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Assessment ID

329817

Taxon name

Caretta caretta

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Uploaded by

National Red List Database

Taxonomic information

Scientific name

Caretta caretta

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Assessed taxon level

Species

Higher level taxonomic groupings

Vertebrates

Reptiles

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

chordata

Class

reptilia

Order

testudines

Family

cheloniidae

Genus

Caretta

Species

caretta

Species authority

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Location and scope

Specific locality or subnational name or regional name

United Arab Emirates (the)

Scope (of the Assessment)

National

Countries included within the scope of the assessment

United Arab Emirates (the)

Country ISO code(s)

ARE

Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?

Not_assigned

Conservation Status

Assessed as

Data deficient

Abbreviated status

Criteria system used

IUCN

(see Assessment details)

Assessment rationale/justification

Presence of this species is confirmed within the United Arab Emirates marine territorial waters, however, it is only known from occasional sightings that probably result from passage of animals from the main breeding site (Masirah Island) in the Gulf of Oman to foraging areas in the Arabian Gulf, and there are no nesting beaches in UAE waters.The Loggerhead turtle is considered Data Deficient for the UAE national Red List as there are no data on population size and trend, nor on the scale of impact of known threats.

Assessment details

Year assessed

2018

Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed

UAE National Red List Workshop

Criteria system used

IUCN

Reference for methods given

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.

Further information

Endemism (according to assessment)

Endemic to region

Not assigned

Taxon distribution as listed in assessment

Presence of this species is confirmed within the United Arab Emirates marine territorial waters; however, it is only known from occasional sightings (Soorae et al. 2010). The species is an infrequent visitor within the Arabian Gulf and it does not nest at any of the known Arabian Gulf nesting sites (Pilcher et al. 2014, EAD 2016). The species forages in the Gulf of Oman and nests in significant numbers on Masirah Island (Hamann et al. 2013), and a small proportion of turtles from there were found to migrate into the northern Arabian Gulf to Bahrain and Qatar (Pilcher et al. 2014, 2015). The Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA) undertook a three-year study of stranding records from the Gulf of Oman which included this species.The North West Indian Ocean Loggerhead subpopulation represents a distinct subpopulation or regional management unit (Wallace et al. 2010, Shamblin et al. 2014). Within the region, the largest nesting populations occur and feeding areas are distributed in the southern and eastern portion of the Arabian Peninsula (Oman, Yemen), including the southern portion of the Arabian Gulf.The Loggerhead Turtle has a worldwide distribution in subtropical to temperate regions of the Mediterranean Sea and Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans (Wallace et al. 2010). The North West Indian Ocean subpopulation breeds in Oman and Yemen (Baldwin et al. 2003). Its marine distribution extends from the Gulf of Aden to the Arabian Gulf (Al Mohanna and Meakins 2000, Hamann et al. 2013, Rees et al. 2010). One of the largest breeding aggregations of the species occurs on Masirah Island in Oman (Rees et al. 2010). Casale (2015) gave the breeding distribution of the North West Indian Loggerhead subpopulation as Oman and Yemen, and its marine habitats extent as from the Gulf of Aden to the Arabian Gulf.

Is there a map available in assessment?

Yes

Habitat and systems

Ecological system type

Terrestrial

Not_assigned

Freshwater

Not_assigned

Marine

Yes

Habitat

Habitat details as listed in assessment

This species of turtle nests on insular and mainland sandy beaches throughout the temperate and subtropical regions, however, there are no known nesting sites within the UAE. The main diet appears to be fish, as well as cephalopods, sand dollars, gastropods and crabs (EPAA Sharjah study). Little is known of marine habitat use for this species in the UAE. No basking is known on beaches in the UAE.Mating has to happen close to the nesting beach, so mating most likely occurs close to Masirah Island.Adult loggerhead turtles are highly migratory and use a wide range of broadly separated localities and habitats during their lifetimes (Bolten and Witherington 2003). Within the UAE region, movements of adult females in the inter-nesting and post-nesting periods is described from satellite telemetry studies conducted on Masirah Island where 44 turtles were satellite tracked between 2006 and 2012 (Willson et al. 2015). Based on this information, the full regional extent of post-nesting movements extends as far as the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea, whilst the predominant (approx. 90% of all tagged turtles) direction of post-migration movement is towards the Gulf of Aden. The EPAA is conducting a study on the diet component of loggerhead turtles from the Gulf of Oman.Upon leaving the nesting beach, hatchlings begin an oceanic phase, perhaps floating passively in major current systems (gyres) that serve as open-ocean developmental grounds (Bolten and Witherington 2003). After 4-19 years in the oceanic zone, Loggerheads recruit to neritic developmental areas rich in benthic prey or epipelagic prey where they forage and grow until maturity at 10-39 years (Avens and Snover 2013). Upon attaining sexual maturity Loggerhead Turtles undertake breeding migrations between foraging grounds and nesting areas at remigration intervals of one to several years with a mean of 2.5-3 years for females (Schroeder et al. 2003), while males would have a shorter remigration interval (e.g., Hays et al. 2010, Wibbels et al. 1990). Migrations are carried out by both males and females and may traverse oceanic zones spanning hundreds to thousands of kilometres (Plotkin 2003). During non-breeding periods adults reside at coastal neritic feeding areas that sometimes coincide with juvenile developmental habitats (Bolten and Witherington 2003).

