United Arab Emirates

Official name
United Arab Emirates
ISO alpha-2 code
AE
ISO alpha-3 code
ARE
ISO numeric-3 code
784
Continent
Asia

Mobula eregoodoo | UAE National Red List of Marine Species: Reef-building corals, cartilaginous fishes and select bony fishes

Location
Scope (Assessment)
National
Countries in Assessment
United Arab Emirates
Country ISO code(s)
ARE
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Off
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Ecological system type
Terrestrial system
No
Freshwater system
No
Marine system
Yes
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This ray is not known to penetrate the epipelagic zone. Mating and birthing occur in shallow water, and juveniles remain in these areas. The Longhorned Pygmy Devil Ray reaches a maximum size of approximately 100 cm disc width (DW). The neotype for this species, a male of 96.9 cm DW, was sexually mature (Notarbartolo-Di-Sciara 1987). These rays are ovoviviparous (uterine viviparity), usually producing one offspring per litter. Intrinsically, Manta and Mobula rays have among the lowest productivity of any chondrichthyan (Pardo et al. 2016). As there is not enough data to estimate an exact generation length for this species, an approximate, suspected generation length is used. A midway point of 7.5 years between a very conservative low of five years, and the larger Spinetail Devil Ray's 10-year generation length is suspected to be the approximate generation length for the Longhorned Pygmy Devil Ray until more accurate information becomes available (Cuevas-Zimbron et al. 2013).
Taxon
Taxa
Mobula eregoodoo | (Cantor, 1849)
Taxonomic Group
Vertebrates
Taxonomic Group Level 2
Fishes
Assessed taxon level
Species
Taxonomic Notes
Combined morphological and molecular data led Last et al. (2016) and White et al. (2017) to conclude that Mobula eregoodootenkee is a junior synonym of M. kuhlii. However, Hosegood et al. (2019) suggested these were separate species, which was supported by Notarbartolo di Sciara et al. (2020), who also clarified the nomenclature as M. eregoodoo.
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
The Longhorned Pygmy Devil Ray occurs throughout UAE waters. Globally, it is widespread in the tropical Indo-West Pacific (Notarbartolo di Sciara et al. 2017).
Assessed status
Asessment status in full
Near Threatened
Assessment status abreviation
NT
Assessment status criteria
A2d
About the assessment
Assessment year
2019
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Affliation of assessor(s)/contributors/reviewers listed on assessment
Government
IGO
Assessor affiliation specific
Government|IGO
Assessment rationale/justification
The Longhorned Pygmy Devil Ray occurs throughout UAE waters and may be locally common there. There is a total ban on fishing for this species in UAE waters. It may be a synonym of Mobula kuhlii according to some workers. It is a component of the bycatch in several fisheries, but much of this catch is unreported. It is directly targeted in Sri Lanka (if it occurs there) and India, and exported to international markets, especially China where the gill plates are highly-valued. When captured in the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf, it is typically discarded alive, and significant declines are not suspected there at this time. Its low productivity causes it to be susceptible to rapid population declines when experiencing exploitation. It is especially susceptible to exploitation (target and bycatch) in many largely unregulated gill net, longline and trawl fisheries that operate within its range outside and surrounding UAE waters. Some management measures are now in place in the Arabian Sea region, although domestic fisheries are likely to continue. Though data specifically from the UAE are not available, individuals in the UAE are a component of a larger, interconnected and migratory population that occurs broadly in the north-western Indian Ocean. It is inferred that declines reported in the Arabian Sea region are representative of its status in the UAE. Based on recorded levels of exploitation, it is suspected to have declined by 20-30% over the past three generation lengths, or about 23 years. It is listed as Near Threatened, nearly meeting the thresholds for Vulnerable A2d.
Criteria system
Criteria system specifics
IUCN v3.1
Criteria system used
IUCN
Criteria Citation
IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1, Second edition. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. iv + 32pp pp. And IUCN. 2012. Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional and National Levels: Version 4.0. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. iii + 41pp.
Endemism
Endemic to region
Not_assigned
Endemism Notes
Is an endemic?: Not_assigned
Conservation
Threats listed in assessment
Information pertaining to threats specific to the UAE are unavailable. This species is impacted by target (for fins and their valuable meat) and bycatch fisheries that are active elsewhere in its range. Manta rays are easy to target because of their large size, slow swimming speed, aggregation behaviour and predictable habitat use.
Conservation Measures

Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures:

Verified entry
Off

Loxodon macrorhinus | UAE National Red List of Marine Species: Reef-building corals, cartilaginous fishes and select bony fishes

