eNewsletter October 2010
In this issue
This month at Desert Islands we celebrate the second year of operation with a number of exciting, new facilities and tourism experiences. The past year has seen huge success for the islands, conservation, rehabilitation programs and for the Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara which was recognized with a number of awards. Guests returning to the island will notice the new changes and fun new activities, allowing them to further enjoy this unique environment.
Protecting the Vulnerable
This year Desert Islands was proud to announce the birth of cheetah and Striped Hyena cubs following a successful breeding programme on Sir Bani Yas Island.
This breeding program was especially exciting because the parent animals were raised in captivity but have been taught how to survive in the wild and be self sufficient. After undergoing a rewilding programme to learn these skills, they were then set free in the Arabian Wildlife Park.
The cubs were discovered after Aimee Cokayne, Desert Islands Research and Conservation Officer, noticed the female animals were being more secretive.
The adorable cubs have charmed staff and visitors alike with their playful antics as they learn new hunting skills by chasing each other and playing hide and seek games. A second litter of Striped Hyena were born 3 months ago and the father and the cubs from the first litter have been seen visiting the new cubs in the den to familiarize them with their scents so they can identify them as family in the future.
Having Striped Hyenas and cheetahs breed on Sir Bani Yas Island is a tremendous accomplishment and one that the Desert Islands team is very proud of. The cheetah is classified as ‘Extinct’ in the UAE and also classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as ‘Near Threatened’ worldwide, and the Striped Hyena is regionally vulnerable.
A Year of Success
The Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara celebrates its 2nd anniversary this year, having hosted 30,000 guests since opening in October 2008.
The resort has proven to be extremely popular among both international and local guests, with 47 different nationalities having visited the resort in the past two years, in particular those of Emirati, British, German, Indian and American origin.
Of these guests, 27,536 partook in guided activities such as kayaking, nature & wildlife walks or drives, snorkelling and mountain bike riding. New activities such as yoga, Thai massage classes, shisha-making classes, Arabic cooking classes, arts and crafts, dance classes and yoga for kids have also been extremely popular, with 7,053 spa treatments having been performed to date.
2010 started with the appointment of new General Manager, Mr. John Rogers who has had extensive experience in managing high-end resorts in a variety of locations throughout his career. It has been exciting times for Mr. Rogers, arriving as the resort acquires some great awards.
The resort was named among the world’s greatest hotels on the ‘Condé Nast Traveller’s 2010 Gold List’ and voted ‘Best Weekend Break’ at the ‘Best in Abu Dhabi 2010’ awards ceremony.
The seafood restaurant, Samak has served 8,200kgs of seafood since opening and Executive Chef Anthony Galo, previously shortlisted in the final five for ‘Chef of the Year’ at the Middle East Hotelier Awards, was awarded the Minor Group Award of Excellence in recognition for his outstanding performance throughout 2009.
The resort has also hosted a range of prestigious and high-end events including 200 guests at the launch of the National Geographic Arabic Channel in October 2009 and 120 guests for a Mubadala event in April 2010.
Charging Toward a Sustainable Future
Putting the environment first is one of Desert Islands’ mantras, which is why Sir Bani Yas Island was very proud to receive the world’s first zero-emission all-electric buses.
The buses were custom made and shipped from the USA to the Island where they are being used to transport guests. Extremely aerodynamic and sleek in appearance, their seamless windows offer the perfect viewing opportunity for passengers.
Designed specifically to suit the Middle East’s climatic conditions, the technologically advanced, environmentally friendly vehicles offer the perfect transport method, namely for their low noise, vibration and maintenance costs and their zero carbon emissions.
The buses use a system called regenerative braking which actually uses the momentum of braking to generate electricity, therefore further reducing the carbon footprint for this tourism development.
This is a testament to TDIC’s mandate to adopt local and international environmental guidelines across all of its projects such as the Desert Islands. The development is proud to be world pioneers in such highly regarded environmental initiatives that are taking place in Abu Dhabi.
Desert Islands is a shining example of creating a unique destination which embraces the rich history and heritage of the UAE while protecting and conserving the natural environment of the island and its inhabitants.
Protecting a Fragile Ecosystem
The Desert Islands Horticulture and Agriculture Team has made it their ultimate goal to protect the delicate and unique environment by establishing a special forestation plan.
Sir Bani Yas Island’s forestation strategy includes the removal of invasive trees, replanting of any tree removed through development, nurturing native species and planting the most efficient species for the desert climate. Plants need to be hardy to withstand browsing by animals, and to also withstand the extreme heat and highly saline soils found on the island.”
To prevent the spread of invasive trees, the team removes around 80 Mesquite trees per day. Native to Mexico, the Mesquite is a nuisance on Sir Bani Yas Island; it grows in any soil conditions, needs very little water to survive and competes with indigenous trees for the available water on the island. Once removed the Mesquite trees are shredded and sent to composting sites. The compost soil is sterilised in the sun with temperatures of above 70°C generated during the composting process, this ensures that the seeds are also destroyed.
The pastures on Sir Bani Yas Island are being enhanced with many species which have assisted in generating biodiversity on the island. These pastures have become the favoured habitat of a large number of bird and insect species. The Grey Crowned Cranes can be spotted foraging every morning amongst the grass.
Giraffes Living the High Life.
Sir Bani Yas Island’s giraffes are enjoying a new habitat which has been designed to offer them maximum comfort, while allowing a thrilling viewing experience for guests.
There are almost 50 Reticulated Giraffes in the giraffe habitat. Located in the south of the Island next to the palace, they were one of Sheikh Zayed’s favourite animals. These graceful creatures have thrived, resulting in four giraffe births this year.
The new habitat focuses on the comfort and enjoyment of the giraffes and features a water hole, shade house and plenty of their favourite trees for them to feast on. Guests can get up close and personal with these amazing animals thanks to a new viewing platform.
This platform allows guests to get the ultimate picture, while giving the giraffes the space they deserve. The giraffe viewing house has been built solely of recycled materials; the poles were made from old fencing posts, the roofing from barasti screens, the ropes were leftovers from another development and the floorboards were salvaged from the hotel when it was renovated. It’s a peaceful place, best visited at sunset for a unique perspective of these docile animals.