Post the Covid pandemic, the Emirates has emerged as one of the most popular spots for destination weddings
Collisions with ships, entanglement in fishing gear, and ingestion of plastic waste led to the death of seven whales that washed ashore UAE coasts, a study has found. Tissues from five Bryde’s whales, one Blue and a Humpback were analysed for the study that took nearly seven years to complete.
The dead whales were found along the coasts of Sharjah, Dubai, Umm Al Quwain and Khor Fakkan. The Environment and Protected Areas Authority in Sharjah (EPAA) completed the first-of-its-kind study in collaboration with the American University of Sharjah and Zayed University.
Hana Saif Al Suwaidi, chairperson of the EPAA, said the whales’ tissues revealed presence of pollutants and heavy metals. Most notable among the causes of death were “collisions with ships and large vessels and entanglement with fishing gear — particularly sturdy ropes in which whales become ensnared, leading to parts of their bodies being severed”.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
“Additionally, these whales are affected by the plastic waste that fills the depths of the seas. They consume bags and empty containers with their food, resulting in the blockage of their digestive tracts and, subsequently, their death,” added Al Suwaidi.
In October last year, fishermen in Ras Al Khaimah spotted a dead whale off the Emirate’s coast. The year before that, the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD) found a dead whale near the coastal waters of the emirate.
ALSO READ:
Post the Covid pandemic, the Emirates has emerged as one of the most popular spots for destination weddings
The quake occurred at 3.03am local time
Food supplies were distributed to 80 households
Specialised teams are currently managing the situation by cleaning up and removing the dead fish
The charges against them include planning terrorist acts, fundraising for the Organisation, and concealing the source and destination of those funds
In the video shared by the Abu Dhabi Police, speeding cars are seen crashing into vehicles as traffic builds up unexpectedly
Organised by Ameeraga Tamil Sangam, the event had participants from across the UAE
Sheikh Hamdan joined the kids as they browsed through some photos that captured how they used broomsticks and helped their community