One of the leading global airlines' Emirates is doing its part to contribute towards environment conservation as it supports the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve in its effort to protect the unique environment of the region. The UAE based carrier has recently revealed how it supports the conservation reserve which is working towards restoring and preserving the fragile desert ecosystems. Lets’ take a look.
What is DDRC and Role of Emirates
The Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR) is a 225 sq. km conservation reserve established in 2002 which constitutes about 5% of Dubai's total land area and is the biggest piece of land which Dubai has dedicated to a single project. More than 560 different species as well as 31,000 find their home at DDCR. DDCR aims to protect and preserve the beautiful wildlife and resilient vegetation which make up the vibrant ecosystem of the UAE. Just for an instance, with the efforts of DDRC, about 29,000 trees at the reserve do not require irrigation to sustain.
The conservation process is not easy and Emirates has always been there for DDCR in making its mission achievable. Emirates has been providing funding over the years and continuing its efforts through an ongoing investment of over AED 28 million (USD $7.6 million). The funding not only allows for the preservation and protection of the country’s flora and fauna but also helps in raising awareness about the abundant natural beauty found in the UAE's terrestrial ecosystems.
There are multiple instances where the collaboration between DDCR and Emirates has resulted in species not only surviving but thriving. For example, DDCR currently has over 1,300 Sand gazelles, Arabian gazelles, and Arabian Oryx, which started from a little over 200 in number but have steadily grown through DDCR's reintroduction and breeding program. Moreover, the reserve at the time of its establishment was home to 150 species which has now grown to a significant 560 species of plants and trees, birds, mammals, reptiles, and arthropods, all thanks to the conservation efforts.
