Rescued whale shark in Abu Dhabi returned to Arabian Gulf

  ABU DHABI – A whale shark that became trapped in a lagoon in Abu Dhabi has been rescued and returned to the open sea in the Arabian Gulf. The rescue mission was handled by the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD) and The National Aquarium (TNA). The 6-metre shark was noticed circling inside a man-made lagoon in the Al Bahiyah area. After close monitoring by EAD scientists, it was clear that the animal was trapped and unable to feed or to avoid unwanted human interactions. A team of divers used a soft plastic through-water transport bag developed specifically by The National Aquarium to capture the animal and transport it into the open sea. The first-of-its kind transport bag was able to move through water faster than the shark’s normal swimming speed. Jet ski operators from Abu Dhabi Marine Club towed the whale shark in the bag carefully for 20km out into the Arabian Gulf while the rescue team monitored its vital signs by staging divers along its path. Before release, a satellite tag provided by King Fahd University in Saudi Arabia was fitted. In the first five days after the release, the animal travelled 232km into the Arabian Gulf which is a good indication of a healthy shark. The whale shark is now being continuously tracked as it makes its way to join other whale sharks in the Arabian Gulf migration. The EAD called on the community to report injured wildlife or environmental emergencies, through the Abu Dhabi Government Contact Centre at 800555. ICA/Expat Media
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