Environment and Protected Areas Authority

The Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA) is the department within the Sharjah Government that the BCEAW and Sharjah Desert Park fall under.

In addition to mananging the Desert Park the EPAA is also responisble for enforcing the UAE's Federal Environment Law in the Emirate of Sharjah, monitoring and control of pollution, environmental education and management of Protected Areas.

The EAD is the Emirate of Abu Dhabi's primary centre for information, co-ordinated scientific research and application, and guidance and enforcement regarding conservation and management of the Emirates' natural environment, resources, wildlife and biological diversity.

www.ead.ae

The NCWCD was established by a Royal Decree in 1986. Among other things, the Decree requires the Commission to "Develop and implement plans to preserve wildlife in its natural ecology and to propose the establishment of proper protected areas and reserves for wildlife in the Kingdom, and to manage such areas…."

In accordance with this mandate, the Commission strives to protect, conserve, and develop the wildlife resources in terms of the laws of Saudi Arabia, and the welfare of its people.

www.ncwcd.gov.sa

The IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group brings together more than 200 of the world’s leading cat experts, including scientists, wildlife managers and conservationists from 50 countries who are dedicated to advancing the understanding and conservation of the world’s 36 wild living cat species. It is one of over 120 similar international specialist groups forming the Species Survival Commission (SSC) of the World Conservation Union (IUCN).  The Specialist Groups perform species assessments for the IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM, and produce species action plans and policy guidelines. These groups also provide information for the World Conservation Monitoring Centre, which is hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and advise governments that are Party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The Cat Specialist Group is active in many of its own initiatives as well, focusing on the development of tools for the assessment of the species’ status, for the compilation and distribution of intelligence and for supporting the work of its members. A central concern is to promote the dialogue among scientists and practitioners throughout the world. The Cat Specialist Group believes that cooperation and knowledge sharing are critical for the conservation of the wild cats.

Promote cooperation for furthering regional collection planning and wildlife conservation, particulary through internationally coordinated breeding programmes of wild animals such as the European Endangered Species Programmes (EEP).

Promote education, in particular environmental education.

Contribute to relevant meetings and discussions of the supra-international organisations, such as the United Nations, The World Conservation Union - IUCN , European Union, the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Plant and Animal Species (CITES) etc.

Advise, as required, the European Union, or other representative committees such as the European Parliament and the European Council.

The International Species Information System (ISIS) maintains computer-based information systems used by the worldwide zoological community. ISIS members use the basic biologic information (age, sex, parentage, place of birth, circumstance of death, etc.) collected in the ISIS system to manage genetic and demographic programs for their animal collections.

The ISIS central database contains information on 2 million animals – almost 15,000 taxa/10,000 species – held in zoological institutions, and some animals in the wild.

Wildlife Middle East News is a high quality information resource on the wildlife and environment of the Middle East and surrounding region.

Wildlife Middle East News is produced as a dual language (English-Arabic) quality newsletter and is published quarterly.

 Wildlife Middle East News contains papers, reports, letters and announcements submitted by veterinarians, biologists, and other animal care professionals working with captive and free-living wildlife in the Middle East region.

The printed newsletter and on-line resources are not only available for professionals working with wildlife, they are for anyone who is interested in or concerned about the wildlife and environment of the Middle East.

www.wmenews.com