Marine species most endangered in Qatar
The majority of Qatar’s listed endangered species are marine ones. This is contrary to the global trend, wherein terrestrial species predominantly make up the endangered group, said the Doha-based environmental expert Dr Iain Macdonald.
Macdonald, of the Safety, Environment and Quality Department, QatarGas, said Qatar is home to at least 955 marine species. Of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has included 27 in its “Red List” of threatened species. The IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental network.
Among some of the more commonly known endangered species in Qatari waters are various species of sea turtle. Sharks are well represented on the endangered list.
In addition to marine pollution, land-based pollution has significant impact on marine biodiversity in Qatar. Qatar, along with its neighboring states, faces this issue due to the structure of the Gulf and the high number of coastal industries in the region.
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