Location
Scope (Assessment)
National
Countries in Assessment
United Arab Emirates
Country ISO code(s)
ARE
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Off
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Ecological system type
Terrestrial system
No
Freshwater system
No
Marine system
Yes
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
The Sliteye Shark is a small species that occurs near the bottom on continental and insular shelves to depths of 100 m (Jabado and Ebert 2015). The young are born at 40 to 45 cm, and males mature around 67 cm TL (Jabado et al. 2016), and grow to a maximum of 95 cm (Anderson and Ahmed 1993). It reproduces annually usually with a litter size of 2-4. Ageing work in Australia has demonstrated that it grows quickly, reaching maturity at 1.5 to 2 years of age, with a female maximum age of ~9 years (Gutteridge et al. 2013). Its generation length is estimated to be 5.15 years.
Taxon
Taxa
Loxodon macrorhinus | Müller & Henle, 1839
Taxonomic Group
Vertebrates
Taxonomic Group Level 2
Fishes
Assessed taxon level
Species
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
The Sliteye Shark occurs throughout UAE waters. Globally, it is widespread in the Indo-West Pacific (Last and Stevens 2009).
Assessed status
Asessment status in full
Near Threatened
Assessment status abreviation
NT
Assessment status criteria
A2cd
About the assessment
Assessment year
2019
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Affliation of assessor(s)/contributors/reviewers listed on assessment
Government
IGO
Assessor affiliation specific
Government|IGO
Assessment rationale/justification
The Sliteye Shark occurs throughout UAE inshore waters. It is caught in inshore gill net, trawl and line fisheries throughout the Arabian Sea region. Inshore fishing pressure is intense and intensifying, and declines are known in some areas. Though data specifically from the UAE are not available, individuals in the UAE are a component of a larger, interconnected and migratory population that occurs broadly in the north-western Indian Ocean. Given the intense fishing pressures faced by this species throughout the Arabian Seas, ongoing threats from bycatch and habitat loss, it is inferred that declines reported in the Arabian Seas are representative of the status in the UAE. Based on recorded levels of exploitation and decline in habitat quality, it is suspected to have declined by 20-30% over the past three generation lengths, or about 15 years. It is listed as Near Threatened, nearly meeting the thresholds for Vulnerable A2cd.
Criteria system
Criteria system specifics
IUCN v3.1
Criteria system used
IUCN
Criteria Citation
IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1, Second edition. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. iv + 32pp pp. And IUCN. 2012. Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional and National Levels: Version 4.0. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. iii + 41pp.
Endemism
Endemic to region
Not_assigned
Endemism Notes
Is an endemic?: Not_assigned
Conservation
Threats listed in assessment
In the UAE, sharks have been impacted by targeted commercial fisheries until 2014 when a ban on export of sharks was imposed (Ministry of Climate Change and Environment). Sharks continue to be impacted by artisanal and bycatch fisheries (Annual Fisheries Statistical Report for Abu Dhabi Emirate 2001-2018), though catch data are not species-specific. Marine habitats in the region have experienced high levels of disturbance and are quickly deteriorating due to major impacts from development activities (Sheppard <em style=""font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2; text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px"">et al. 2010).
Conservation Measures

Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures:

Verified entry
Off

Eusphyra blochii | UAE National Red List of Marine Species: Reef-building corals, cartilaginous fishes and select bony fishes

Location
Scope (Assessment)
National
Countries in Assessment
United Arab Emirates
Country ISO code(s)
ARE
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Off
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Ecological system type
Terrestrial system
No
Freshwater system
No
Marine system
Yes
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
The Winghead Shark occurs on continental shelves and is mainly found in coastal nearshore waters, including muddy river deltas and estuaries (Ebert et al. 2013). It attains a maximum size of 186 cm total length (TL) with males maturing at around 108 cm TL and females at 120 cm TL (Stevens and Lyle 1989). Females produce litters of 6-“25 (mean = 11) every year after a gestation period of 8 to 11 months with size at birth at approximately 32-47 cm TL (Compagno 1984, Stevens and Lyle 1989). This is a slow growing species that reaches maturity at 7.2 years for females and 5.5 years for males. The oldest documented maximum age is 21 years according to vertebral analysis (Stevens and Lyle 1989, Smart et al. 2013). Age at maturity was calculated from Last and Stevens (2009) female size at maturity data and Smart et al. (2013) von Bertalanffy growth estimates. Based on these data, generation length is estimated to be 14 years.
Taxon
Taxa
Eusphyra blochii | (Cuvier, 1816)
Taxonomic Group
Vertebrates
Taxonomic Group Level 2
Fishes
Assessed taxon level
Species
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
The Winghead Shark occurs in UAE waters on the Sea of Oman coast (Randall 1986, Randall 1995, Environment Agency Abu Dhabi unpublished data). Records from the Arabian Gulf require verification (Ali et al. 2018). Carpenter (1997) also notes that the species' range includes the Arabian Gulf. Globally, it is widespread in the Indo-West Pacific (Last and Stevens 2009).
Assessed status
Asessment status in full
Critically Endangered
Assessment status abreviation
CR
Assessment status criteria
A2d
About the assessment
Assessment year
2019
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Affliation of assessor(s)/contributors/reviewers listed on assessment
Government
IGO
Assessor affiliation specific
Government|IGO
Assessment rationale/justification
In UAE waters, the Winghead Shark has only been confirmed from coastal waters on the Sea of Oman coast. No information on catch in the UAE is available, but it is taken in gill net, longline and bottom trawl fisheries in the Arabian Seas region. Anecdotal evidence from India and Pakistan suggests this species has drastically declined over the past 30-40 years. Furthermore, significant declines in landings of commercial shark species have been documented in the Arabian Sea region with other more abundant hammerhead species suspected to have declined by at least 50-80% over the past three generations. Although there are limited data on its status, other shark species in the Arabian Gulf have undergone significant declines due to exploitation. It is apparently highly migratory, and has slow life history characteristics including low fecundity and a low annual rate of population increase. Considering this, the species has a low capacity to recover from even moderate levels of exploitation. It is especially susceptible to exploitation (target and bycatch) in many largely unregulated gill net, longline and trawl fisheries that operate within its range outside and surrounding UAE waters. Some management measures are now in place in the Arabian Sea region, although domestic fisheries are likely to continue. Though data specifically from the UAE are not available, individuals in the UAE are a component of a larger, interconnected and migratory population that occurs broadly in the north-western Indian Ocean. It is inferred that declines reported in the Arabian Sea region are representative of its status in the UAE. Based on recorded levels of exploitation, it is suspected to have declined by at least 80% over the past three generation lengths, or about 42 years. It is listed as Critically Endangered A2d.
Criteria system
Criteria system specifics
IUCN v3.1
Criteria system used
IUCN
Criteria Citation
IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1, Second edition. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. iv + 32pp pp. And IUCN. 2012. Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional and National Levels: Version 4.0. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. iii + 41pp.
Endemism
Endemic to region
Not_assigned
Endemism Notes
Is an endemic?: Not_assigned
Conservation
Threats listed in assessment
Information pertaining to threats specific to the UAE are unavailable. This species is impacted by target and bycatch fisheries that are active elsewhere in its range.
Conservation Measures

Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures:

Verified entry
Off

Echinorhinus brucus | UAE National Red List of Marine Species: Reef-building corals, cartilaginous fishes and select bony fishes

Location
Scope (Assessment)
National
Countries in Assessment
United Arab Emirates
Country ISO code(s)
ARE
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Off
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Ecological system type
Terrestrial system
No
Freshwater system
No
Marine system
Yes
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
The Bramble Shark is a deepsea species that occurs primarily on continental and insular slopes at depths of 200-900 m, although it has been found as shallow as 18 m (usually in colder water) and as deep as 1,214 m (Kabasakal 2005, Ebert and Stehmann 2013). Examination of landings from Kochi Fisheries Harbour, Kerala, India, recorded a maximum size of 318 cm total length (TL); female maturity (L<sub>50</sub>) at 189 cm TL; male maturity at 187 cm TL; size at birth 42-46 cm TL (Akhilesh et al. 2013). Reproduction is viviparous with litter sizes of 10-36 pups (Akhilesh et al. 2013). Age data are not available for the species, but generation length is estimated as 30 years following Ferretti and Buscher (2015, 2016).
Taxon
Taxa
Echinorhinus brucus | (Bonnaterre, 1788)
Taxonomic Group
Vertebrates
Taxonomic Group Level 2
Fishes
Assessed taxon level
Species
Taxonomic Notes
Genetics studies have led some researchers to suspect that there may be an undescribed species of Echinorhinus off Oman and elsewhere in the Arabian Sea region (Henderson et al. 2016).
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
The Bramble Shark occurs in UAE waters on the Sea of Oman coast. It is excluded from the Arabian Gulf (Javadzadeh et al. 2010, Jabado et al. 2014). Globally, it is widespread but patchy in the Indo-Pacific and Atlantic Oceans (al Sakaff and Esseen 1999, Henderson et al. 2007, Javadzadeh et al. 2010, Ebert et al. 2013, K.V. Akhilesh pers. obs.).
Assessed status
Asessment status in full
Vulnerable
Assessment status abreviation
VU
Assessment status criteria
A2d
About the assessment
Assessment year
2019
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Affliation of assessor(s)/contributors/reviewers listed on assessment
Government
IGO
Assessor affiliation specific
Government|IGO
Assessment rationale/justification
In UAE waters, the Bramble Shark, a large deepsea species, occurs only in the Sea of Oman. There are no fisheries that take this species in UAE waters due to the lack of deepsea fisheries. It is exploited off southwest India and historically in the Maldives. Its limited biological productivity infers an overall susceptibility to rapid population decline. Though data specifically from the UAE are not available, and it is not known how individuals occupying the UAE are connected with the broader population of the Arabian Seas region, there is no information available to suggest that its population status differs in the UAE as compared to other parts of its range in the region. Given the threats faced by this species in other parts of the Arabian Seas region, and ongoing threats from discarding and habitat loss in the UAE, it is inferred that declines reported in the Arabian Seas are representative of the status in the UAE. Based on recorded levels of exploitation, it is suspected to have declined by at least 30% over the past three generation lengths, or about 90 years. It is listed as Vulnerable A2d.
Criteria system
Criteria system specifics
IUCN v3.1
Criteria system used
IUCN
Criteria Citation
IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1, Second edition. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. iv + 32pp pp. And IUCN. 2012. Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional and National Levels: Version 4.0. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. iii + 41pp.
Endemism
Endemic to region
Not_assigned
Endemism Notes
Is an endemic?: Not_assigned
Conservation
Threats listed in assessment
Information pertaining to threats specific to the UAE are unavailable. In the Arabian Seas region, the major threat to the Bramble Shark is the rapid expansion of deepsea fisheries off western India, including a targeted gulper shark (Centrophorus spp.) fishery, and a deepsea shrimp trawl fishery which takes the species as bycatch. As marine fish stocks from nearshore waters off India are heavily exploited, it is likely that fisheries will continue to expand into deeper water.
Conservation Measures

Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures:

Verified entry
Off

Chiloscyllium griseum | UAE National Red List of Marine Species: Reef-building corals, cartilaginous fishes and select bony fishes

Location
Scope (Assessment)
National
Countries in Assessment
United Arab Emirates
Country ISO code(s)
ARE
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Off
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Ecological system type
Terrestrial system
No
Freshwater system
No
Marine system
Yes
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This species is a sluggish inshore bottom dweller found on sandy and muddy bottoms, on rocks and in coral lagoons at depths from 5 to 100 m (Weigmann 2016). It is oviparous and deposits eggs in small oval egg cases on the sea floor. The maximum size is at least 77 cm total length (TL). Free-living individuals have been found at sizes of at least 12.2 cm, and size at hatching uncertain. Males mature between 45 and 55 cm TL. The species feeds mainly on small fish, shrimps, worms, molluscs and crabs. Age data are not available, but generation length is estimated as 9 years using data from the similar-sized White-spotted Bambooshark (C. plagiosum) (Chen et al. 2007).
Taxon
Taxa
Chiloscyllium griseum | Müller & Henle, 1838
Taxonomic Group
Vertebrates
Taxonomic Group Level 2
Fishes
Assessed taxon level
Species
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
The Grey Bamboo Shark occurs throughout UAE waters. In the Arabian Seas region, it is known from a few specimens from the Arabian Gulf, Iran, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka. Its global distribution is uncertain due to confusion with other species, but is known to occur in the Indo-West Pacific.
Assessed status
Asessment status in full
Near Threatened
Assessment status abreviation
NT
Assessment status criteria
A2cd
About the assessment
Assessment year
2019
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Affliation of assessor(s)/contributors/reviewers listed on assessment
Government
IGO
Assessor affiliation specific
Government|IGO
Assessment rationale/justification
The Grey Bamboo Shark occurs throughout UAE coastal waters, but it is poorly known in part due to taxonomic uncertainty and confusion with Chiloscyllium arabicum. It is not targeted, but is taken as bycatch in trawl (and other) fisheries, and is typically discarded due to its small size and low market value. It is especially susceptible to exploitation (target and bycatch) in many largely unregulated gill net, longline and trawl fisheries that operate within its range outside and surrounding UAE waters. Some management measures are now in place in the Arabian Sea region, although domestic fisheries are likely to continue. Though data specifically from the UAE are not available, individuals in the UAE are a component of a larger, interconnected and migratory population that occurs broadly in the north-western Indian Ocean. It is inferred that declines reported in the Arabian Sea region are representative of its status in the UAE. Based on recorded levels of exploitation and decline in habitat quality, it is suspected to have declined by 20-30% over the past three generation lengths, or about 27 years. It is listed as Near Threatened, nearly meeting the thresholds for Vulnerable A2cd.
Criteria system
Criteria system specifics
IUCN v3.1
Criteria system used
IUCN
Criteria Citation
IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1, Second edition. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. iv + 32pp pp. And IUCN. 2012. Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional and National Levels: Version 4.0. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. iii + 41pp.
Endemism
Endemic to region
Not_assigned
Endemism Notes
Is an endemic?: Not_assigned
Conservation
Threats listed in assessment
In the UAE, sharks have been impacted by targeted commercial fisheries until 2014 when a ban on export of sharks was imposed (Ministry of Climate Change and Environment). Sharks continue to be impacted by artisanal and bycatch fisheries (Annual Fisheries Statistical Report for Abu Dhabi Emirate 2001-2018), though catch data are not species-specific. This species is impacted by bycatch fisheries that are active elsewhere in its range. Marine habitats in the Gulf are experiencing high levels of disturbance and quickly deteriorating due to major impacts from development activities (including dredging and reclamation), desalination plants, industrial activities, habitat destruction through the removal of shallow productive areas and major shipping lanes (Sheppard et al. 2010). Corals in the UAE and Arabian Gulf have severely declined due to the increasing frequency of mass bleaching events caused by rising water temperatures, which is a consequence of climate change, as well as pervasive coastal development (Riegl et al. 2018, Burt et al. 2019).
Conservation Measures

Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures:

Verified entry
Off

Physeter macrocephalus | UAE National Red List of Mammals: Marine and Terrestrial

