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.

This insightful talk will feature two distinguished oceanographers, Dr. Geórgenes Cavalcante and Dr. Zouhair Lachkar, who will guide us through the exceptional environmental conditions of the Arabian Gulf. They will explore the hydrodynamics of the Gulf and discuss extreme physical properties such as high temperatures and salinity, as well as the processes driving these characteristics. Additionally, the speakers will delve into how climate change is reshaping the Gulf’s marine environment and what the future may hold for its waters. Entrance is free, but spots are limited—registration is required. Please register using the link below: Speakers Dr. Geórgenes Cavalcante   Research Scientist at NYU Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala-Arabian Center for Climate and Environmental Sciences   Dr. Cavalcante specializes in oceanographic instrumentation and numerical modeling, focusing on hydrodynamic processes and their effects on marine ecosystems, particularly in the Arabian Gulf and Brazil.    

Dear ENHG member,  We are excited to invite you to an engaging Science Talk by Yas SeaWorld Research and Rescue Centre titled "Mangroves" on Thursday, 24th April 2025, from 6:30PM to 8:20PM at the Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center. Agenda  6:30 PM - Dr Himansu Das (EAD) - Introduction note 6:35 - 6:55 PM - Dr Amna Al Mansoori (EAD) - Mangroves of Abu Dhabi 6:55 - 7:40 PM - Prof. Nico Koedam (IUCN Mangrove Specialist Group) - Mangroves ....what's in a name ? More than just trees ! 7:40 - 8:00 PM - Q&A For more information follow the link below https://www.seaworldabudhabi.com/en/events/science-talk-mangroves Hope to see you there!  

Dear ENHG member,  We are excited to invite you to an engaging Science Talk by Yas SeaWorld Research and Rescue Centre titled "Dinosaurs, Sea Dragons and Aeroplanes" on Thursday, 20 March 2025, from 7:00 PM to 8:20 PM at the Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center. Join us as we delve into the fascinating legacy of dinosaurs, who ruled our planet for over 160 million years! Their bird descendants continue to thrive today. We will also discuss the mass extinction event that occurred 66 million years ago, which paved the way for new life forms, including our own ancestors. Thanks to new imaging techniques in paleontology, we are gaining insights that may even influence fields like medicine and aviation. Event Details: - Date: Thursday, 20 March 2025 - Time: 7:00 PM - 8:20 PM - Location: Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center - Entrance: Free (Spots are limited. Registration is required.) Featured Guest Speaker: We are thrilled to welcome Professor Phillip Manning, the Director of Science at the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi. With a focus on advanced imaging techniques to study the evolution of life, Professor Manning has made significant contributions to various fields and is a passionate advocate for utilizing technology to foster a sustainable future. Agenda: - 7:00 PM: Introduction Note by Dr. Elise Marquis - 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM: Presentation by Dr. Phillip Manning - “Dinosaurs, Sea Dragons and Aeroplanes” - 8:00 PM to 8:20 PM: Q&A Session Reserve Your Spot: by following the link below  We hope to see you there Best regards,   ENHG

Invitation to Science Talk: Tectonics Dear ENHG Member,  Join us for an engaging Science Talk on Tectonics on Thursday, February 20, from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM at The Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center.  Our guest speakers will include: - Dr. Ahmed Abdelmaksoud, Postdoctoral Fellow at Khalifa University, specializing in tectonics and marine geosciences. - Dr. Kosmas Pavlopoulos, Professor at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, expert in Quaternary and marine geology. Agenda: - 6:30 PM: Introduction by Claudia Steuber  - 6:35 PM: Dr. Kosmas Pavlopoulos on Earth dynamics and Arabian plate evolution - 6:55 PM: Dr. Ahmed Abdelmaksoud on UAE tectonics and offshore discoveries - 7:35 PM: Q&A session Hope to see you there!   

Join us as experts from the Center, the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi and Convention on Migratory Species share their insights on the importance of seagrass ecosystems' research and conservation in Abu Dhabi and beyond.

