UAE Gazelles

United Arab Emirates20 December 2006Draft

Many of the species that were once relatively common in the UAE are now considered to be endangered or threatened due to habitat degradation and destruction caused over grazing and loss of vegetation cover. It is a well know fact that there were once gazelles living in the UAE. Today, only captive populations exist in various institutions, zoos and private collections, but the total captive population status is unknown. To highlight some of the endangered species, Emirates Post, for the first time, has issued souvenir sheets with serial numbers, in addition to a set of special stamps in four denominations, in coordination with the environment agency, Abu Dhabi. Arabian tahr (Tahr) Hemitragus jayakari The medium-size Arabian tahr is endemic to the Hajar Mountains of the Sultanate of Oman and the UAE. It is listed by The World Conservation Union (IUCN) as endangered and is currently under extreme threat due to habitat loss and degradation. A small group of these species is bred in captivity on Abu Dhabi's Sir Bani Yas Island. Al Raheem (Arabian sand gazelle) Gazelle Subgutturosa marica Arabian sand gazelles are the second largest of the antelopes that are found in the UAE. Souvenir sheet: AED 15. Size: 40 x 34.64 mm, hexagonal, in sheets of 15 stamps.