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climate change on UAE - Stockholm Environment Institute-US Center

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include the urban development and industrial<br />

infrastructure which have directly or indirectly<br />

impacted the natural ecological habitat.<br />

Other expected threats identified include<br />

disease transmissi<strong>on</strong> such as Avian Influenza<br />

by other wild migratory birds of introduced<br />

species (IUCN, 2004) and the shooting or<br />

hunting of birds with certain predators<br />

species such as eagles and falc<strong>on</strong>s, including<br />

the important Sooty Falc<strong>on</strong>, are particularly<br />

vulnerable to such practices. Climate <str<strong>on</strong>g>change</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

has been menti<strong>on</strong>ed am<strong>on</strong>g the factors that<br />

could potentially impact the presence and<br />

distributi<strong>on</strong> of birds and their habitats.<br />

6.3. Mammals<br />

The most comm<strong>on</strong> fauna in Abu Dhabi are<br />

camels and goats. Several species of animals<br />

have suffered extincti<strong>on</strong> in the desert over<br />

the last decades. These include the wolf, oryx,<br />

striped hyaena and jackal. Two species of gazelle<br />

survive in Abu Dhabi – the sand and mountain<br />

gazelle. Some of the nocturnal species are found<br />

in the Western regi<strong>on</strong> of the Abu Dhabi such as<br />

the sand cat, Rueppell’s fox, cape hare and even<br />

the jerboa and several species of the hedgehog.<br />

6.4 . Reptiles<br />

Reptiles are widely known in deserts. They<br />

are dominated by the lizards, amphisbaenids<br />

and snakes. There is also a new record<br />

of the Golden Skink (Mabuya aurata<br />

septemtaeniata) which is a new record for the<br />

<strong>UAE</strong> and was discovered <strong>on</strong> Jernain Island in<br />

2004 (Soorae, 2005).<br />

Impacts, Vulnerability & Adaptati<strong>on</strong> for<br />

Dryland Ecosystems in Abu Dhabi<br />

157

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