TIME:  Membership signup from 7:15pm, lecture from 7:30pm VENUE:  NYU Abu Dhabi, building A3, lecture room 001. Click here for a google maps and here for a campus map https://nyuad.nyu.edu/content/dam/nyuad/news/documents/campus-map-with-directions.pdf  LECTURE TITLE:  The Abu Dhabi Superblock: Adaptation, Evolution, and Livability in the Modernist Grid LECTURE SUMMARY: Historic photographs, aerial mapping, and computer modeling techniques visually tell the story of Abu Dhabi's planning origins and urban evolution. The Modernist superblock serves as a common thread through time while a quantitative as well as qualitative analysis of the city, block, and architectural scales is conducted. The hidden diurnal rhythms of the downtown block are explored describing the resultant lifestyles of the residents. This presentation is based on the chapter entitled "The Abu Dhabi Superblock: Adaptation, Evolution, and Livability in the Modernist Grid" by Lukas Sokol from the Lifescapes Beyond Bigness publication for the UAE's National Pavilion at the 2018 Venice Biennale. It is Commissioned by the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation, curated by Dr. Khaled Alawadi and supported by the UAE Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development. ABOUT THE SPEAKER:  Lukas is the Urban Design Manager at the Abu Dhabi Department of Urban Planning and Municipalities where he has worked for 11 years.. He is responsible for advising the Abu Dhabi Government on matters regarding urban design, master planning, and strategic development. He heads the DPM's Urban Design Studio which serves as an internal think tank and project design and development consultancy responsible for exploring, developing, and testing government initiatives.

TIME: Refreshments, Membership sign-up and Bookstall from 7:15pm, talk begins at 7:30pm LOCATION: Salon 1, Alyazya Ballroom, Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island ABOUT THE TALK: The coastal village of Jezirat Al Hamra, Ras Al Khaimah, is a mysterious cluster of over 500 buildings, all of which were abandoned over a half a century ago. These buildings are almost entirely constructed from coral, and the unique architecture is a snapshot of life in the pre-oil history in the Emirates. In this seminar we introduce the audience to this fascinating village and walk back through time to explore the evolution of the community. We then  examine the practice of coral masonry, using geochemical dating techniques to develop an understanding of this history of these structures and calculating the type and volume of corals that had been mined from the sea to support the expansion of this early urban setting. Jezirat Al-Hamra represents a unique archaeological and architectural asset for the Emirates, and we close with a brief discussion on the future of this unique development. ABOUT THE SPEAKERS: Dr. John Burt is an Associate Professor of Biology and head of the Marine Biology Laboratory at NYU Abu Dhabi. Burt studies coral reefs across the region and has published over 60 scholarly articles and book chapters on the unique ecology of regional coral reefs and their associated fauna over the past decade. He was the recipient of the ENHG's 2017 Sheikh Mubarak Bin Mohammed Prize for Natural History of the United Arab Emirates.  Noura Al Mansoori is a Research Assistant in the NYUAD Marine Biology Laboratory and an active diver who is studying coral reef and seagrass ecology in the UAE. She is an author of an upcoming book chapter reviewing the marine ecology of the Arabian Gulf.

