Arabian red fox and tahr take pride of place in seven-volume natural history of Fujairah
▶ New book series calls on skills of 16 experts to analyse emirate’s flora, fauna, archaeology and geology
The diversity of flora and fauna in Fujairah will be featured in a new series of books on the natural world in the emirate, which features about 900 photographs and contributions from 16 experts.
Among the animals included in The Natural History of
Fujairah is the Arabian red fox (Vulpes vulpes arabs), which has huge ears that help the animal to stay cool.
The fur on the feet of this subspecies of fox insulates it against hot surfaces.
Another of Fujairah’s many mammals is the Arabian tahr (Arabitragus jayakari), a goatlike animal most common in the Hajar mountains of the UAE and Oman.
It feeds on vegetation such as grasses and leaves, and comes down from the mountains to drink from wadis.
Much smaller mammals are also featured in the books, including the little Muscat mouse-tailed bat (Rhinopoma muscatellum), which has a body that is 5cm to 6cm long.
Seven books will be published, with subsequent titles covering archaeology, whales and dolphins, plants, birds, herpetofauna (reptiles and amphibians) and geology.
They are being published under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah and chairman of the board of directors of the Fujairah Environment Authority.
Aims of the series include highlighting the importance of preserving Fujairah’s nature, showing how humans have affected the environment and demonstrating the natural world’s resilience to threats such as climate change.
Peter Hellyer, the historian, researcher and writer who died last year, was involved in producing the first book, while Dr Michele Ziolkowski, an archaeologist who has written a number of books about the UAE, is a co-editor and co-author.
The inaugural volume’s co-editor and photo editor is Balazs Buzas, a Hungarian zoologist who came to the Emirates to work as a zoo manager at Al Mayya Sanctuary before becoming involved in wildlife research and establishing a scientific specimen collection.
“In Fujairah, we have a good variety of habitats – from the desert to the mountains, green wadis and the sea, with shallow reefs to deep offshore areas,” Mr Buzas said.
“Migrating animals such as sea birds, cetaceans and sharks visit the coast from the Indian Ocean and we have endemic species in the Hajar Mountains.”
Among the animals in Fujairah’s waters is the rarely seen dwarf sperm whale (Kogia sima), one of which was, Mr Buzas said, stranded on a beach a few years ago.
Another notable marine mammal is the striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba), which is recorded occasionally in the Indian Ocean but is also breeding in Fujairah. There are eight species of sea snakes, of which very little was known about them until Mr Buzas and veterinary surgeon Dr Csaba Geczy began researching them a few years ago.
Mr Buzas undertook a major analysis of the whales and dolphins of Fujairah with Robert Baldwin, an Oman-based marine scientist and environmental consultant, while analysis of data on reptiles and amphibians was carried out with Balazs Farkas, co-author of the herpetofauna book.
Fujairah plays host to a rich array of reptiles, including the Persian horned viper (Pseudocerastes persicus), a venomous snake that is also found in Iran and has hornlike projections above its eyes. This snake primarily eats small mammals and reptiles.
Another venomous snake is the Oman saw-scaled viper (Echis omanensis), a patterned reptile that is found only in the UAE and Oman.
Even by the standards of geckos, which typically have toes that are spread apart, the splayed feet of Orlov’s fan-footed gecko (Ptyodactylus orlovi) are striking.
This animal, named after a Russian scientist who studied reptiles, Nikolai Orlov, prefers rocky habitats. Despite the recent flurry of research, Mr Buzas said there were many areas of Fujairah’s natural history that still need to be analysed thoroughly.
The Gulf of Oman, off Fujairah’s coast, is in need of detailed mapping and analysis, as are migratory animals, including fish and sea birds. While a wide selection of photographs was available for the books – Mr Buzas has taken images that will be used in all seven volumes – some creatures have been captured on camera only rarely.
Among the notables of Fujairah’s plant life is the Gems of the Hills plant (Desmidorchis arabica), traditionally used to treat liver problems and skin conditions such as sunburn and itchiness. “It is found throughout the Arabian Peninsula and, in some places, it can be at risk due to over-collection to sell in local markets,” Mr Buzas said.
Another eye-catching flowering plant is the eastern marsh helleborine (Epipactis veratrifolia), the UAE’s only orchid.
The series aims to highlight the importance of preserving nature and show how humans have affected the environment