Notice Nature Initiative

There's no plan B.

They’re counting on you.

Climate change, biodiversity loss, plastic pollution, food, and water scarcity. The list goes on and on. In a world where the delicate balance of nature is under constant threat, Mashreq and Emirates Nature-WWF are proud to bring you Notice Nature – the UAE’s Biggest Community Climate and Nature Initiative to protect the UAE’s biodiversity. Notice Nature is a mass-scale citizen science movement for the purpose of evaluating the conservation status of key species to protect and safeguard the rich biodiversity in the UAE.

What are we doing?

This initiative is a milestone in the realm of biodiversity preservation. At its core, the collaboration aims to create an exclusive biodiversity mapping and ecosystem rehabilitation project. Through the deployment of both simple and advanced scientific techniques, we aim to collect critical data on the state of biodiversity within our nation. This data will allow us to understand how issues such as urbanisation, pollution, rising temperatures and more, affect both our flora and fauna species. The data shall also support in creating an extensive database and establishing baselines that shall help bring to life various monitoring and protection measures for our habitats and species.

How will we achieve this?

Our approach for the initiative is simple, yet unique and first-of-its-kind. The project aims at activating the largest citizen science community the UAE has ever seen.
Citizen Science The project shall bring together individuals, families, organisations, decision-makers, and future leaders of tomorrow to not just upskill themselves, but directly contribute via data collection and be involved in real credible citizen science engagement.
Advanced Scientific Mechanisms Alongside the community, we aim to deploy terrestrial conservation experts in the field to use advanced scientific tools and monitoring techniques to capture complex data, initiate and execute habitat protection measures that will help in rewilding different habitats across the country, enhancing the ecosystem for our species.

Flagship Species

The UAE is blessed with a remarkable diversity of species, and this partnership underscores the critical importance of preserving this unique natural heritage. And for the purpose of this project, we place special emphasis on the below species:
Arabian Caracal This wild cat is native to Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and India. It is widely distributed through the region and on the Arabian Peninsula. The caracal is a slender, moderately sized cat characterised by a robust build, a short face, long canine teeth, tufted ears, and long legs. Conservation Status This species has widespread distribution so as per IUCN Global Red List it is considered as Least Concern (LC). However, the elusive hunting cat is currently considered Threatened within the UAE.

Blanford’s Fox Blanford's fox also known as Vulpes cana are native to the Middle East and Central Asia. Blanford's fox is named after the English naturalist William Thomas Blanford, who described it in 1877. Blandford's foxes are small foxes with large ears and long, bushy tails with long, dark guard hairs. Conservation Status The UAE Local Red List assessment category for Blanford's fox is Critically Endangered (CR) while Global Red List status is Least Concern (LC).

Arabian Eagle Owl A large grey-brown owl with bright yellow eyes, large ear tufts, and finely barred underparts. The eagle owl family contains some of the largest owls in the world, however the Arabian eagle owl is one of the smallest of the family. Conservation Status This species has an extremely large range so as per IUCN Global Red List it is considered as Least Concern (LC). However, the majestic owl is currently considered Threatened within the UAE.

Arabian Tahr The Arabian Tahr has a very small geographic occurrence restricted to a very few locations in UAE affected by habitat loss and reduction of its quality, combined with a very small population in a continuing decline. Arabian tahr are smallest of the three tahr species with body length of 93 – 95 cm, with average weight of male ranges from 38 to 45 kg while female weights from 17 to 20 kg. Conservation Status The UAE Local Red List assessment category for Arabian Tahr is Critically Endangered (CR) while Global Red List Assessment is Endangered (EN).

How can you contribute?

There’s more than one way in which you can lead the change with us.
Stay aware Join the Notice Nature's launch workshop to enhance your knowledge about the UAE’s biodiversity, the key species and Notice Nature. Also learn on how you can be part of this community movement and help protect UAE’ biodiversity. Stay tuned to know more.
Get on the field Join us on field trip as an individual, family, or organisation as we head to stunning locations across the UAE to capture data on the UAE’s majestic flora and fauna species. Sign up now
This partnership is not just another initiative, but it's a transformation. Together with Mashreq and Emirates Nature-WWF, you can make a meaningful impact on urban biodiversity and climate change adaptation. Join us today and be part of a green, sustainable future. Notice Nature is part of Mashreq's larger vision and commitment towards sustainable future. Know more about Climb2Change

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