Events

Sea turtles are iconic to the Arabian region and play a vital role in our marine ecosystems. In this talk, learn about their fascinating biology, regional connections, and the conservation challenges they face as climate change continues to shape their future.

Join us for a talk on the importance of fish as a global food source and how sustainably managed fisheries support food security, healthy oceans, and climate goals, with Abu Dhabi highlighted as a real-world success story.

About the speaker: Dr. Rob Baldwin has over 35 years of experience in the Arabian region in a wide variety of marine ecological and conservation work. He has been a key figure in marine mammal and sea turtle conservation programmes and initiatives and is recognised by numerous international organisations for this work. He plays an active role in IUCN’s Species Survival Commission as a member of both the Sea Turtle Specialist Group and the Cetacean Specialist Group. He is involved in the CMS Scientific Council Aquatic Mammals Working Group, the International Whaling Commission Scientific Committee, the Convention on Migratory Species IOSEA Turtle MOU Advisory Committee and is a member of the IUCN/WCPA Marine Mammal Protected Areas Joint Task Force. Rob has a particular passion for detailed research towards the conservation and protection of endangered species and passing on this knowledge to anyone who will listen!   About the talk: The talk will present research in Oman that resulted in the discovery of unique populations of large baleen whales in Arabian Seas. This was achieved through pioneering work on humpback whales which led to re-classification of the Arabian sea population as a geographically, demographically and genetically isolated subspecies, and the subsequent realisation that other whales in the region, such as blue whales and Bryde's whales, are similarly isolated. These whales are, however, in danger of extinction and urgent action is required to save them. Location! https://maps.app.goo.gl/4JE1k9nVD3SayMPfA?g_st=aw Nautica LLC Veryan Pappin  Villa number is 4, Gate 12.  

IUCN  Congress Special SCIENCE TALK: CRYPTOBENTHIC FISH + CHEETAH   Agenda 6:30PM Dr. Elise Marquis (The Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center) - Introduction note   6:30PM - 7:00PM Dr.Christopher Goatley (University of Southampton) - It’s a small world: An introduction to the ecology of tiny cryptobenthic fish that keep coral reefs running     7:00PM - 7:15PM Dr. Christopher Goatley (University of Southampton) and Dr. Matthew Mitchell (The Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center) - Q&A   7:15PM - 7:45PM Dr. Laurie Marker (Cheetah Conservation Fund) – Cheetah, Research, Conservation & Communities   7:45PM - 8:00PM Dr. Laurie Marker (Cheetah Conservation Fund) - Q&A

Invertebrate conservation – preserving the smaller majority   About the speaker: Axel Hochkirch is head of conservation biology at the Musée national d’histoire naturelle Luxembourg – Naturmusée. Since his early childhood, he has been committed to nature conservation. He studied biology at the University of Bremen, where he completed his PhD in 2001 on the evolution and ecology of East African grasshoppers. After his habilitation in ecology at the University of Osnabrück, he became scientific lab manager of the Biogeography department at Trier University in 2008. Since 2023, he has been working at the Naturmusée. Axel Hochkirch is engaged in numerous international committees, particularly in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). He chairs the IUCN SSC Invertebrate Conservation Committee as well as the IUCN SSC Grasshopper Specialist Group. In addition, he serves as an advisor on various international boards, such as the World Heritage Panel, the European Union’s expert pool on pollinator monitoring, the Advisory Board of the Species Conservation Fund, the IUCN SSC Steering Committee and the IUCN SSC Red List Scientific Committee. Axel Hochkirch is the author of more than 200 scientific publications, most of them dealing with conservation management, conservation policy and ecology.     About the talk: Global biodiversity is in peril. While the extinction of rhinos, elephants and great apes is well known by most people, the biodiversity crisis also affects the lesser known but far more species-rich groups, such as insects, molluscs and other invertebrates. Invertebrate conservation has some tradition in western Europe and North America, but globally it is still in its infancy. Since a few years the global insect crisis has become better known by the public and small conservation projects have been instigated in many regions. Axel Hochkirch, chair of the IUCN SSC Invertebrate Conservation Committee, helps to coordinate such projects and instigate new IUCN SSC Specialist Groups dealing with underrepresented invertebrate taxa. In his presentation, he will show how conservation projects for such species-rich groups can be instigated and lead to successful recovery of threatened species. Location! https://maps.app.goo.gl/4JE1k9nVD3SayMPfA?g_st=aw Nautica LLC Verya Pappin  Villa number is 4, Gate 12.

Guest speakers Sarah Landeo Yauri James Cook University Sarah is a PhD candidate at James Cook University in Australia. Her research focuses on developing a non-invasive method to assess the body condition of dugongs using drone videos and images. Sarah has previously worked with other sirenian species, like Amazonian manatees in Peru, and Antillean manatees in Mexico. She is very excited to be working with dugongs now. Renae Lambourne James Cook University Renae is a PhD candidate at James Cook University and the Harry Butler Institute. Renae's research focuses on understanding the fine-scale behavioural ecology of dugongs using multi-sensor tags which record movement, behaviour and the physical characteristics of the animal's environment.