Overnight dhow trip to the Musandam   We organize this popular overnight dhow trip to Musandam almost every year and, before the weather gets too hot, we have managed to secure the dhow for the weekend April 27-28, 2018.  It might be hot on the mainland by then, but we expect temperatures out on the sea to still be pleasant for snorkeling, swimming and sleeping on the deck.    The trip will start from Dibba port on Friday morning and will return on Saturday evening. The two-day trip will allow us to explore distant Musandam fjords and villages (Khawr Al Hablayn,  Lima, Mansan, etc…) that are not visited by the commercial one-day dhow trips. There will be a lot of opportunity to snorkel, kayak, fish or swim.    On Friday evening we will be treated to a barbecue and bonfire on the beach of one of the isolated small bays deep in Khawr Al Hablayn. We will sleep on the open dhow deck, under the stars - a unique experience.  On Saturday we will visit a couple of remote villages deep in the Musandam fjords and have some more time for swimming and snorkeling.   The dhow will be a traditional two-deck dhow. Lower deck has majilis with cushions, upper deck has loungers. Both decks are shaded. Boat has facilities (toilet & shower).   This trip is limited to minimum of 20 and maximum of 35 people.  Cost per person will depend on the number of people: Min 20 people: 620 AED per person Min 25 people: 570 AED per person Min 30 people: 550 AED per person   Cost includes: -       Traditional two-deck dhow with crew for 2 days (exclusively for our group) -       Visa processing and eventual visa fees -       Full catering (4 buffet meals: breakfast, 2 x lunch, barbecue dinner) & all soft drinks -       Snorkeling equipment, towels, fishing hand lines with baits, 2 kayaks, 1 banana boat   A prepayment of 500 AED will have to be collected by Sunday, April 15 to book and prepay the dhow. If less than 20 people prepay by April 15 we will cancel the trip. Balance payment will be collected on the day of the trip.   Please note that the prepayment is needed to book the boat (only prepayment guarantees the booking) and that in case of your cancellation after the cut-off date, the prepayment cannot be refunded.     This trip is open to all ENHG groups. Places will be allocated on first paid basis. You will need your own transport to reach Dibba port (but we can agree on car shares at a later stage).   Due to Dibba border regulations I will need to have your passport and visa copy at least 10 days before the trip to arrange for the visa. You will need to have a valid passport to cross the border, however the visa will NOT be stamped in your passport and you will NOT have to pay any extra visa fees.   At the moment we are assessing the interest. Please reply only if you are serious about attending.     If interested, please contact Sonja at lavson@gmail.com  

TIME: Refreshments, Membership sign-up and Bookstall from 7:15pm, talk begins at 7:30pm LOCATION: Salon 1, Alyazya Ballroom, Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island  ABOUT THE TALK: The presentation gives an overview of coral management during the construction of the La Mer development in Dubai, in the context of the current status of coral communities in the Gulf, which have undergone significant declines over the last two decades. Project specific coral mitigation measures were developed as part of the environmental permitting process, including a redesign of the Masterplan to protect the area with highest live coral cover, as well as relocation of coral colonies from within the direct footprint of the project. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Edwin is a principal environmental consultant specialising in the marine environment. He has worked in the region for ten years, predominantly in the UAE, and has extensive field experience. He now manages the environmental components of major developments; for example, comprehensive monitoring programmes for offshore oil and gas projects and Environmental Impact Assessments for prestigious new developments. PHOTO CREDIT:Tony Ayling relocating a Porites colony during the Project.  

TIME:  Membership signup from 7:15pm, lecture from 7:30pm VENUE:  NYU Abu Dhabi, building A3, lecture room 002. Click here for a location map Alternative link Google Maps New York University Abu Dhabi Saadiyat Marina District - Abu Dhabi 02 628 4000  https://nyuad.nyu.edu/content/dam/nyuad/departments/web-services/documents/maps/campus-map-with-directions.pdf  LECTURE TITLE:  Winging it - a bird(watcher')s eyeview to the UAE LECTURE SUMMARY: This talk will give an introduction to some of the more interesting and exciting birds of of the UAE, the habitats in which they live and the journys by which they got here. It will also outline why birdwatching in the UAE is so exciting, noting some of the most recent new discoveries made ABOUT THE SPEAKER:  Oscar Campbell, a chemistry teacher at the British School Al Khubairat, is the chairman of the Emirates Bird Records Committee. He has carried out original research and published extensively in local, as well as international scientific publications, recording and counting populations of important resident and migratory birds around the UAE. He plans to continue researching and recording rare and endangered bird species such as the Socotra cormorant, of which Abu Dhabi hosts 35 percent of the world’s population. His diligent work in the research of birds has awarded him Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak prize for Natural History in June 2013.  

TIME: Membership sign-up from 7:15pm, talk begins at 7:30pm   VENUE: Al Mahara Diving Centre, Beach Club, Beach Rotana, Abu Dhabi   REGISTRATION: Click the "ticket" tab to sign up. Please RSVP as soon as possible, there is a limited capacity and places will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Please note only registered participants will be granted access to the venue.   ABOUT THE TALK: Freediving is the sport of breath hold diving, diving in water without the aid of scuba tanks. The first record in freediving was only in 1949 however stunning new research has come to light in the last few years showing that the history of freediving goes back thousands, if not millions of years. In this talk, freediving expert Emma Farrell describes recent and distant freediving history to reveal how we are all born to freedive.    ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Emma Farrell is one of the world's leading freediving teachers and the author of the stunning book 'One Breath, a Reflection on Freediving'. An Instructor Trainer across three agencies, she has been teaching since 2003 and writing courses that are implemented internationally. For the last eight years she has also been working with Olympic and Paralympic podium athletes to improve their performance using a unique blend of freediving and yoga techniques. Emma has also competed internationally and has appeared numerous times on television and in other media promoting freediving. Emma will be signing copies of her book after the talk. Books are priced at 100 dirhams each   This event has been generously arranged by Al Mahara Diving Center Abu Dhabi's favourite dive and water sports provider, find out more at www.divemahara.com  

