Wildlife Protection in Bahrain: An Overview

Wildlife maintains ecological balance of nature, food chain and nature cycles and plays an important role in the environment and for human progress through availability of large gene pool for the scientists to carry research and breeding programs in agriculture, animal husbandry and fishery. The World Conservation Union estimates that there are more than 16,000 wildlife species that are currently threatened with extinction. In the last 500 years, 820 species have become extinct as a result of human activity.

Al-Areen Wildlife Park in the only protected area on land in Bahrain, and is spread over 400 hectares

Bahrain has very limited wildlife population, and its conservation is of great importance. Al Areen Wildlife Park located in Sakhir is a nature reserve and zoo. The park is one of the five protected areas in the Kingdom. The reserve is house to 100,000 planted flora and more than 90 species of birds and 50 species of animals. The inmates include extinct species including the wild Arabian Oryx, Persian Gazelle, Chapman’s Zebra, the rare Addax and many other exotic birds.

Unfortunately, many people try intimidating animals or birds for the sake of pleasure and time passing often with bad intentions and having no respect for wildlife. Usually children do mischievous activities of throwing stones and litter on animals to get their attention or throwing eatables thinking that these poor creatures will eat. It is a very cruel example of unfriendly action towards beautiful creatures that provide us with recreation and happiness.

We need to realize that we are bound with all other forms of life in one gigantic ecosystem and have to improve our attitude and way of thinking about other creatures on earth. We need to understand that animals and birds are also creatures like us and have full right to live in harmony with the human beings. We need to be careful in our acts of dealing with them and taking care of their wellbeing.

We being the dominant creatures on this planet need to create more awareness about animals and birds and school children are to be trained in how we deal with them and care about their welfare. At park and other recreation areas, we need to stop other people harming the birds who do it just as a random sport or activity.

It is suggested that NGOs need to engage volunteers to support and assist the staff at wildlife parks and to create awareness amongst the people how and what contribution animals and birds are providing and how we need to take care of them.

Wildlife conservation is imperative if we are to become stewards of the earth, and to create a truly sustainable future for ourselves and for the generations to come.