Greater flamingo breeding in Al Wathba

Al Wathba Wetland Reserve in Abu Dhabi has witnessed the arrival of Greater flamingos for breeding after almost ten years. A team of scientists from Environment Agency — Abu Dhabi (EAD) found what is considered the first successful breeding on this site in almost a decade, said a press release issued by EAD yesterday. Al Wathba Wetland Reserve was established by Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan in 1998 and is currently managed by EAD. Currently, nearly 1,600 Greater flamingos are in Al Wathba and a high percentage of these are adult breeding birds. As part of routine monitoring by EAD's Bird Conservation team, nests were recorded at several locations across Al Wathba Lake and 90 chicks are incubating (being maintained by their mothers at optimal environmental conditions for growth and development). EAD expects more chicks to hatch in the coming weeks. Article continues below "The breeding by flamingos in this Reserve is further evidence that protecting such areas is crucial in the preservation of our biodiversity. The return of the breeding colony is a major milestone for the Agency's flamingo conservation efforts and the management of the Al Wathba Wetland Reserve," said Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, EAD's Secretary General. Migration patterns "Our tracking programme allows us to observe their migration patterns and enables us to see what is needed to support a healthy habitat for these important birds," she said. Currently, EAD is tracking a total of six flamingos tagged between 2005 and 2010, with the latest flamingo — Yasmeena — having successfully been tagged in late December 2010 in Al Wathba. Dr Salim Javed, Head of the Bird Conservation Programme and Manager, Biodiversity Assessment and Monitoring at EAD, said monitoring has helped them gather new information about the birds. Common visitor The Greater flamingo (Phoenicopterusroseus) is a species with a broad distribution range from the western Mediterranean Basin to Sri Lanka in the north, and South Africa in the south. It is the most common visitor to the UAE and can be observed all year round in lagoons, fresh and salt waters of artificial wetlands, even close to human settlements.