Abu Dhabi: The Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD) and Zoological Society of London (ZSL) have partnered to collaborate on safeguarding initiatives for endangered species as well as critical marine and terrestrial habitats.
Both parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) consisting of a structured framework for cooperation on mutually agreed conservation initiatives that protect and restore important and threatened species, habitats, and ecosystems. Current initiatives include ZSL’s long-term partnership with EAD to restore endangered species in Chad, such as a scimitar-horned oryx reintroduction project, where ZSL actively monitors released animals in the Wadi Rime and Wadi Achime Game Reserve.
Both EAD and ZSL are dedicated to achieving meaningful and lasting conservation change through this partnership, driving tangible outcomes for habitats and species that can be sustained into the future. By formalizing our commitment to this shared vision, we are ready to significantly contribute to preserving our planet’s most precious and endangered resources.
Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General at EAD, shared.
EAD and ZSL will collaborate on a portfolio of projects aligned with their respective establishing laws and mandates, including promoting species recovery and restoring degraded ecosystems. This builds on the strategic partnership begun when EAD officially recognized ZSL as its first international partner for the newly launched Abu Dhabi Mangroves Initiative (ADMI) in 2022.
Dr. Andrew Terry, Director of Conservation and Policy at ZSL, commented that “as the impacts of climate change on threatened species and habitat intensify, the need for collective action at scale to protect them grows. Our partnership with EAD builds on successful initiatives to preserve the scimitar-horned oryx and Abu Dhabi mangroves and will create a robust framework for similar schemes in the future. Together, we will develop joint initiatives, drive forward the science of biodiversity recovery, and find innovative ways to tackle the mounting challenges facing the natural world.”