Abu Dhabi fund passes $25m milestone in supporting endangered species – The National

Abu Dhabi fund passes $25m milestone in supporting endangered species – The National

The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund has now supported projects to the tune of $25 million, instigating the rediscovery of 1,678 species and sub species.This year alone, the fund has supported 183 conservation projects in about 65 countries, targeting some of the world’s most threatened species.One example is the Emirati leaf-toed gecko – Asaccus caudivolvulus – that was thought to be on the cusp of extinction.But an expedition revealed 52 of the critically-endangered geckos are still present on the UAE’s east coast despite heavy development in the area.In a project supported by the fund, the find was announced in September and raised hopes for the survival of the threatened species.Razan Al Mubarak, Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund managing director, told the Cop28 climate summit in Dubai that the fund had made a difference globally. Cop28 via Getty ImagesAt the time, Nicolas Heard, acting director general of the fund, said the rediscovery of a species thought to be extinct was a “a relief and a boost to anyone who loves nature and the web of biodiversity”.The gecko was among the 2,700 vital conservation projects backed globally by the fund since it was launched in 2008 by President Sheikh Mohamed,