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Abu Dhabi: For years they have been invading the neighbourhood, slowly but steadily taking over the land, food and shelter of the natives and making it their own.
They even have the power to wipe out the natives completely. Called invasive species, these invaders ranging from plants to fishes to birds and mammals will threaten the UAE ecosystem if timely measures are not taken, say experts.
So, where do they come from? Most of the invasive species spotted in the UAE are escaped pets or those released deliberately without much thought.
"Releasing pets that are not native to the ecosystem can be disastrous...Some of these species are aggressive and could establish themselves perfectly. This might lead to the extinction of native species", says Pritpal Soorae, Associate Scientist at the Wildlife Conservation Department at Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD).
Invasive species are also introduced accidentally through cargo shipments, he added.
Diseases
"These alien species could also introduce diseases to the ecosystem.
"Sometimes people abandon pets when they get bored of them. This affects the native biodiversity. Take the case of a pet iguana. They have been spotted a few times in Dubai. These are species notorious for taking over. To them the green parks of Dubai are like a five-star hotel.
"There was one case of a Red-eared Slider (aquatic freshwater turtle) found in a wadi in the northern emirates and this is a worrying trend as this is one of the world's 100 most invasive species. They are commonly sold in pet shops so it was probably released into the wadi system."
Educating the public on such issues is of high importance, he said. People can contact the EAD if they are unsure about what to do with a pet, he said.
Soorae and his team are investigating invasive species to prepare a comprehensive report. The report will document these species with the help of field surveys, existing literature and questionnaires. A lot of data has been collected through collaboration with individuals and organisations all over the UAE.
Invasive
As per the preliminary data, the main concerns are invasive species such as the mynah bird from Asia, the Prosopis juliflora (mesquite tree) from Central and South America, and the Australian redback spider which is a major problem in housing development projects.
"After evaluating our data methods of controlling high-risk invasive species could be devised," added Soorae.
The project is still in the data gathering stage. By end of this year, the EAD will have all the details, he said.
Indian house crows have been spotted in Abu Dhabi in the breakwater area near the Marina Mall and on Delma Island.
"These can impact island breeding birds by eating young and eggs apart from the high risk of disease introduction. If by chance the population of this species increases, in no time they will cause significant damage to the ecosystem," Soorae said.
Being a signatory to the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) it is essential the UAE takes an active role in managing invasive species.
"Prevent the introduction of, control or eradicate those alien species which threaten ecosystems, habitats or species," the convention decrees, in view of conservation.
Preliminary results
More than 40 invertebrate species were recorded including ants, beetles, weevils, moths, cockroaches and spiders. The most notable are the red palm weevil from Tropical Asia and the redback spider from Australia.
Many plant species were noted as invasive but in the UAE they are much dependant on human activities such as irrigation. The main species which can pose a problem is the Prosopis juliflora (which can reproduce rapidly and occupy large areas like wadis.
Over 40 species of birds were recorded, most of which were escaped pets from traders or individuals. They included weavers, starlings, crows, parrot species, pigeons, doves, ducks and various game birds.
Ring-necked parakeets and Indian mynahs are common in Abu Dhabi while the Indian house crow population is seen to be increasing.
Various reptiles and amphibians were recorded, mostly escaped pets. These includes species of lizard from Tanzania, royal pythons from West Africa, iguanas from Central America and Nile crocodiles from Africa.
There are records of the tilapia species of fish being found in the wadis of the northern emirates. These are very adaptable fish from Africa and very difficult to remove once established into the ecosystem. Some types of aquarium fish have also been recorded in some farming areas.
Threat
- Causing localised extinction or population reduction through competition for resources, breeding sites, etc.
- Possibility of introducing new diseases into the ecosystem.
- Can also be harmful to people e.g. poisonous and/or dangerous species.
Spotted
- In 2007, a homeowner in Ajman spotted a crocodile in his garden.
- In 2007, a cheetah was spotted on Sharjah streets.
- In 2008, an iguana was seen in a car park. Three others were found earlier.
- Australian redback spiders have been spotted several times in Dubai.
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