Global biodiversity is in decline, including in the Middle East. Historically, there have been limited wildlife observations in the UAE, so this event aimed to boost the number of national recorded observations.
Desert Vipers – a cricket franchise playing in the ILT20 league in the UAE – undertook a BioBlitz at their team hotel, JA The Resort, with Nature Wave and students from Jebel Ali School. The event lasted 90 minutes, with groups recording species at three locations on-site at the hotel using iNaturalist, competing against each other to record the most species.
The hotel uses treated wastewater to create a stunning area for its guests, cultivating several dozen irrigated plant species. It is also situated next to the sea, meaning there are a range of different habitats, so this solution aimed to understand in greater detail how many species were being supported by the site.
In total, 97 species were recorded over 310 observations, and all parties involved had a superb time, learning more about nature and biodiversity.