Location
Scope (Assessment)
National
Countries in Assessment
United Arab Emirates
Country ISO code(s)
ARE
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Off
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Ecological system type
Terrestrial system
No
Freshwater system
No
Marine system
No
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
Found in deep water on continental shelves. Groups may include as many as 20-50 individuals, but single animals or small pods of 2-6 are more common (Baldwin et al. 1999). Individuals observed 30 nautical miles due east of Fujairah in 1995 were positioned directly above the edge of the continental shelf, where the water depth suddenly changes from less than 600 m to well over 1,000 m. This is ideal habitat for feeding sperm whales, which may remain submerged for over an hour and can dive to a depth of 3,000 m in pursuit of giant squid and other prey (Baldwin 2005).
Taxon
Taxa
Physeter macrocephalus | Linnaeus, 1758
Taxonomic Group
Vertebrates
Taxonomic Group Level 2
Mammals
Assessed taxon level
Species
Taxonomic Notes
Although Physeter catodon is still occasionally used in the literature, P. macrocephalus is recommended (Rice 1989). Both names are listed on the same page of the original description by Linnaeus (1758), and priority is unclear. However, P. macrocephalus is preferable because it is used much more frequently, and this will support nomenclatural stability.
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
There are no records from the Gulf, but this species is recorded off the east coast (Baldwin et al. 1999, Baldwin 2005). Two dead Sperm Whales have been recorded at Fujairah in recent years; one washed ashore on a beach adjacent to Fujairah Port in 2012 and one was found by <a href=""https://www.thenational.ae/uae/environment/20-metre-sperm-whale-found-dead-on-fujairah-coast-1.8318"">Fujairah Port authorities</a> on 15th June 2017, floating at sea approximately one nautical mile from the port breakwater which was recovered, and buried to allow decomposition. There was a stranding in 2016 at Khor Kalba (Sharjah). There are sightings and a video in 2015 and 2016 off Dibba, northern tip of the eastern Arabian Peninsula. Live females and juveniles have been seen off Fujairah (Baldwin 2005), suggesting that they may breed in the region, and there has been one observation of a mature bull seen with a female pod (<a href=""http://fujairahwhales.com/sperm-whale/"">Fujairah Whales</a>). The species has a large global range in nearly all marine regions, from the equator to high latitudes, but it is generally found in deeper water (Taylor et al. 2008).
Assessed status
Asessment status in full
Data deficient
Assessment status abreviation
DD
About the assessment
Assessment year
2018
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Affliation of assessor(s)/contributors/reviewers listed on assessment
Government
IGO
Assessor affiliation specific
Government|IGO
Assessment rationale/justification
In UAE waters, this species is known from only a few strandings and sightings. No information on population size and trends or on threats is available, so it is assessed as Data Deficient. No regional adjustment is made to the Data Deficient assessment.
Criteria system
Criteria system specifics
IUCN v3.1
Criteria system used
IUCN
Criteria Citation
IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1, Second edition. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. iv + 32pp pp. And IUCN. 2012. Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional and National Levels: Version 4.0. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. iii + 41pp.
Endemism
Endemic to region
Not_assigned
Endemism Notes
Is an endemic?: Not_assigned
Conservation
Threats listed in assessment
The main threats to cetaceans in UAE waters include: incidental mortality in trawl, drift and anchored gill nets, depletion of prey populations (due in part to commercial overfishing); ship and boat strikes, disturbance due to underwater noise (including that from vessel traffic, drilling, piling, military operations and seismic activity related to offshore oil and gas exploration). Evidence for human-caused mortality of sperm whales, including those caused by ship-strike and fisheries interactions, have been described from an assessment of a limited number of strandings in Oman and the UAE (Gray et al. 2017). Other potential threats in the region include sound pollution from oil exploration activities (e.g., seismic and multi-beam echo sounder surveys), and military sonar (Baldwin 2003). A lack of information (e.g. population size and trend, the location of critical habitats, and feeding ecology) hinders the development of appropriate conservation actions, but this should be used as an excuse for inaction.
Conservation Measures

Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures:

Further information
History
The backcasted 1996 assessment for this species is Data Deficient which matches the listing given by Hornby (1996).
Verified entry
Off

Carcharhinus macloti | UAE National Red List of Marine Species: Reef-building corals, cartilaginous fishes and select bony fishes

