Bulletin 37 - March 1989: From the local press

From the Local Press

Gordon's Wildcat

Three pairs, captive - bred in Dubai by Marijcke Jongbloed, have been sent to zoos in West and East Germany during 1988 in order to establish nuclei for captive - breeding programmes in Europe. These, plus other pairs and young with MJ and in Dubai Zoo, are the only ones know in captivity. In mid-December, Marijcke's female was pregnant again, but new blood for the stock is urgently needed to avoid inbreeding. (Emirates News, 8/11/88)

Arabian Leopard

April 1988? Family of 4 said to have been trapped on Jebel Haqah overlooking Wadi Bih. Three shot, one escaped. No other reports during the year. (Khaleej Times, 9/6/88)

(On December 19th, I was informed by a local resident of Wadi Asimah in the Hajjar Mountains (Ras al Khaimah Emirates) that none had been locally for several years, though he knew of their continued existence in the higher mountains nearer Wadi Bih.)

Leopard, lynx, Hyena etc.

The following is reprinted from the Gulf News of 29/9/88. (For 'Bedouins' read Shihuh, for 'tiger' read leopard. The language of the report is otherwise unchanged.)

'Wild Animal Attacks Prevalent in RAK'

From our correspondent

Ras al Khaimah: The eastern mountains in the emirate still remain a safe haven for wild animals, which constitute a danger to domesticated animals like goats, sheep and birds.

However efforts are on to kill the meat-eaters, and Bedouins of Brairat, Shimal, Sha'am and Ghalilah have devised means to kill such dangerous animals including the use of hawks, poison and traps.

Wild animal hunters of the emirate include sheban Mohamed Ali Habsi, 53, and Rashid Mohamed bin Rashid.

Sheban told Gulf News that the had killed a tiger, a hyena, five Iynxes, 26 deer and tens of foxes near Wadi Bih dam, while Rashid has killed a tiger and two deer in just one day last year.

Tigers are being traded in. Rashid said he had sold a tiger last month for Dh 3,000.

The most recent Iynx hunting, or as it is locally called harma, took place last month by Mohammed Ali Humoud, living in the Rashid residential area of Ras al Khaimah. He says tigers and wolfs are rare, but hyenas and foxes are extensively found. Sheban, known for bravery in the area, has been assigned the duty of transporting students from the mountains to a nearby school by a Land Rover for more than ten years now.