SHARJAH, 25th August, 2023 (WAM) — The Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPPA) in Sharjah has confiscated 65 lizards of the Arabian Sand Skink (Scincus mitranus- Sandfish) in the Al Bataeh area near Khorfakkan road, to protect the wild environment and preserve its wealth from improper practices, aiming to provide optimal conditions for the breeding season.
This step aligns with EPAA's keenness to apply the highest standards pursued in environmental protection through a range of procedures and diverse programmes that raise societal awareness of the importance of preserving and protecting the environment.
Hana Saif Al Suwaidi, Chairperson of the EPAA, highlighted the global attention given to environmental preservation and biodiversity. Developed nations enact laws for environmental protection, a path followed by the UAE and Sharjah's Emirate under H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah guidance.
This emphasises the environment's value and the importance of measures like safeguarding the breeding seasons of animals and birds. These efforts aim to ensure sustainable life and biodiversity in wild areas, emphasising the need to avoid harmful activities in the desert environment.
Al Suwaidi explained that a sandfish is distinguished by its ability to dive into the sand and move with little effort, hence its name "Sandfish". It is generally abundant in dry, sandy deserts and dunes at altitudes less than 400 metres. It is widespread in the sands of the Arabian Peninsula, and essentially, its range extends from the farthest parts of the UAE to Oman, Yemen, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain.
The confiscation of 65 lizards of the sandfish species was carried out according to Clause 6 of the Executive Council of Sharjah's Resolution No. 39 of 2016, which stipulates the prohibition of reckless hunting or killing or harming wild creatures and destroying geological formations or areas that are habitats for animal, plant, or bird species or their proliferation in wild areas.