active wildlife rewilding, through the active restoration of biodiversity, which includes reintroducing various species to restore ecosystem functions.
She added that for a long time, the Arabian Peninsula had been a center for reintroducing wildlife focusing on a single species, such as the Arabian oryx and Houbara bustard projects, but increasingly Arabian projects have begun to shift their focus to more than one species, in an effort to restore entire ecosystems through the process of active wildlife rewilding.
Types of Wildlife: Definitions and Priorities
During the second day's sessions, participants presented a series of displays and studies through which they sought to explore the origins and definitions of wildlife rewilding, emphasizing the importance of considering the role of setting priorities for species through the selection of candidates for food wildlife rewilding projects. They underscored the importance of applying planning for the reintroduction of multiple species using strong and transparent priority-setting tools to identify the species that should be prioritized for reintroduction to achieve conservation goals.
Exceptional Experiences Adopting Species Recovery
The session began with an introduction that gave an overview of the biodiversity rewilding axis and the scope of its related work. Professor Philip Seddon spoke about the definition of this axis, followed by a presentation of examples about the concept of this rewilding. Malvern Mupandawana presented Sharjah's experience in expanding green spaces to reduce carbon, while Lauren Lopes spoke about the Seagrass Breakthrough 2030 project. Dr. Fareed Krupp and Johannes Els reviewed the experience of freshwater fishes’ rewilding.
The session also discussed the axis of reintroducing multiple species on a regional level. Dr. Kurai Kapondo touched on veterinary issues in the reintroduction of multiple species, while Robert Muir spoke about restoring predator and prey systems. Ricardo Ramalho's paper addressed giving priority to reintroducing multiple species.
Sessions on the third day of the forum will focus on the axis of marine stranding and will include a review of a series of experiences and applications in this regard.
An Exciting Tour of the Natural Environments in Sharjah Safari
At the end of the second day's sessions, participants enjoyed a field trip that included various sections of Sharjah Safari, the largest of its kind in the world outside Africa, which has become a premier destination for eco-tourism in the country and a captivating station that attracts thousands of visitors, tourists, and nature enthusiasts from both within the state and abroad.
Forum participants had the opportunity to see different types of animals, including mammals, reptiles, and birds in their native environments as they are in their homeland in Africa, through 12 different environments. They expressed their pride in this vital environmental project for its abundance of wildlife, terrain, and animals that inhabit it.
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