Threats and conservation measures listed

Threats listed in assessment

The main threats to the North West Indian Ocean Loggerhead subpopulation are represented by fisheries (as bycatch), egg predation and collection, and coastal development (Hamann et al. 2013), although quantification of the impact to the subpopulation within UAE marine territory is not available.Threats to Loggerheads vary in time and space, and in relative impact to populations. Threat categories affecting marine turtles, including Loggerheads, were described by Wallace et al. (2011) as: Boat strike In Abu Dhabi, it was found that 20% of all stranded turtles died from vessel strikes (EAD 2016). The EPAA Sharjah is in the process of concluding a three-year study on the impact of boat strikes on marine turtles, including this species. Fisheries bycatch and targeted fisheries In Abu Dhabi, 52% of marine turtle mortalities were attributed to entanglement, however, no loggerheads were found in this study (EAD 2016). The impact of incidental capture of marine turtles in fishing gear targeting other species (bycatch) is not known. The impact of ghost fishing gear requires further research. Coastal development There has been rapid and extensive coastal development within UAE coastal areas. It is likely that this has impacted turtle habitat, but there is no information available on this. In addition, human-induced alteration of coastal environments due to construction, dredging, beach modification, etc. may impact this species.Turtles have been found within water intakes of desalination plants but it is not known if this species is impacted by this threat. Pollution and pathogens Marine pollution and debris affect marine turtles (i.e., through ingestion or entanglement, disorientation caused by artificial lights). The EPAA Sharjah is in the process of concluding a three-year study on the impact of oil spills on marine turtles which include this species. Oil spills represent a significant threat to marine turtles. The impacts of pervasive pathogens (for example, the fibropapilloma virus) on turtle health in the UAE requires further research. Climate change Current and future impacts from climate change on marine turtles and their habitats (increasing sand temperatures on nesting beaches affecting hatchling sex ratios, sea level rise, storm frequency and intensity affecting nesting habitats, etc.) in the UAE requires further research, especially with regard to the already high surface water temperature, as the Arabian Gulf regularly experiences sustained sea surface temperatures of over 30'°C (Pilcher et al. 2014).The relative impacts of individual threats to all Loggerhead subpopulations were assessed by Wallace et al. (2011). Fisheries bycatch was classified as the highest threat to Loggerheads globally, followed by coastal development and human consumption of eggs, meat, or other products. Due to lack of information, pollution and pathogens were only scored as affecting three subpopulations and climate change was only scored for two subpopulations. Enhanced efforts to assess and reduce the impacts of these threats on Loggerheads should be a high priority for future conservation efforts.

Publication

UAE National Red List of Herpetofauna: Amphibians & Terrestrial Reptiles, Sea Snakes & Marine Turtles

Els, J., Allen, D., Hilton-Taylor, C., Harding, K. (2019). UAE National Red List of Herpetofauna: Amphibians & Terrestrial Reptiles, Sea Snakes & Marine Turtles. MOCCAE, UAE

