Today's Edition
ISIDORA CIRIC (ABU DHABI)
In the search for cuttlefish along Abu Dhabi's shores, the most valuable tool isn't a high-tech underwater sensor — it's a curious beachgoer with a smartphone.
At the IUCN World Conservation Congress, the Yas SeaWorld Research and Rescue Centre (YSWRRC) is inviting the public to help with tracking cuttlefish, an elusive marine species that is difficult to monitor through conventional research methods.
"This initiative is very exciting. We actually launched it one year ago, but we are really trying to make it more popular and raise awareness," Dr. Elise Marquis, Director of the Yas SeaWorld Research and Rescue Centre, told Aletihad on the sidelines of the congress.
The cuttlefish initiative encourages anyone exploring local beaches or diving in Gulf waters to report cuttlebones or live sightings through an online form accessible by QR code.
By opening the project to residents and visitors alike, the team hopes to fill in knowledge gaps about the behaviour, range and population dynamics of cuttlefish in the Arabian Gulf.
"It's very difficult to study this species, so we need the help of people - anyone who goes to the sea or the beach - to report sightings," Dr. Marquis said.
The call for citizen participation doesn't end there. Alongside the cuttlefish drive, the team is also launching the One Ocean 2025 photo contest, which Dr. Marquis said was designed to build appreciation for the marine world through visual storytelling. Selected images would be featured in a year-long exhibition at the centre and included in a commemorative calendar.
Congress participants can also get a rare glimpse into the centre's behind-the-scenes work, including its rescue operations. While sea turtles often take the spotlight, Dr. Marquis said the team is keen to highlight a lesser-known resident of the Gulf, the sea snake, through a pavilion zone dedicated to this mysterious creature.
"Obviously, yes, we do rescue sea turtles a lot. But I'm guessing most people don't know that we also rescue sea snakes. Sea snakes are very important in the Gulf. We have a lot of different species inhabiting the Gulf or passing by, and they also need help sometimes," she explained.
While IUCN week is a moment to recruit new eyes on the water, it is also a checkpoint for long-running science. And, the centre's environmental ambitions, much like the UAE's, stretch beyond the country's borders. Dr. Marquis pointed to an ongoing regional study on the genetic population of seagrass, which plays an important role in biodiversity, carbon capture and shoreline stability.
"This is something that will really have a lasting impact on the knowledge we have of seagrass ecosystems and how to protect them in the future, on the entire Arabian Peninsula," she added.
The centre is also expanding its long-term educational footprint through an internship programme that draws students from universities across the UAE, exposing them to fieldwork, lab research and real-world marine rescue cases.
"We are very proud of our internship programme. This is another thing we really hope will have a lasting effect because we're training the next generation of scientists right here at the centre," Dr. Marquis said.
SeaWorld Gets Global Accreditation
Recognition from global peers arrived in Abu Dhabi this week as well. Rob Yordi, General Curator at SeaWorld Yas Island, told Aletihad that both the park and the rescue centre have been accredited by the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).
The process required prior accreditation by the regional body, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, followed by a comprehensive WAZA review of conservation, education, animal welfare, wildlife research and rescue standards.
"This was an initial goal when we started the design of SeaWorld Abu Dhabi and the SeaWorld Research and Rescue Centre nine and a half years ago, to be part of WAZA. It's a very exhausting process," he said, describing the achievement as a hard-won milestone for the centre and teams that run its facilities day to day.
As the congress wraps up, the team is focused on keeping the momentum going beyond the event: build local knowledge with the help of the public; turn that knowledge into better rescue and planning; give students routes into the work so the effort grows year by year; and encourage more appreciation for the natural world.
"What I want to say to every citizen and resident of the UAE is to spend more time outside and take the time to appreciate what's around you. We are lucky to live in such a diverse environment with incredible wildlife. Everything is absolutely amazing, and we should take the time to appreciate it," Dr. Marquis added.
