Wednesday, 27 June, 2012

The UOWD Amra Notun club members enjoyed a field trip led by the award-wining wildlife and nature conservationist, Dr Mohammad Ali Reza Khan on an invitation by the Bangladeshi cable television Channel I.The field trip focused on being an educational experience for the students starting from the Dubai Zoo, to the Bab al Shams desert, stopping at various points sheltering wildlife escaping the scorching heat, finally landing in Wadi Wurayha and then back to Dubai.Students saw a desert owl baby that Dr Khan had been tracking since it hatched, three honey buzzards on their migratory path, Arabian gazelles and oryx in the wild and camels. Dr Khan took the students through the Dubai Horse Endurance Tracks to Wildlife Preservation Center, protected by Dubai Municipality. "It takes a lot of money, resources, time and effort to protect the rare animals, birds and plants," commented Dr. Khan. "As the population grows and we take over the natural habitat of these beautiful animals, plants and birds, they need to be protected to survive."The trip's last stop Wadi Wurayah (under Fujairah Municipality's protection) is bordered by the Hajar Mountains, and the first mountainous wildlife protected area in the UAE. The group enjoyed the greenery and saw all sorts of wildlife from water bugs, to toads and fish, butterflies, dragon flies and a rare sighting of the deadly carpet viper.As part of the club's eco-friendly educational experience, the students also got their 'hands dirty' cleaning the various protected areas, particularly Wadi Wurayah, collecting over ten bags full of garbage."We had an amazing day!" said Nooren Khan, vice-president of Amra Notun. "We got to see and learn so much. It will always stay with us."