Abu Dhabi: Two striped hyena cubs have been born on Sir Bani Yas Island following a breeding programme that is part of Abu Dhabi's Desert Islands Destination campaign.
The births, announced on Tuesday, are of particular significance to the UAE as the striped hyena is extinct in the UAE and is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as 'near threatened' worldwide.
IUCN is the official body who monitor the status of nature and wildlife across the world. These are the first hyenas to be born wild in the UAE for many years.
Phiri and Arnold, the parents of the cubs, were themselves raised by conservation staff in breeding centres and relocated to Sir Bani Yas Island in 2008 as part of a conservation programme after being taught to be self-sufficient in order to survive in the wild.
The hyenas released from the breeding centre roam freely in the 4,100-hectare Arabian Wildlife Park on Sir Bani Yas Island along with cheetahs and some 4,000 antelopes and gazelles.
Naming: Suggestions welcome
To help increases awareness of the plight of the hyenas, Desert Islands invites people from around the world to suggest names for the cubs via the island's website.
Desert Islands hopes that many people will log on to the wildlife blog, which is run by the conservation staff; www.desertislands.com and at the same time learn about the hyenas and other endangered animals on the island.
Both cubs are healthy and visitors to the island may soon be able to see them roaming around the Arabian Wildlife Park.
The striped hyena is the second largest hyena species after the spotted hyena and is smaller in stature than the brown hyena.
Hyenas are medium-sized animals with a pointed muzzle, long bushy black-and-white tails, pointed ears and five to nine vertical stripes on the flanks. The clearer black transverse and horizontal stripes are on the legs. Males weigh between 26 and 41 kilogrammes while females weigh between 26 and 40 kilogrammes.