Join us for an enlightening discussion about the role of DNA in all living beings, from the smallest plankton to the largest animals and humans. Have you ever wondered what DNA is for, and how studying the genetic material of various species can deepen our understanding of life on Earth? This event will provide valuable insights into the wonderful world of genomics! Event Details: - Date: Thursday, 19 December 2024 - ⁠Time 6:30pm - 7:45pm - Location: Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center - Entrance: Free (Spots are limited) We are excited to meet guest speakers: - Dr. Loic Lesobre, Head of Conservation Genomics at Reneco International Wildlife Consultants - Dr. Sebastian Kirchhof, Curator of Zoology at the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi (NHMAD)

Join us for an engaging discussion as expert speaker Dr. Ludovic Ferrière from The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi (NHMAD) shares insights into meteorites and the ongoing search for impact craters on Earth.

Join us for an engaging evening focused on wildlife conservation and climate change, hosted by The Emirates Natural History Group (ENHG)Abu Dhabi.  Schedule 6:00 PM: Introduction by Claudia Steuber, Chair of ENHG Abu Dhabi   6:15 PM - 7:30 PM: Presentation by Dr. Liz Bennett on Mitigating Climate Change and Conserving Wildlife, followed by a 15-minute Q&A session.   7:30 PM - 8:00 PM: Coffee and Snacks   8:00 PM - 9:00 PM: Presentation by Dr. Resit Akacaya on Measuring Species Recovery, with a 15-minute Q&A session afterwards. The evening will conclude with remarks from Claudia Steuber. We look forward to an informative and inspiring event! For More Information contact Toni Metcalfe Email - gilmorehk@hotmail.com WhatsApp - 00971(0)529424448   

This talk will be in person-The Southern Sun Hotel-Meeting Room 2-https://maps.app.goo.gl/icYs8ooSp8WnHYRc6   About the speaker: Janaina Torres Carreira graduated with a Veterinary Medicine degree in 2005 from São Paulo State University (UNESP) in Araçatuba, São Paulo in Brazil.  Her path of interest was then continued with a Master on Animal Reproduction in 2008 and a Ph.D. on Animal Reproduction in 2012 both from São Paulo State University (UNESP) in Jaboticabal, São Paulo in Brazil. She followed with a Post Doctorate on Sperm nuclear organization from Universite Clermont-Auvergne (UCA) in Clermont-Ferrand, France. She complemented her rigorous education by excelling in her career choices which included working as an assistant professor of animal reproduction and obstetrics at Rio Preto University (UNIRP) from 2012 to 2016. She continued to develop in her professional path as she later became Professor of veterinary physiology, animal reproduction, and obstetrics at the Federal Institute of Minas Gerais (IFMG) from 2017 to 2019. Moreover, Janaina became founding member of the Brazilian Society for Animal Andrology (ABRAA) and joined as a member of the Animal Applied Andrology Association (AAAA). Janaina has been working at Reneco International Wildlife consultants in Abu Dhabi as a Reproduction Physiology Researcher since July 2019, examining quality different aspects of bustards and falcons’ reproduction and advance biotechnologies, such as artificial insemination and sperm preservation, which are fundamental components of captive conservation activities. About the talk: Applied reproductive biotechnology for houbara bustard conservation. Over the last 30 years, unregulated hunting and habitat loss led to the decline of the North African and Asian houbara houbara populations (Chlamydotis undulata and Ch. macqueenii), today both classified as vulnerable by the IUCN.  To support both in and ex-situ conservation actions through the ranges of both species, Abu Dhabi developed large scale conservation breeding programs (www.houbarafund.org). Captive breeding is based on a strict genetic management and the use of artificial insemination. This talk aims to highlight the reproductive particularities of the species, and how the current applied reproductive biotechnologies, as sperm cryopreservation (genome resource bank), combined with artificial insemination are keys to the genetic management and reproductive success of captive birds. Special thanks to Nautica Environmental Associates for sponsoring this event.