Assessment ID

330734

Taxon name

Delphinus delphis

Linnaeus, 1758

Uploaded by

National Red List Database

Taxonomic information

Scientific name

Delphinus delphis

Linnaeus, 1758

Assessed taxon level

Species

Higher level taxonomic groupings

Vertebrates

Mammals

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

chordata

Class

mammalia

Order

cetartiodactyla

Family

delphinidae

Genus

Delphinus

Species

delphis

Species authority

Linnaeus, 1758

Taxonomic notes and synonyms listed

Until recently, two species were recognised in the genus Delphinus: the Short-beaked Common Dolphin (D. delphis) and the Long-beaked Common Dolphin (D. capensis), as described by Heyning and Perrin (1994). The morphological differences between D. delphis and D. capensis in the North Pacific (Heyning and Perrin 1994) were supported by molecular evidence from both mitochondrial and nuclear markers (Rosel et al. 1994). However, the genus exhibits a great deal of morphological variation globally and the criteria used to distinguish between the two species in the North Pacific appear not to apply elsewhere (Best 2007). In South Africa, Samaai et al. (2005) found that based on skull morphology the majority of specimens belonged to D. capensis, however two specimens were within the range for D. delphis from the North Pacific, and a third specimen fell between the ranges for D. delphis and D. capensis (Samaai et al. 2005). The same molecular markers that were used to differentiate the two sympatric species in the North Pacific failed to reveal any genetic distinction between the described morphotypes in South Africa (Best 2007). Subsequently, Cunha et al. (2015), in a global analysis of Delphinus which included nine specimens from the west coast of South Africa (eastern South Atlantic), concluded that all specimens analysed from the Atlantic Ocean belonged to D. delphis, and that D. capensis was not a genetically valid species. In 2016 the Society for Marine Mammalogy Committee on Taxonomy removed Delphinus capensis from its accepted list of marine mammal species and now recognises all Common Dolphins globally as belonging to a single species, Delphinus delphis (Committee on Taxonomy 2020). It recognises the following subspecies: <ul> <li>D. d. delphis Linnaeus, 1758. Common Dolphin</li> <li>D. d. bairdii Dall, 1873. Eastern North Pacific Long-beaked Common Dolphin</li> <li>D. d. ponticus Barabash, 1935. Black Sea Common Dolphin</li> <li>D. d. tropicalis van Bree, 1971. Indo-Pacific Common Dolphin</li> </ul> Cunha et al. (2015) noted that because the sympatric or parapatric Long-beaked and Short-beaked Common Dolphins off California in the eastern North Pacific appear not to interbreed, the Long-beaked Common Dolphins might eventually be described and recognised as a separate species, D. bairdii. Some researchers have considered the Long-beaked Common Dolphins in the Indo-Pacific, which has an exceptionally long beak, to constitute a separate species, D. tropicalis (Van Bree and Gallagher 1978; Rice 1998). However, another morphometric study concluded that that form should be considered a subspecies (Jefferson and Van Waerebeek 2002) and it is currently recognised as such, D. delphis tropicalis. The non-concordance of morphological and genetic data for Common Dolphins has caused much confusion and a rigorous global taxonomic study of the genus is needed. Further phylogenetic analyses are necessary to resolve the controversies surrounding the classification and nomenclature. More changes to Delphinus taxonomy should be expected.

Location and scope

Specific locality or subnational name or regional name

United Arab Emirates (the)

Scope (of the Assessment)

National

Countries included within the scope of the assessment

United Arab Emirates (the)

Country ISO code(s)

ARE

Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?

Not_assigned

Conservation Status

Assessed as

Data deficient

Abbreviated status

Criteria system used

IUCN

(see Assessment details)

Assessment rationale/justification

There have been no sightings of live animals in the Arabian Gulf in recent years and no records of any strandings from Abu Dhabi in the past ten years, but there are numerous records of skeletal remains from the area. It is not clear if this means there has been a significant population reduction in the Gulf and over what time period that happened. The only confirmed recent records include multiple sightings of relatively large groups (up to 100 individuals) sighted in both shallower (50 m) and deep water (800 m) off the east coast of Fujairah. The population size and trend are unknown, hence this species is assessed as Data Deficient. No regional adjustment is made to the Data Deficient assessment.

Assessment details

Year assessed

2018

Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed

UAE National Red List Workshop

Criteria system used

IUCN

Reference for methods given

URL (link) of redlist assessment or publication

https://www.moccae.gov.ae/assets/download/b352eff1/UNRL%20of%20Mammals%20-%20Report%202019.pdf.aspx?view=true

Further information

Endemism (according to assessment)

Endemic to region

Not assigned

Taxon distribution as listed in assessment

This species is relatively poorly known in the UAE. There are skeletal remains from western and eastern Abu Dhabi, though confirmed live sightings have not yet been recorded in the Arabian Gulf region of the UAE. There have been no remains found in the last 15 years, apart from an old skull from Umm Al Qawain in 2014/15 that was identified as this species by the <a href=""http://www.uaedolphinproject.org/"">UAE Dolphin Project</a>. It has been recorded on numerous occasions off the east coast of Fujairah during surveys in 2017-2018 by the Fujairah Whale and Dolphin Research Project, including relatively large groups (up to 100 individuals) in both shallower (50 m) and deep water (to at least 800 m). It is commonly recorded in other parts of the Gulf of Oman to the south of the UAE border (Baldwin 2005). A stranding has been reported from Khor Kalba, Sharjah. This species ranges in the Indo-Pacific from at least the Red Sea/Somalia to western Taiwan/southern China and Indonesia, including the Gulf of Thailand (Hammond et al. 2008a).

Is there a map available in assessment?

Yes

Habitat and systems

Ecological system type

Terrestrial

Not_assigned

Freshwater

Not_assigned

Marine

Not_assigned

Habitat

Habitat details as listed in assessment

Mostly an offshore, deep-water species. Occurs in groups of 100 to over 3,000 individuals in the wider region. Feeds on small pelagic fish (Baldwin et al. 1999).

Threats and conservation measures listed

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). 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.

History

The backcasted 1996 assessment for this species is Data Deficient which matches the listing given by Hornby (1996) albeit that this was based on a different taxonomic concept.