Welcome to the IEW Saturday Fieldtrips sign-up page! For full details click here.  To sign up to attend the trips, please click " Get Tickets". There are limited spaces on the trips and the system works on a first-come-first-served basis, so please only register for events that you feel sure you can attend. Unfortunately it is not possible to pay online, but some trips do have a fee associated with them, to be paid in cash on the day.    If you have space in your car or you are looking for a ride, please check out our carpooling website https://www.groupcarpool.com/t/d6ty5x If you have any questions please send an email to iew.enhgauh@mail.tidyhq.com  

Welcome to the IEW Friday Fieldtrips sign-up page! For full details click here.  To sign up to attend the trips, please click " Get Tickets". There are limited spaces on the trips and the system works on a first-come-first-served basis, so please only register for events that you feel sure you can attend. Unfortunately it is not possible to pay online, but some trips do have a fee associated with them, to be paid in cash on the day.    To sign up for the IEW dinner please click here  If you have any questions please send an email to iew.enhgauh@mail.tidyhq.com

Once a year, all of the chapters of the Emirates Natural History Group come together for an action packed weekend, a chance to catch up with old friends and to make new ones.  This year the event will be hosted by the Abu Dhabi Chapter 23rd -24th February.  We’re looking forward to seeing you there!  VENUE: Our host hotel for the weekend is LE ROYAL MERIDIEN ABU DHABI  Address: Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed St - Abu Dhabi  Phone: 02 674 2020 To book your rooms at the special ENHG  rate please use the link https://www.starwoodmeeting.com/events/start.action?id=1801218403&key=CB80719 Single Occupancy: AED 365, Double Occupancy: AED 425 (inclusive of breakfast and all applicable taxes & levies)  The hotel can also provide lunch boxes for field trips during the IEW which  will be AED 65 each and will include: a sandwich, juice, water, mixed cut fruits and a yoghurt, to be collected from Wheat (a restaurant).  WELCOME DRINKS: We will be gathering at P.J. O'Reilly's on Thursday evening from 7:00pm, come and say hello!  IEW DINNER: The annual dinner and awards ceremony will be held on Friday, February 23rd. Click here to see the menu. It is priced at 175 Net per person.  This year we will be celebrating our 40th Season and will have some special guests and announcements to mark the occasion. Dinner payments will be collected in cash at the IEW welcome table in the Royal Meridien Hotel. If you need to make a change to your reservation please email abudhabi@enhg.org with your details. Please note that if you have to cancel your dinner reservation after 15 February  the hotel will expect full payment .  COMPETITON: The Inter-Emirates Photography, Video & Art Competition is open to amateur photographers, videographers and artists who are members of any UAE chapters of the ENHG. To view the guidelines click here. INFO DESK: There will be an ENHG info desk in the hotel, please visit for last minute sign-ups, car-pooling and to pay for your dinner ticket. MEMBERSHIP: The IEW trips are for members of any of the ENHG chapters, if you are not a member, you are welcome to sign up at any time at the info desk or with your trip leader. Membership to the Abu Dhabi chapter is AED 100pp for the season. Membership forms can be downloaded here CARPOOL: If you have space in your car, or looking for a ride please let us know on our carpooling site:  https://www.groupcarpool.com/t/d6ty5x TRIPS: Click here for full details of the weekend's activities  Click here to sign up for Friday’s Trips Click here to sign up for Saturday’s Trip  * If you have any questions about the IEW please send an email to iew.enhgauh@mail.tidyhq.com

