The Environment Agency –Abu Dhabi(EAD) ,UAE was established in 1996 to preserve Abu Dhabi?s natural heritage and raise awareness on environmental issues. The agency is Abu Dhabi?s environmental regulator and advises the government on environmental policy. It works to create sustainable communities, and protect and conserve wildlife and natural resources. It also works to ensure integrated and sustainable water resources management, to ensure clean air and minimise climate change and its impacts.

Recently EAD initiated hi-tech programme to monitor the wildlife in the area of Jebel Hafeet. This programme has discovered unique species of insects on Jebel Hafeet, one of the two highest mountains in UAE, and in its surrounding Wadis.  The programme has successfully documented hundreds of species of animals, insects, birds, reptiles and plants — many of them endangered. They have recorded  unique species of insects such as the sand cockroach and minute moss beetle which may be species new to science. The insects have been found in the Wadi Tarabat — a Valley in the foothills of Jebel Hafeet.

The mountain is also home to the rare Persian horned viper. This snake is found only in the mountainous parts of the emirates and neighbouring Oman at an altitude of 600 metres and above. The main reptile species around Jebel Hafeet is Egyptian spiny-tailed lizard or Dhub. These lizards are common on the alluvial plains around the mountain and at the entrance of Wadi Tarabat. Other unique species  are the colourful Sinai rock agama and the fan-footed geckos.

Jebel Hafeet is a historically and archaeologically important area in the region. The EAD programme has discovered the hidden aspect of this majestic mountain and its Valleys, making it the most ecologically diverse and biologically rich area in the whole of the Arabian Peninsula.

The programme has recorded approximately 315 species of invertebrates like scorpions, camel spiders, centipedes, moths, butterflies, beetles, ants, bees and wasps.

Jebel Hafeet, which is also identified as an important bird area by the Birdlife International, has some important and unique types of birds. Species such as the hume?s wheatear and sand partridge  are more exclusive to this mountain habitat. Over the last several years, more than 120 different species of birds have been recorded from Jebel Hafeet area with almost 40 species breeding there.  The globally threatened Egyptian vultures also have a small population in this area.

As part of species specific conservation efforts, EAD has launched a special Egyptian Vulture Monitoring Programme to understand the dynamics of the bird?s numbers in the area and some aspects of its ecology. Future activities would include studying the movements and migration of the species using small solar powered satellite transmitters.

Jebel Hafeet also boasts diverse vegetation zones. Based on the collections and records during 2001- 2012, a total number of 177 vascular plants were identified from this area belonging to 144 genera and 53 families, she said.

The area has local endemics like the oriental cherry, locally known as qafas (Acridocarpus orientalis) which is considered as a near threatened species and the dwarf palm (Nanorrhops ritchieana) that is considered as vulnerable and Schweinfurthia imbricata which is enlisted as critically endangered in the UAE.

Proud to say that UAE?s tallest mountain is teeming with hundreds of species