Publication

UAE National Red List of Mammals: Marine and Terrestrial

Mallon, D., Hilton-Taylor, C., Allen, D., & Harding, K. (2019). UAE National Red List of Mammals: Marine and Terrestrial. A report to the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, United Arab Emirates (p. 41). IUCN Global Species Programme. https://bit.ly/2RdZCQR

Assessment ID

330668

Taxon name

Suncus etruscus

(Savi, 1822)

Uploaded by

National Red List Database

Taxonomic information

Scientific name

Suncus etruscus

(Savi, 1822)

Assessed taxon level

Species

Higher level taxonomic groupings

Vertebrates

Mammals

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

chordata

Class

mammalia

Order

eulipotyphla

Family

soricidae

Genus

Suncus

Species

etruscus

Species authority

(Savi, 1822)

Location and scope

Specific locality or subnational name or regional name

United Arab Emirates (the)

Scope (of the Assessment)

National

Countries included within the scope of the assessment

United Arab Emirates (the)

Country ISO code(s)

ARE

Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?

Not_assigned

Conservation Status

Assessed as

Data deficient

Abbreviated status

Criteria system used

IUCN

(see Assessment details)

Assessment rationale/justification

This species is assessed as Data Deficient for the UAE because this is a poorly known species, with only very few, widely scattered records. No regional adjustment is made to the Data Deficient assessment.

Assessment details

Year assessed

2018

Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed

UAE National Red List Workshop

Criteria system used

IUCN

Reference for methods given

URL (link) of redlist assessment or publication

https://www.moccae.gov.ae/assets/download/b352eff1/UNRL%20of%20Mammals%20-%20Report%202019.pdf.aspx?view=true

Further information

Endemism (according to assessment)

Endemic to region

Not assigned

Taxon distribution as listed in assessment

First recorded in UAE in August 2000 during live-trapping at the Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife, Sharjah (Aspinall et al. 2005) and has been recorded there again since then. There is an observation from Abu Dhabi of a Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis feeding on this species (Drew and Tourenq 2005) and it has been recorded at Al Wathba Wetland Reserve (Soorae et al. 2014). Photographs of two recent sightings at Green Mubazzarah, at the base of Jebel Hafeet, have been published on the <a href=""http://www.uaebirding.com/photos-mammals.html"">UAE Birding website</a>. The species may also have been caught in Al Ain. The species is difficult to live-trap due to its very low weight and it is likely to occur more widely in the UAE. The species is widespread from southern Europe and North Africa through the Near East and Arabian Peninsula to Central Asia, and South and Southeast Asia, including the island of Borneo (Aulagnier et al. 2017).

Is there a map available in assessment?

Incomplete

Habitat and systems

Ecological system type

Terrestrial

Not_assigned

Freshwater

Not_assigned

Marine

Not_assigned

Habitat

Habitat details as listed in assessment

The areas where specimens have been obtained consist of sandy and gravel desert with scattered trees and bushes, and irrigated farmland. Little is known about this species in the Arabian region (Harrison and Bates 1991).

Threats and conservation measures listed

Threats listed in assessment

There is no information available on threats to this species.

History

This species was not listed by Hornby (1996) for the UAE Red List of mammals, but based on current knowledge the backcasted 1996 assessment for this species has to be Data Deficient.

Publication

UAE National Red List of Mammals: Marine and Terrestrial

Assessment ID

330667

Taxon name

Otonycteris hemprichii

Peters, 1859

Uploaded by

National Red List Database

Taxonomic information

Scientific name

Otonycteris hemprichii

Peters, 1859

Assessed taxon level

Species

Higher level taxonomic groupings

Vertebrates

Mammals

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

chordata

Class

mammalia

Order

chiroptera

Family

vespertilionidae

Genus

Otonycteris

Species

hemprichii

Species authority

Peters, 1859

Location and scope

Specific locality or subnational name or regional name

United Arab Emirates (the)

Scope (of the Assessment)

National

Countries included within the scope of the assessment

United Arab Emirates (the)

Country ISO code(s)

ARE

Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?

Not_assigned

Conservation Status

Assessed as

Data deficient

Abbreviated status

Criteria system used

IUCN

(see Assessment details)

Assessment rationale/justification

This species is assessed as Data Deficient because only a single old record is known, from Ras Al Khaimah. The species may well occur elsewhere in the country, however, it is also possible that the specimen remains may not have originated from within the UAE. No regional adjustment is made to the Data Deficient assessment.

