Even as a child, I loved nature, adventure and discovering things. I was born in Damascus, Syria, but we moved to the UAE (it was then called the Trucial States) in 1964 when I was three.
Some of my fond memories are of studying at Al Ahmadiya School, one of the earliest schools in Dubai. We later moved to Abu Dhabi. The late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan used to visit our school often. He would gather all the pupils and sit and talk with us like a father, teacher and mentor; advising us on the importance of education and its role in building the country.
I used to spend a lot of time with the Bedouins during my school holidays. We used to go to the mountains of Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah, and often camp in the wadis for days. Every day we used to see herds of gazelles, Arabian tahr, wolves, hyenas... Sadly today most of these animals are almost extinct around these parts.
I still remember the first time my father, some of his friends and I visited Liwa oasis in the Seventies. We drove a Land Rover pick-up from Abu Dhabi to Madinat Zayed. It was a two-day drive through salt flats (sabkhas) and amazing sand dunes.
Another incident that is still etched in my memory occurred when I was around 12. I persuaded my cousin to explore a huge cave in the mountains of Syria, while we were on vacation. We sneaked out from home early in the morning and entered the cave. We were surprised to find that there was a lake inside and nearly drowned in it. We also encountered lots of bats and snakes in the cave.
After completing my schooling in Abu Dhabi, I moved to the US to study business and marketing at the University of Colorado. Because I like mountain climbing, I also decided to hone my skills and did a basic mountain climbing course in the US. I climbed a lot of mountains in Colorado and did rock, snow, ice and frozen water falls climbing.
I came back to the UAE in 1981 to take up my first job in a chemical marketing company. However, my passion was wildlife and the outdoors. In the late 1980s a friend introduced me to Dr Marijcke Jongbloed, a well-known environmentalist who was based in the UAE at the time, as he felt we had similar interests in nature and wildlife conservation. I was keen to do more in the area of environment and in 1993, Dr Jongbloed and I set up the Arabian Leopard Trust, a charity mainly run by volunteers. Our primary aim was to protect and conserve the wildlife in the country, mainly the majestic leopard. We chose the leopard because it is on top of the food chain and is facing extinction. We did a lot of work in that area. Six years later, we had to close down the trust due to insufficient funding.
In 2006, EWS-WWF commissioned me to do a social and mammal survey in Wadi Wurayah and spread awareness about its eco system. I was so excited to be working with something that I was passionate about. I conducted a survey and submitted the findings to the authorities. Soon a Decree was passed declaring the Wadi to be a protected area, (the first officially protected mountain area in the UAE). I'm still involved in Wadi Wurayah project. At present, I'm leading the Blue Flag project for the EWS-WWF, which is an eco label for beaches and marinas.
My wife Saeda and son Felix, 17, share my passion for the environment. I hope one day to open my own nursery, which will focus on environmental conservation and awareness. Children are the leaders of tomorrow and they've got to know ground rules about Mother Earth.
I worked in the field of conservation and environment in this country for several years. When I look back at the level of awareness people had about the environment when I started and the condition at present, I can see a huge improvement. Change is not easy and will not happen overnight. It may take a long time, even a generation, but every step counts.
Quick Questions
Do you share a special bond with animals?
Yes, with leopards. I tracked them for more than 15 years in the UAE and Musandam. I saw a wild leopard north of Ras Al Khaimah. In South Africa, I was attacked by one. I still have the marks on my leg. I always say ‘this is my certificate for my work with a leopard'. It attacked me because I was in its territory... I was the invader.
The major achievements of EWS-WWF?
Naming Wadi Wurayah as the first official protected mountain area in the country and the fact that we have mapped all coral reefs in Abu Dhabi and Qatar.
One eco suggestion?
Think twice before over consumption. We can save resources like food, water and electricity if we do so.
Zenifer Khaleel is an Abu Dhabi-based freelancer