Location
Scope (Assessment)
National
Countries in Assessment
United Arab Emirates
Country ISO code(s)
ARE
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Off
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Ecological system type
Terrestrial system
No
Freshwater system
No
Marine system
Yes
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
The Hardnose Shark is a small species of carcharhinid that occurs in inshore and offshore waters to depths of 170 m (Ebert et al. 2013). The species reaches a maximum size of 99 cm total length (TL) in the region (Jabado et al. 2015, Raje et al. 2015). Young are born at a relatively large size (47-49 cm TL), with females maturing at 81 cm TL and males at 75 cm TL (Jabado et al. 2015). Mature females probably have a two-year reproductive cycle, with only 2-3 pups produced per litter (Henderson et al. 2004, Jabado et al. 2016). Smart et al. (2013) reported in Australian waters that maximum age was about 12 years with maturity around 4 years. This suggests a generation length of 8 years. Based on these life history parameters it is likely to have a much lower level of productivity than other small species of carcharhinid sharks (e.g., Rhizoprionodon spp.) and so is more susceptible to fishing pressure.
Taxon
Taxa
Carcharhinus macloti | (Müller & Henle, 1839)
Taxonomic Group
Vertebrates
Taxonomic Group Level 2
Fishes
Assessed taxon level
Species
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
The Hardnose Shark occurs throughout UAE waters. Globally, it is widespread in the Indo-West Pacific, but has not been recorded from the Gulf of Aden or the Red Sea (Last and Stevens 2009).
Assessed status
Asessment status in full
Near Threatened
Assessment status abreviation
NT
Assessment status criteria
A2bcd
About the assessment
Assessment year
2019
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Affliation of assessor(s)/contributors/reviewers listed on assessment
Government
IGO
Assessor affiliation specific
Government|IGO
Assessment rationale/justification
The Hardnose Shark occurs throughout UAE inshore and offshore waters. It is caught in subsistence, artisanal and commercial fisheries that utilize gillnets, lines and trawls throughout the Arabian Sea region. Inshore fishing pressure is intense throughout this species' range, and the highest levels of exploitation probably occur in the UAE, Iran, Pakistan and India. Although of small size, its life history may not be as productive as that of other small carcharhinids (e.g., Rhizoprionodon spp.), making it more susceptible to fishing pressure. Anecdotal information indicates that significant declines have occurred over the past 20 years in UAE waters. Individuals in the UAE are a component of a larger, interconnected and migratory population that occurs broadly in the north-western Indian Ocean. Given the intense fishing pressures faced by this species throughout the Arabian Seas, and ongoing threats from bycatch and habitat loss, it is inferred that declines reported in the Arabian Seas are representative of the status in the UAE. Based on fish market observations over time, recorded levels of exploitation and decline in habitat quality, it is suspected to have declined by 20-30% over the past three generation lengths, or about 24 years. It nearly meets the thresholds for Vulnerable under criterion A2bcd, and is listed as Near Threatened.
Criteria system
Criteria system specifics
IUCN v3.1
Criteria system used
IUCN
Criteria Citation
IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1, Second edition. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. iv + 32pp pp. And IUCN. 2012. Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional and National Levels: Version 4.0. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. iii + 41pp.
Endemism
Endemic to region
Not_assigned
Endemism Notes
Is an endemic?: Not_assigned
Conservation
Threats listed in assessment
In the UAE, sharks have been impacted by targeted commercial fisheries until 2014 when a ban on export of sharks was imposed (Ministry of Climate Change and Environment). This species continues to be impacted by artisanal and bycatch fisheries (Annual Fisheries Statistical Report for Abu Dhabi Emirate 2001-2018), though catch data are not species specific. Marine habitats in the region have experienced high levels of disturbance and are quickly deteriorating due to major impacts from development activities (Sheppard <em style=""font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2; text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px"">et al. 2010).
Conservation Measures

Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures:

Verified entry
Off

Tursiops aduncus | UAE National Red List of Mammals: Marine and Terrestrial

Location
Scope (Assessment)
National
Countries in Assessment
United Arab Emirates
Country ISO code(s)
ARE
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Off
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Ecological system type
Terrestrial system
No
Freshwater system
No
Marine system
No
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
Typically, bottlenose dolphins are found in groups of 5-“35 individuals in the UAE, although much larger groups can occur. They are fast, powerful swimmers, often riding the bow wave of boats. As their reputation in aquaria attests, they are inquisitive and capable of spectacular aerial acrobatics. Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins have been observed feeding over sand, seagrass and reefs in the Arabian Gulf (Baldwin 2005).
Taxon
Taxa
Tursiops aduncus | (Ehrenberg, 1833)
Taxonomic Group
Vertebrates
Taxonomic Group Level 2
Mammals
Assessed taxon level
Species
Taxonomic Notes
The Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) has been recognized as a different species from the more widely distributed Common Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) since the late 1990's (Rice, 1998). Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins are distinct from Common Bottlenose Dolphins based on concordance among genetic, osteology, coloration and external morphology data (Wang et al. 1999, 2000a,b). No Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin subspecies are currently recognised by the Society for Marine Mammalogy's Committee on Taxonomy (2018). However, a recent re-assessment of Tursiops taxonomy worldwide (IWC 2019) and extensive genetic studies (Moura et al. 2013, Amaral et al. 2016, Gray et al. 2018) identified 4 or 5 different lineages (Africa, Pakistan, Bay of Bengal, China and Australia), including the recently described ""T. australis"" (Charlton-Robb et al., 2011) that may eventually be recognized as a subspecies. There is considerable population structure throughout the range of the species and multiple studies of morphology (Hale et al., 2000, Kemper 2004, Charlton-Robb et al., 2011) and genetics (Natoli et al. 2004, Särnblad et al. 2011, Charlton-Robb et al. 2011, Amaral et al. 2016) indicate that the taxonomic status for a number of populations in different regions should be re-evaluated.
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
In UAE waters, this species occurs in both the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin (as well as the Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin) is the species most likely to be seen close to shore in Abu Dhabi and Dubai (Baldwin 2005). Globally, this species has a discontinuous distribution in the warm temperate to tropical Indo-Pacific, from South Africa in the west, as far east as the Solomon Islands and the southern half of Japan and southeast Australia (Hammond et al. 2012c).
Assessed status
Asessment status in full
Endangered
Assessment status abreviation
EN
Assessment status criteria
A2bc
About the assessment
Assessment year
2018
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Affliation of assessor(s)/contributors/reviewers listed on assessment
Government
IGO
Assessor affiliation specific
Government|IGO
Assessment rationale/justification
Preen (2004) reported a 71% decline in small species of dolphins in the Arabian Gulf from 1986 to 1999, which included this species. There is no information available on decline rates in the individual species, so based on the assumption that they all declined equally it appears reasonable to infer a population reduction of &gt;50% for Tursiops aduncus over the past three generations (63 years). Even accounting for animals off the east coast, the species, therefore, qualifies for assessment as Endangered (EN) under criterion A2bc. The reduction was due to a combination of pressures including declining habitat quality because of increasing coastal development, bycatch, collision with boats and declines in fish stocks. The decline is continuing but it is not possible to say if it is at the same rate. There is unlikely to be a significant rescue effect as it is considered likely that the population across the whole of the Gulf area has declined.
Criteria system
Criteria system specifics
IUCN v3.1
Criteria system used
IUCN
Criteria Citation
IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1, Second edition. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. iv + 32pp pp. And IUCN. 2012. Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional and National Levels: Version 4.0. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. iii + 41pp.
Endemism
Endemic to region
Not_assigned
Endemism Notes
Is an endemic?: Not_assigned
Conservation
Threats listed in assessment
The main threats to cetaceans in UAE waters include: incidental mortality in trawl, drift and anchored gill nets, depletion of prey populations (due in part to commercial overfishing); ship and boat strikes, disturbance due to underwater noise (including that from vessel traffic, drilling, piling, military operations and seismic activity related to offshore oil and gas exploration). Inshore and shallow-water species are further potentially threatened by entanglement in abandoned fishing gear, coastal development including port and harbour construction, dredging, land reclamation, residential and tourist development, and pollution (especially hydrocarbons). During surveys by EAD, a large number of dolphins were observed with scars that were attributed to propeller cuts, indicating that vessel strike is a major threat to dolphin populations in Abu Dhabi waters (EAD 2015). A UAE Fisheries Resource Assessment Survey in 2002 found that fish stocks in the Gulf had declined by 60%. A lack of information (e.g. population size and trend, the location of critical habitats, and feeding ecology) hinders the development of appropriate conservation actions, but this should be used as an excuse for inaction.
Conservation Measures

Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures:

Further information
History
The backcasted 1996 assessment for this species is Endangered under the same criterion as the current assessment. Hornby (1996) assessed the status of both Tursiops species under a combined taxonomic concept using the name ""T. truncatus"" and listed it as Near Threatened, however, it appears he was not aware of the 71% decline in the species from 1986 to 1999 as reported by Preen (2004).
Verified entry
Off

Mellivora capensis | UAE National Red List of Mammals: Marine and Terrestrial

Location
Scope (Assessment)
National
Countries in Assessment
United Arab Emirates
Country ISO code(s)
ARE
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Off
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Ecological system type
Terrestrial system
No
Freshwater system
No
Marine system
No
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
Baynoonah, where the specimens were recorded, is in open desert. In the Northern Emirates, two of three known reports are associated with human activity. No other information on the ecology of the species in UAE is available. Honey Badgers occur in a wide range of habitats in Arabia, including sand and gravel plains, wadis, mountains up to 2,200 m (Harrison and Bates 1991, Mallon and Budd 2011) but in UAE they have only been confirmed from the desert
Taxon
Taxa
Mellivora capensis | (Schreber, 1776)
Taxonomic Group
Vertebrates
Taxonomic Group Level 2
Mammals
Assessed taxon level
Species
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
The status and distribution of the Honey Badger in the UAE is uncertain. Tracks were reported in the late 1940s between Liwa and the Sabkha Matti (Thesiger 1949). There have been two more recent reports of tracks: in 1991 between Liwa and Umm al Zummoul and 1992 in the Baynoonah area (Duckworth 1996, Drew and Tourenq 2005, Aspinall et al. 2005). The first definitive record in the UAE was in August 2005, when three specimens, two live and one dead, were recorded near Ruwais in western Abu Dhabi (Aspinall et al. 2005). This record appears to have been overlooked by Mallon and Budd (2011) and others. Tracks were seen in 2010 in Baynoonah, western Abu Dhabi. There are two reports from the Northern Emirates (G. Feulner, pers. comm. 2018): In the late 1990s or early 2000s, Jaap Wensvoort, then manager of a reserve north-east of Hatta, reported a sighting from an elevated viewpoint, of a 'waddling, black-and-white animal crossing the plain below'. The only reasonable candidate seems to be the Honey Badger. In 2016, a Dubai naturalist and photographer observed a Honey Badger feeding not long after dark beside the trash area at an informal picnic site above a dam on the western mountain front. The Honey Badger has an extensive global range in most of sub-Saharan Africa from South Africa north to southern Morocco and southwestern Algeria, and through Arabia, Iran and western Asia and Central Asia (Do Linh San et al. 2016).
Assessed status
Asessment status in full
Data deficient
Assessment status abreviation
DD
About the assessment
Assessment year
2018
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Affliation of assessor(s)/contributors/reviewers listed on assessment
Government
IGO
Assessor affiliation specific
Government|IGO
Assessment rationale/justification
The population status and distribution of the Honey Badger in the UAE is uncertain. It is known from a small number of historical and recent records from southern and western Abu Dhabi Emirate and recent sightings from low relief areas within the Hajar Mountains. It is thus assessed as Data Deficient. The species may have a marginal occurrence in the UAE, with a global range that extends from northwestern Africa to Central Asia. No regional adjustment is made to the Data Deficient assessment.
Criteria system
Criteria system specifics
IUCN v3.1
Criteria system used
IUCN
Criteria Citation
IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1, Second edition. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. iv + 32pp pp. And IUCN. 2012. Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional and National Levels: Version 4.0. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. iii + 41pp.
Endemism
Endemic to region
Not_assigned
Endemism Notes
Is an endemic?: Not_assigned
Conservation
Threats listed in assessment
Subject to generalised persecution of carnivores. No information specific to UAE is available.
Conservation Measures

Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures:

Further information
History
Whilst Hornby (1996) listed this species as Critically Endangered, at that time the species' occurrence in the UAE was unconfirmed as only tracks had been reported in the 1940s and once in 1996. Since that time there has been a record of three specimens which confirms its presence, but nothing more is known. The backcasted 1996 assessment for this species is, therefore, Data Deficient.
Verified entry
Off

Ichneumia albicauda | UAE National Red List of Mammals: Marine and Terrestrial

Location
Scope (Assessment)
National
Countries in Assessment
United Arab Emirates
Country ISO code(s)
ARE
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Off
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Ecological system type
Terrestrial system
No
Freshwater system
No
Marine system
No
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
Prefers mountain wadis and is normally found near permanent water; it avoids open desert. It is mainly nocturnal and preys on reptiles, small mammals, insects, birds and their eggs and carrion, and has adapted to living in close proximity to humans (Aspinall et al. 2005).
Taxon
Taxa
Ichneumia albicauda | (G. Cuvier, 1829)
Taxonomic Group
Vertebrates
Taxonomic Group Level 2
Mammals
Assessed taxon level
Species
Taxonomic Notes
This species is occasionally mistaken with Meller's Mongoose (Rhynchogale melleri), which also sometimes has a white tail. However, the White-tailed Mongoose is usually larger, and its body appears black, rather than brown (Skinner and Chimimba 2005). Further confusion in identification is sometimes created by the fact that Ichneumia albicauda individuals with black tails have been recorded in several areas of the African distribution range (A. Page pers. comm. 2014, C. Wright pers. comm. 2014). Only one subspecies has been listed, from southern Africa, I. a. grandis (Thomas 1890), but the nominate form has a wide distribution across much of the rest of Africa (Meester et al. 1986).
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
The White-tailed Mongoose occurs in the north of the UAE mainly in the mountains but also known from some sites in the plains (Jongbloed et al. 2001, Aspinall et al. 2005, Fernandes 2011). It has been recorded from Wadi Shawkah and other sites in Ras Al Khaimah; Wadi Siji in Fujairah; it was seen in Wadi Wurayah in the late 1990s (J. Budd pers. comm. 2018), but has not been recorded there in recent camera trap surveys; and Wadi Helo and Wadi Hefiyah in Sharjah. Outside the mountains, it has been recorded at Al Ain, Al Dhaid (where two were caught in 2015) and Masafi. It was listed as Extinct in the Wild in Abu Dhabi (Drew and Tourenq 2005). The species is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal and Gambia to the Horn of Africa, and then southwards to South Africa (Do Linh San 2015). In the Arabian Peninsula, it occurs in Oman. Yemen and Saudi Arabia, in addition to UAE (Mallon and Budd 2011). The species occurs in the Hajar Mountains in Oman (Harrison and Bates 1991).
Assessed status
Asessment status in full
Endangered
Assessment status abreviation
EN
Assessment status criteria
D
About the assessment
Assessment year
2018
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Affliation of assessor(s)/contributors/reviewers listed on assessment
Government
IGO
Assessor affiliation specific
Government|IGO
Assessment rationale/justification
The White-tailed Mongoose occurs in the north of the UAE mainly in the mountains but is also known from some sites in the plains. The lack of recent sightings makes it difficult to determine the population size, but it is estimated that there are fewer than 250 mature individuals and hence it is assessed as Endangered (EN) under criterion D. Any potential rescue effect is thought to be insignificant.
Criteria system
Criteria system specifics
IUCN v3.1
Criteria system used
IUCN
Criteria Citation
IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1, Second edition. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. iv + 32pp pp. And IUCN. 2012. Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional and National Levels: Version 4.0. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. iii + 41pp.
Endemism
Endemic to region
Not_assigned
Endemism Notes
Is an endemic?: Not_assigned
Conservation
Threats listed in assessment
May be subject to persecution by poultry farmers. Habitat in the Hajar Mountains is being lost, degraded and fragmented by quarrying, road building, and residential and tourism development. As the presence of the species appears to be linked to permanent water, the disappearance of freshwater habitats and decreasing water tables in wadis due to over-abstraction might be a potential threat. Red Foxes are increasing their range in the mountains and may be a competitor or predator.
Conservation Measures

Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures:

Further information
History
The population is suspected to have declined due to habitat loss and degradation, fragmentation, and competition with increasing populations of Vulpes vulpes. Whilst it was assessed as Endangered by Hornby (1996), we consider it likely that there were &gt;250 individuals in 1996, and so back-cast the category to Vulnerable (VU D1).
Verified entry
Off