Assessment details

Year assessed

2018

Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed

UAE National Red List Workshop

Criteria system used

IUCN

Reference for methods given

URL (link) of redlist assessment or publication

https://www.moccae.gov.ae/assets/download/b352eff1/UNRL%20of%20Mammals%20-%20Report%202019.pdf.aspx?view=true

Further information

Endemism (according to assessment)

Endemic to region

Not assigned

Taxon distribution as listed in assessment

The only records for UAE consist of skulls retrieved in 1972 from raptor pellets found in a cave in Ras Al Khaimah (Harrison 1977). It may occur more widely in UAE, especially the Hajar Mountains (Harrison and Bates 1991, Jomat et al. 2018, Judas et al. 2018). The species is distributed across the desert zone from Morocco to northwest India and it is widespread in the Arabian Peninsula.

Is there a map available in assessment?

Yes

Habitat and systems

Ecological system type

Terrestrial

Not_assigned

Freshwater

Not_assigned

Marine

Not_assigned

Habitat

Habitat details as listed in assessment

The UAE records are from a mountain wadi. It also occurs in open desert areas and roosts in rock crevices and sometimes in buildings (Harrison and Bates 1991).

Threats and conservation measures listed

Threats listed in assessment

Unknown. The increasing extent and intensity of urban lighting may have a negative impact on nocturnal flying invertebrates, the main prey base. Species in the mountains may be affected indirectly by falling water tables due to over-abstraction and reduced precipitation.

History

The backcasted 1996 assessment for this species is Data Deficient which matches the listing given by Hornby (1996).

Publication

UAE National Red List of Mammals: Marine and Terrestrial

Assessment ID

330666

Taxon name

Eptesicus bottae

(Peters, 1869)

Uploaded by

National Red List Database

Taxonomic information

Scientific name

Eptesicus bottae

(Peters, 1869)

Assessed taxon level

Species

Higher level taxonomic groupings

Vertebrates

Mammals

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

chordata

Class

mammalia

Order

chiroptera

Family

vespertilionidae

Genus

Eptesicus

Species

bottae

Species authority

(Peters, 1869)

Taxonomic notes and synonyms listed

In previous Red List assessments, Eptesicus anatolicus and E. ognevi were included in E. bottae (Juste et al. 2013, Artyushin et al. 2018). Those are now considered separately and have their own assessments.

Location and scope

Specific locality or subnational name or regional name

United Arab Emirates (the)

Scope (of the Assessment)

National

Countries included within the scope of the assessment

United Arab Emirates (the)

Country ISO code(s)

ARE

Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?

Not_assigned

Conservation Status

Assessed as

Data deficient

Abbreviated status

Criteria system used

IUCN

(see Assessment details)

Assessment rationale/justification

This species is newly recorded for the UAE following survey work in early 2018, when the species was found over a pool in Wadi Wurayah, Fujairah. The species is assessed as Data Deficient because there is only one confirmed record and the status of the species in the country has not been established. No regional adjustment is made to the Data Deficient assessment.

Assessment details

Year assessed

2018

Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed

UAE National Red List Workshop

Criteria system used

IUCN

Reference for methods given

URL (link) of redlist assessment or publication

https://www.moccae.gov.ae/assets/download/b352eff1/UNRL%20of%20Mammals%20-%20Report%202019.pdf.aspx?view=true

Further information

Endemism (according to assessment)

Endemic to region

Not assigned

Taxon distribution as listed in assessment

This species was first recorded in the UAE by Jomat et al. (2018) who caught two individuals over a pool in Wadi Wurayah, Fujairah. There may be other records from echolocation calls but these have not yet been confirmed. In Oman, the species is recorded from Wadi Sahtan in the Hajar Mountains (Harrison and Bates 1991). This is a Palaearctic species, occurring from the eastern Mediterranean to Iran, the southern Caucasus and Central Asia to India, northwestern China and possibly Mongolia (Aulagnier et al. 2008).

Is there a map available in assessment?

Yes

Habitat and systems

Ecological system type

Terrestrial

Not_assigned

Freshwater

Not_assigned

Marine

Not_assigned

Habitat

Habitat details as listed in assessment

The single UAE record was from a mountain wadi. Across its global range, this is a versatile species that occupies a wide range of habitats (Harrison and Bates 1991); it is usually a crevice-dwelling species, inhabiting buildings, ruins (including tombs), and natural rock crevices throughout the year. This bat feeds usually on ants and moths but also on beetles (Whitaker and KarataÅÅÂ¸ 2009).

Threats and conservation measures listed

Threats listed in assessment

History

This species was not listed by Hornby (1996) for the UAE Red List of mammals, but based on current knowledge the backcasted 1996 assessment for this species is Data Deficient.

Publication

UAE National Red List of Mammals: Marine and Terrestrial

Assessment ID

330661

Taxon name

Triaenops persicus

Dobson, 1871

Uploaded by

National Red List Database

Taxonomic information

Scientific name

Triaenops persicus

Dobson, 1871

Assessed taxon level

Species

Higher level taxonomic groupings

Vertebrates

Mammals

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

chordata

Class

mammalia

Order

chiroptera

Family

hipposideridae

Genus

Triaenops

Species

persicus

Species authority

Dobson, 1871

Taxonomic notes and synonyms listed

See Benda and Vallo (2009) for a complete revision of the genus.