ENHG-AD Lecture: Abu Dhabi State of the Environment Report 2017, by Dr. Richard Perry TIME: Refreshments from 7pm, AGM from 7.30pm, Lecture from 7.45pm  VENUE: Salon 1, Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel and Villas, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi AGM: The Annual General Meeting of the ENHG-AD will  be held before this lecture, starting at 7:30 PM.  This approximately 20-minute AGM will consist of the Treasurer’s and Chairman’s presentations reviewing the finances and activities of the Abu Dhabi chapter of the ENHG from Sept 2016 through Aug 2017. As always, the AGM is open to all to the general public, but only paid-up members will be invited to vote on the ratification of ENHG-AD Committee officers/members.    About our speaker: Dr Richard Perry first came to Abu Dhabi in 1999 to establish the Protected Areas Management, GIS, and Industrial Permitting functions of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), or ERWDA as it was known then.   He left Abu Dhabi in 2004 to go and work in the Australian Mallee as biodiversity manager with the Mallee Catchment Authority. Returning to Abu Dhabi in 2006 at the request of Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations (ADCO), where he worked for a couple of years before joining Masdar as Environment and Sustainability Manager. The current Secretary General of the Environment Agency asked him to return to the Environment Agency in 2010 to head up the Environment Vision 2030 project, and he has been there ever since.​   Richard was vice-chair of the ENHG some 15 yrs ago, and has previously given talks to the ENHG on the “Abu Dhabi Coastal Sensitivity Atlas” and “Environment Vision 2030”, both projects that he managed on behalf of EAD.   Richard is a zoologist by training with a doctorate in “Evolutionary Population Dynamics”, although these days he is more involved in organisational development at the Agency. He is an advisor in the Secretary General’s Office and chairman of the research and technical committee.   His latest presentation to the ENHG will cover the “Abu Dhabi State of Environment Report 2017”, for which he was project manager. The “AD-SoER 2017” took around 18 months to compile and involved teams of experts from within the Agency, as well as input from external experts and reviewers.  Richard will describe the process undertaken, some of the findings and some of the lessons learnt. He is keen to receive feedback on the report so that improvements can be made, and is particularly eager to hear from anyone who might be willing to help contribute to the next iteration in a couple of years.   Richard is a keen advocate of citizen science and would welcome ideas and contributions from members of the group.

TIME: Membership sign-up from 7:15pm, talk begins at 7:30pm NEW VENUE: Al Mahara Diving Centre, Beach Club, Beach Rotana, Abu Dhabi REGISTRATION: Click the "ticket" tab to sign up. Please RSVP as soon as possible, there is a limited capacity and places will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Please note only registered participants will be granted access to the venue. The registration deadline is 29th Feb 2018. This trip is for ENHG members; however, you are welcome to sign up as a member on the day.  ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Fernando Reis is the founder and Executive Director of the Sharks Educational Institute, an international non-governmental organization dedicated to the education for the marine conservation, founded in 2016. The SEI’s principal focus is the development marine environmental education for youngsters and encouraging their active participation in the conservation of shark species in their natural habitats. This event has been generously arranged by Al Mahara Diving Center Abu Dhabi's favourite dive and water sports provider, find out more at www.divemahara.com  

ENHG-AD Lecture: Nesting Ecology of Hawksbill Turtles in Abu Dhabi, UAE by Hind Mohsen Omar Al Ameri    Venue: Park Hyatt Saadiyat - Alyazya Ballroom, Salon 1 Time: Refreshments, bookstall and membership from 7:00 pm, Lecture begins at 7:30 pm    About the Speaker: Hind currently holds a position as a Specialist for Marine Threatened Species and Habitats at the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, and has been since 2014.  She has recently graduated from the University of Leeds with an MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation and holds a BSc in Environmental Science from Abu Dhabi University.  She is very fervent about the work she does and is more specifically interested in marine turtles.  Her master’s degree thesis concentrated on one species of marine turtles, the hawksbill turtles, which are found nesting and foraging in the waters of Abu Dhabi and is entitled Nesting Ecology of Hawksbill Turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) on Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.  Information on hawksbill turtles from the Gulf region is scarce and this project was the first attempt to understand the nesting ecology and behavior of hawksbill turtles in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

