Al Ain Zoo Hosts the first Arabian Population Management Plan Workshop for the Arabian Sand Cat

Al Ain Zoo Hosts the first Arabian Population Management Plan Workshop for the Arabian Sand Cat

-        A two-day event focused on continuing the drive to conserve the Arabian sand cat-

Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, 11 September, 2014: Al Ain Zoo has recently initiated and hosted the Arabian Population Management Plan Workshop (APMP), a two-day event focused on continuing the drive to conserve the Arabian sand cat. 

The workshop, which took place from the 10^th - 11^th September, was attended by representatives from the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, France and the UK in addition to Dr. David Mallon from the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission (IUCN).

Commenting on the initiative, H.E. Ghanim Mubarak Al Hajeri, said:

“We are proud to collaborate with The Arabian Zoo and Aquarium Association to host the first Arabian Population Management Plan Workshop for the Arabian Sand cat, and we are confident that this will form the basis to perform APMP’s for other species in the future.”

“We strongly believe that our cooperation with our regional and international partners will showcase great results in sustaining the genetic diversity of captive endangered species, especially in relation to the Arabian sand cat. The importance of hosting the first Arabian Population Management Plan for the Arabian sand cat cannot be underestimated as it further reflects our role as global leaders in species conservation.” He added

The institutions collaborated during the workshop to develop and agree on:

·       The main vision of the APMP

·       Participation terms and conditions

·       Updating  information on regional sand cat collections

·       Collating  the needed requirements of all Arabian institutions including those currently with sand cats and those wishing to acquire sand cats

·       A full analysis on the current genetic and demographic status of the zoo’s population  to identify needs and priorities

In November 2013, Al Ain Zoo hosted the Arabian Sand Cat One Plan Conservation Workshop, a two-day event focused on continuing the drive to conserve the Arabian sand cat.  The workshop saw 30 experts from regional and international institutions – including the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission (IUCN) – convene at the zoo, which is home to the largest ex situ (captive) population of the species worldwide.  

The sand cat inhabits the deserts of Arabia, North Africa and Central Asia, with the Arabian sand cat being a distinct population. Degradation of the desert environment has led to the decline of many species, including the sand cat. IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species lists the cat as ‘near threatened’, however the threat to many local populations in the region is suspected to be much higher. In fact, the Arabian Sand Cat is classified as ‘endangered’ in both the UAE’s and Abu Dhabi’s regional IUCN Red Lists, with only four reliable sightings in the Emirate since 1995.  Due to the mysterious nature of this species, it is challenging to estimate exactly how many individuals are left in the wild. Factors including overgrazing, habitat loss and accidental poisoning aimed at foxes and dogs mean that the wild population could be under threat.