Location and scope

Specific locality or subnational name or regional name

United Arab Emirates (the)

Scope (of the Assessment)

National

Countries included within the scope of the assessment

United Arab Emirates (the)

Country ISO code(s)

ARE

Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?

Not_assigned

Conservation Status

Assessed as

Data deficient

Abbreviated status

Criteria system used

IUCN

(see Assessment details)

Assessment rationale/justification

This species was last recorded in the UAE in 1953 from the Buraimi Oasis area, Al Ain, and there is a possible record from south of Al Ain from 2018 that requires confirmation. The species is assessed as Data Deficient because the last confirmed records date from 1953 and there is only one possible record in recent times. No regional adjustment is made to the Data Deficient assessment.

Assessment details

Year assessed

2018

Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed

UAE National Red List Workshop

Criteria system used

IUCN

Reference for methods given

URL (link) of redlist assessment or publication

https://www.moccae.gov.ae/assets/download/b352eff1/UNRL%20of%20Mammals%20-%20Report%202019.pdf.aspx?view=true

Further information

Endemism (according to assessment)

Endemic to region

Not assigned

Taxon distribution as listed in assessment

This species was last recorded in the UAE in 1953 when a few specimens were collected in falaj (irrigation) tunnels at Buraimi Oasis, Al Ain (Harrison 1955). There was one possible sound recording in July/Aug 2017 at Ain Al Waal at the base of Jebel Hafeet (J. Judas pers. comm. 2018). The species is widely distributed in Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, and South Asia (Monadjem et al. 2017c).

Is there a map available in assessment?

Yes

Habitat and systems

Ecological system type

Terrestrial

Not_assigned

Freshwater

Not_assigned

Marine

Not_assigned

Habitat

Habitat details as listed in assessment

The only UAE specimens were caught in falaj tunnels. The 2017 report was from a cave.

Threats and conservation measures listed

Threats listed in assessment

History

The backcasted 1996 assessment for this species is Data Deficient which matches the listing given by Hornby (1996).

Publication

UAE National Red List of Mammals: Marine and Terrestrial

Assessment ID

330660

Taxon name

Asellia tridens

(E. Geoffroy, 1813)

Uploaded by

National Red List Database

Taxonomic information

Scientific name

Asellia tridens

(E. Geoffroy, 1813)

Assessed taxon level

Species

Higher level taxonomic groupings

Vertebrates

Mammals

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

chordata

Class

mammalia

Order

chiroptera

Family

hipposideridae

Genus

Asellia

Species

tridens

Species authority

(E. Geoffroy, 1813)

Location and scope

Specific locality or subnational name or regional name

United Arab Emirates (the)

Scope (of the Assessment)

National

Countries included within the scope of the assessment

United Arab Emirates (the)

Country ISO code(s)

ARE

Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?

Not_assigned

Conservation Status

Assessed as

Data deficient

Abbreviated status

Criteria system used

IUCN

(see Assessment details)

Assessment rationale/justification

This species had been recorded in large numbers in the 1950s in two areas in UAE (Sharjah city and the Al Ain area) but is only known in small numbers from recent records. It is assessed as Data Deficient because too little is know about the current status and it is difficult to interpret the apparent decline in numbers since the 1950s. No regional adjustment is made to the Data Deficient assessment.

Assessment details

Year assessed

2018

Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed

UAE National Red List Workshop

Criteria system used

IUCN

Reference for methods given

URL (link) of redlist assessment or publication

https://www.moccae.gov.ae/assets/download/b352eff1/UNRL%20of%20Mammals%20-%20Report%202019.pdf.aspx?view=true

Further information

Endemism (according to assessment)

Endemic to region

Not assigned

Taxon distribution as listed in assessment

This species was recorded in large numbers in the 1950s. Several hundred individuals were observed, and several collected, in falaj (irrigation) tunnels at Al Ain in 1953 and numbers were seen flying out of old buildings in Sharjah city towards the airfield in July 1954 (Harrison 1955). It was next recorded in 2005 when a dead individual, apparently hit by a car, was found in a tree-lined road in Al Ain, and again in 2015 when a few live individuals were observed in a cave at Ain al Waal at the bottom of Jebel Hafeet (Judas et al. 2018). There was a new record in 2018 from the Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah border area (J. Pereira pers. comm. 2018) and two were caught in a cave in western Fujairah during a survey in early 2018 (Jomat et al. 2018). The species is likely to be more widespread than these records indicate. Globally, the species ranges widely across North Africa south to Ethiopia and Somalia, the Arabian Peninsula and the Middle East, to Afghanistan and Pakistan (Monadjem et al. 2017b). It is quite widely distributed in Arabia (Harrison and Bates 1991).