TIMINGS: Refreshments, Membership sign-up and Bookstall from 7:15pm, talk begins at 7:30pm LOCATION: Salon 1, Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island  ABOUT THE TALK: Raj has operated in some of the most inhospitable places imaginable - in both a civilian and military capacity – from mountain, desert, polar and jungle environments, right through to warzones. Raj is one of a select few individuals that has successfully climbed, unguided, the highest mountain on every continent in the world. He now uses his experience to help others achieve; safely guiding and inspiring those under his charge to fulfil their dreams and ambitions. For example, he was asked to lead the Celebrity BBC Comic Relief climb on Mount Kilimanjaro. In this feature BBC1 documentary, he commendably led the likes of Cheryl Fernandez- Versini (formerly Cheryl Cole), Gary Barlow, Chris Moyles and a host of other celebrities to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. In doing so, Raj helped the celebrity team raise £3.3 million pounds from this expedition alone to fight malaria in East Africa. Raj will speak about his various expeditions and what he has gained from them. There will be a special focus on summiting Mount Everest ten years ago. Raj was fortunate enough to stay safe whilst on his way up to base camp when the devastating earthquake hit Nepal. In this talk he will go through this experience, and how he continues to help with the disaster relief operations.   We are extremely grateful to Elegant Resorts for providing this opportunity for Dr Raj Joshi to speak to the ENHG.

Join us for a very special, evening boat cruise with renowned biologist Dareen Almojil. Famed for her book “Sharks and Rays of the Arabian/Persian Gulf” and recent documentary “Arabia’s Sharks: A journey of discovery”. Dareen will share some insights from her latest research into the conservation of two reef shark species along the Arabian coasts. TRIP 1: We will meet at gangway 3, Yas Marina at 6:30pm. The boat will depart at 7:00pm, returning after about an hour.  You’re most welcome to bring snacks and drinks.    TRIP 2: boat will depart at 8:00pm and return at 9:00pm. Please be at the marina at 7:45 pm Click the "ticket" tab to sign up. Please RSVP as soon as possible, there is a limited capacity and places will be allocated on a first come first served basis. If you have any questions, email arabella.willing@hyatt.com.  This trip is for ENHG members; however, you are welcome to sign up on the day.  This event has been generously sponsored by Captain Tony’s, Abu Dhabi's favourite boat tours & events company, find out more at http://www.captaintonys.ae/     ABOUT THE EXPERT: Dareen Almojil is a biologist, specialised in the field of Molecular ecology and evolution. She obtained a master degree from James Cook University in Australia, followed by a PhD from the University of Cambridge. During her PhD, she published her first book, titled: “Sharks and Rays of the Arabian/Persian Gulf”. Before that, Dareen worked for SAFAGE, an environmental consultancy contracted by the United Nations, to study the effect of the Gulf War on the marine fauna of Kuwait. After that, she joined TOTAL foundation to study the local diversity and adaptation of marine organisms in Kuwait. While working for TOTAL she took part in a documentary called “Arabia’s Sharks: A journey of discovery” which was aired on the Discovery channel on the 10th of September 2016. For a list of Dareen’s publications please visit her website: www.dareenalmojil@gmail.com   ABOUT HER RESEARCH “Conservation of two reef shark species along the Arabian coasts: insights from fishermens’ knowledge and molecular tools”: The increase in demand for shark meat and fins has placed shark populations worldwide under high fishing pressure. In the Arabian region, the Spot-tail shark Carcharhinus sorrah and the Blacktip shark Carcharhinus limbatus are among the most exploited species. In this study I aimed to provide the basic scientific knowledge required to guide the management of the regionally overfished Black‐tip shark Carcharhinus limbatus and the Spot‐tail shark Cracharhinus sorrah. This included understanding their population structure along the Arabian Seas, investigating their reproductive behavior (i.e. polyandry and the complexity of mate choice in sharks) and forming an initial estimate of the status of local shark populations in the region. In this talk I will share with you the essential findings of my work and how it can be implemented to help in the conservation Carcharhinus sorrah and Carcharhinus limbatus along the coasts of the Arabian Peninsula, Pakistan and KwaZulu Natal.

Refreshments, Membership sign-up and Bookstall from 7:15pm, talk begins at 7:30pm Salon 1, Park Hyatt Saadiyat Abu Dhabi Talk Summary: Patsy Whiteman and Aurore Queromain, Year 13 students from the British School Al Khubairat organised an expedition to Dominica, West Indies with Operation Wallacea. Operation Wallacea is an NGO which establishes conservation projects in locations with threatened biodiversity, with the help of governments and local populations. Dominica, known as the Nature Isle of the Caribbean, is a rich biodiversity hotspot with many opportunities for conservation. This includes setting up mist nets to investigate bird and bat distributions, snorkeling through underwater volcanic fumeroles to assess adaptations and population distributions in response to acidity changes, and many more fascinating field studies.