{"id":5265,"date":"2025-05-08T13:43:54","date_gmt":"2025-05-08T09:43:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mcmmediahub.aus.edu\/?p=5265"},"modified":"2025-09-08T09:17:34","modified_gmt":"2025-09-08T05:17:34","slug":"protecting-the-uaes-marine-biodiversity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mdcmediahub.aus.edu\/index.php\/2025\/05\/08\/protecting-the-uaes-marine-biodiversity\/","title":{"rendered":"Protecting the UAE\u2019s Marine Biodiversity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Salama Al Mahri<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DUBAI \u2014 Beneath the sea\u2019s glittering surface, a hawksbill turtle struggles to survive. Its flippers flail desperately, a silent cry as a piece of shredded plastic lodges in its throat. That morning, the turtle awoke on a flat stone, swam toward the coastline to hunt, and mistook the plastic for a jellyfish. Swallowing it whole, the turtle could no longer breathe or eat, succumbing days later. This tragedy is all too common along UAE coastlines, where turtles wash ashore dead from ingesting littered plastics or oil spills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Threats to Marine Biodiversity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The UAE has diverse species of marine animals and habtats, including green turtles migrate between Oman and UAE seas. However, the Emirates Nature-WWF Green Turtle Population Report<\/a> lists green turtles as vulnerable due to four main threats: ingestion of marine debris like plastics and fishing nets, boat strikes, entanglement, and habitat loss. Sea turtles are among many species\u2014snails, crabs, birds, humpback dolphins, sea snakes, dugongs, and 500 fish species\u2014relying on the region\u2019s coral reefs, seagrass meadows, and mangroves, which are critically endangered due to global warming, according to the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi\u2019s Species Red List Report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
A common Blue Crab found at Khor Kalba Mangrove Center<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Aaron Bartholomew, a biology professor at the American University of Sharjah specializing in marine biology, has published over 20 articles in environmental science. He is preparing a paper arguing that \u201cthe east coast of the UAE experienced its first high-temperature bleaching event in 2021.\u201d Previously, temperatures were not high enough to cause significant coral bleaching. Though Gulf corals adapt to extreme temperatures and high salinity, global warming has devastated them, Bartholomew says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLarge-scale marine coastal developments continue to threaten marine biodiversity,\u201d he says. \u201cPalm Jebel Ali was built on top of a valuable coral habitat, significantly impacting it. Ras al Khaimah\u2019s golf course killed mangroves along the coastline.\u201d These projects destroy marine habitats critical for combating climate change. Bartholomew noted frequent turtle strandings on the east coast due to oil spills, which also wash ashore, affecting divers and swimmers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fatin Samara, a chemistry professor at the American University of Sharjah, said certain metals are \u201cessential for some marine animals\u2019 survival,\u201d but excessive amounts are harmful. Carbon dioxide emissions cause ocean acidification, disrupting carbonates needed for coral shells, Samara added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n