Is there a map available in assessment?

Yes

Habitat and systems

Ecological system type

Terrestrial

Not_assigned

Freshwater

Not_assigned

Marine

Not_assigned

Habitat

Habitat details as listed in assessment

In the UAE it is recorded roosting in buildings, falaj tunnels and caves. It is a colonial species that occupies crevices and cliffs in arid and semi-desert habitats, also roosting in caves, mines, and old tombs and buildings (Monadjem et al. 2017b).

Threats and conservation measures listed

Threats listed in assessment

Unknown. The increasing extent and intensity of urban lighting may have a negative impact on nocturnal flying invertebrates, the main prey base. Species in the mountains may be affected indirectly through falling water tables due to over-abstraction and reduced precipitation.

History

The backcasted 1996 assessment for this species is Data Deficient which matches the listing given by Hornby (1996).

Publication

UAE National Red List of Mammals: Marine and Terrestrial

Assessment ID

329991

Taxon name

Balaenoptera omurai

Wada, Oishi & Yamada, 2003

Uploaded by

National Red List Database

Taxonomic information

Scientific name

Balaenoptera omurai

Wada, Oishi & Yamada, 2003

Assessed taxon level

Species

Higher level taxonomic groupings

Vertebrates

Mammals

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

chordata

Class

mammalia

Order

cetartiodactyla

Family

balaenopteridae

Genus

Balaenoptera

Species

omurai

Species authority

Wada, Oishi & Yamada, 2003

Taxonomic notes and synonyms listed

Although it was only recently described (Wada et al. 2003), the separate species identity of Omura's Whale, Balaenoptera omurai, is now well established phylogenetically (Sasaki et al. 2006). It was formerly regarded as a pygmy form of Bryde's Whale (B. brydei/edeni), but it is not closely related to that group, lying outside the clade formed by the Sei Whale (B. borealis) and two forms of Bryde's Whales). The morphology of Omura's Whale is quite distinct from those of Bryde's Whales and other known baleen whales, but its colouration resembles that of the Fin Whale (B. physalus) while lacking lateral rostral ridges (Wada et al. 2003). To date (December 2017), the only genetically confirmed observations of living Omura's Whales are of 18 biopsied individuals in an apparently resident population off northwestern Madagascar (Cerchio et al. 2015). Specimens collected in 1976 in the Solomon Sea (Ohsumi 1978) and in 1978 in the eastern Indian Ocean (Ohsumi 1980) were originally taken under a scientific permit for Bryde's Whales and were subsequently genetically identified as Omura's Whales (Wada et al. 2003). LeDuc and Dizon (2002) genetically analysed specimens of small Bryde's Whales from the Bohol Sea, Philippines, and found that they segregated phylogenetically outside the Sei/Bryde's Whale clade and basal to B. edeni/B. borealis. From a comparison of the published phylogenies, Sasaki et al. (2006) concluded that these specimens corresponded to Omura's Whale. Yamada et al. (2008) identified 24 skulls from a whaling operation in the Philippines as Omura's Whales.

Location and scope

Specific locality or subnational name or regional name

United Arab Emirates (the)

Scope (of the Assessment)

National

Countries included within the scope of the assessment

United Arab Emirates (the)

Country ISO code(s)

ARE

Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?

Not_assigned

Conservation Status

Assessed as

Data deficient

Abbreviated status

Criteria system used

IUCN

(see Assessment details)

Assessment rationale/justification

The global range of this recently described species, Balaenoptera omurai, is poorly known, and no estimates of abundance are available. Within UAE waters, the species is recorded from a single unconfirmed stranding in Ras Al Khaimah in March 2018 (R. Brownell Jr. pers. comm. 2018). Given the scarcity of records of the species from the UAE plausible categories span from Critically Endangered to Least Concern, and hence following IUCN guidelines the species is assessed for the UAE national Red List as Data Deficient.No regional adjustment is made to the Data Deficient assessment.

Assessment details

Year assessed

2018

Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed

UAE National Red List Workshop

Criteria system used

IUCN

Reference for methods given

URL (link) of redlist assessment or publication

https://www.moccae.gov.ae/assets/download/b352eff1/UNRL%20of%20Mammals%20-%20Report%202019.pdf.aspx?view=true

Further information

Endemism (according to assessment)

Endemic to region

Not assigned

Taxon distribution as listed in assessment

The occurrence of Omura's Whale in UAE waters is unconfirmed and very poorly known. One of the two stranded whales found in March 2018 at Ras Al Khaimah might be this species (R. Brownell Jr. pers. comm. 2018). There is one record from Iranian waters just in the Arabian Gulf (Ranjbar et al. 2016) and the next closest is from the Red Sea (Egypt), so it may be present off the east coast of the UAE.The global range of Omura's Whale requires further research because very few specimens have been confirmed to date. The type specimen was a stranded individual collected near Oyama in the southern Sea of Japan in 1998 (Wada et al. 2003). Confirmed specimens and suspected sightings recorded to date are listed by Cerchio et al. (2017). The only genetically confirmed population of living Omura's Whales to date occurs off northwestern Madagascar (Cerchio et al. 2015) on the shallow continental shelf, mainly in the 10-25 m depth range. Photographs of living whales taken off New Caledonia appear to show Omura's Whales, and there have also been suspected live sightings off eastern Australia. Omura's Whales are at least partially sympatric with Bryde's Whales and occur both in deep water and in inshore areas. All records to date have been between 35'°N and 35'°S. It is unclear whether Omura's Whale is mainly a coastal species or if a substantial oceanic population exists.

Is there a map available in assessment?

Not possible

Habitat and systems

Ecological system type

Terrestrial

Not_assigned

Freshwater

Not_assigned

Marine

Not_assigned

Habitat

Habitat details as listed in assessment

The diet, habitat, and ecology of Omura's Whales are not well known. Omura's Whales occur in both deep and shallow water, and are at least partly sympatric with Bryde's Whales.

Threats and conservation measures listed

Threats listed in assessment

Given its occurrence in shallow waters, it may be subject to entanglement or bycatch and vessel strikes. Because the species has only recently been described and its range is poorly known, it is not yet possible to assess the type, level or extent of any threats.

History

The backcasted 1996 assessment for this species is Data Deficient if its existence back then had been known.

Publication

UAE National Red List of Mammals: Marine and Terrestrial

Assessment ID

329885

Taxon name

Physeter macrocephalus

Linnaeus, 1758

Uploaded by

National Red List Database

Taxonomic information

Scientific name

Physeter macrocephalus

Linnaeus, 1758

Assessed taxon level

Species

Higher level taxonomic groupings

Vertebrates

Mammals

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

chordata

Class

mammalia

Order

cetartiodactyla

Family

physeteridae

Genus

Physeter

Species

macrocephalus

Species authority

Linnaeus, 1758

Taxonomic notes and synonyms listed

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.

Location and scope

Specific locality or subnational name or regional name

United Arab Emirates (the)

Scope (of the Assessment)

National

Countries included within the scope of the assessment

United Arab Emirates (the)

Country ISO code(s)

ARE

Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?

Not_assigned

Conservation Status

Assessed as

Data deficient

Abbreviated status

Criteria system used

IUCN

(see Assessment details)

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.

Assessment details

Year assessed

2018

Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed

UAE National Red List Workshop

Criteria system used

IUCN

Reference for methods given

URL (link) of redlist assessment or publication

https://www.moccae.gov.ae/assets/download/b352eff1/UNRL%20of%20Mammals%20-%20Report%202019.pdf.aspx?view=true

Further information

Endemism (according to assessment)

Endemic to region

Not assigned

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).

Is there a map available in assessment?

Yes

Habitat and systems

Ecological system type

Terrestrial

Not_assigned

Freshwater

Not_assigned

Marine

Not_assigned

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).

Threats and conservation measures listed

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.

History

The backcasted 1996 assessment for this species is Data Deficient which matches the listing given by Hornby (1996).

Publication

UAE National Red List of Mammals: Marine and Terrestrial

Assessment ID

329882

Taxon name

Mellivora capensis

(Schreber, 1776)

Uploaded by

National Red List Database

Taxonomic information

Scientific name

Mellivora capensis

(Schreber, 1776)

Assessed taxon level

Species

Higher level taxonomic groupings

Vertebrates

Mammals

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

chordata

Class

mammalia

Order

carnivora

Family

mustelidae

Genus

Mellivora

Species

capensis

Species authority

(Schreber, 1776)

Location and scope

Specific locality or subnational name or regional name

United Arab Emirates (the)

Scope (of the Assessment)

National

Countries included within the scope of the assessment

United Arab Emirates (the)

Country ISO code(s)

ARE

Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?

Not_assigned

Conservation Status

Assessed as

Data deficient

Abbreviated status

Criteria system used

IUCN

(see Assessment details)

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.

Assessment details

Year assessed

2018

Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed

UAE National Red List Workshop

Criteria system used

IUCN

Reference for methods given

URL (link) of redlist assessment or publication

https://www.moccae.gov.ae/assets/download/b352eff1/UNRL%20of%20Mammals%20-%20Report%202019.pdf.aspx?view=true

Further information

Endemism (according to assessment)

Endemic to region

Not assigned

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).

Is there a map available in assessment?

Yes

Habitat and systems

Ecological system type

Terrestrial

Not_assigned

Freshwater

Not_assigned

Marine

Not_assigned

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

Threats and conservation measures listed

Threats listed in assessment

Subject to generalised persecution of carnivores. No information specific to UAE is available.

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.

Publication

UAE National Red List of Mammals: Marine and Terrestrial