The Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi’s (EAD) recent Bu Tinah initiative launched to raise awareness on the UAE’s biodiversity - the ’Bu Tinah Experience’ - will focus on rehabilitating live turtles throughout the duration of the exhibition.

The ’Bu Tinah Experience’, which is the large white dome on the Abu Dhabi Corniche, features a lagoon with live endangered turtles from UAE waters and a mangrove nursery. The turtles are part of a rehabilitation initiative which aims to rescue injured animals and which are then released back into the areas they were found.

The turtle pool, which is 12.575m wide and 15.875m in length, has been designed especially for the dome and is completely safe for the turtles. Sand from Abu Dhabi waters has been brought in and placed at the bottom of the pool in order to emulate a natural habitat for the turtles. The pool water is being filtered using a safe water treatment process, and gravity is used to save energy wherever possible i.e. recycled seawater returns to the turtle pool by gravity.

EAD has also just revamped the ’Vote Bu Tinah’ website which is expected to lead to a final voting push before the N7W competition ends on November 11, 2011. In addition to the dome, the site, www.butinah.ae, will offer visitors an opportunity to learn more about the Island of Bu Tinah, its inhabitants and EAD’s efforts in conserving its fragile ecosystems.

The site boasts new images and video clips recently captured from Bu Tinah, and includes more activity on social media channels such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. These new features include: ’Facts and Figures’ about the species on Twitter, ’Bu Tinah Ranger Diaries’ on Facebook, ’Getting to Know the Experts’ on Facebook which sheds light on why we should protect Bu Tinah, and a brand new Bu Tinah film on YouTube.

EAD has introduced the ’Bu Tinah Experience’ to drive greater awareness on the importance of conserving the UAE’s biodiversity and to support the UAE’s bid for the island to become one of the New7Wonders (N7W) of Nature. The N7W competition will draw to a close on November 11, 2011, giving people only 43 days left to vote.

This unique dome will open to the public as of this Friday September 30 until Sunday November 13 2011. Entrance to the dome - open every day from 10am to 10pm - is free. It brings the beauty and splendor of the island to the nation, and will educate members of the public on the importance of conserving our biodiversity and how this impacts the overall preservation of our heritage. Great developments have been made in this field, and it is hoped that the entertaining, yet educational, dome will further encourage UAE residents to support the Vote Bu Tinah campaign.

Visitors will also have the chance to get up close and personal with some of EAD’s other marine conservation projects, as well as the conservation activities of Emirates Wildlife Society in association with the World Wildlife Fund (EWS-WWF).

At the dome, families will be able to learn all about the UAE’s unique coastal environment and natural heritage. A reduced-scale model of Bu Tinah Island featuring special effects will bring it to life for visitors.

Thabit Zahran Al Abdessalaam, Director of Biodiversity Management Sector at EAD, commented, "We created the ’Bu Tinah Experience’ to people the opportunity to see a small part of the natural haven that is Bu Tinah Island. It is our hope that this interactive experience will inspire and motivate UAE residents to support the Vote Bu Tinah campaign. At the very least, we hope that the campaign will have generated awareness about the importance of our natural heritage, inspiring and encouraging people to actively support its conservation."

He continues, "This campaign is more than just about a vote for a competition; this is about how voting for this island is voting for conservation and protection of our natural heritage. With only 43 days left to vote, we urge the community to take action and make a difference by voting online or by SMS."

Bu Tinah Island, located around 130 km west of Abu Dhabi, is a core area of the UNESCO-designated Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve-the first marine biosphere reserve in the region. The island is situated in the western region of Abu Dhabi Emirate and is closed to the public which has been a critical factor in protecting it from the negative impacts of development and human-related activities and allowing its biodiversity to flourish in peace. Bu Tinah is home to unique coral reefs, healthy mangroves, endangered Hawksbill turtles and dugongs, dolphins, Ospreys and Socotra cormorants, and is the only finalist from the Arabian Gulf.

People in the UAE can show their support for Bu Tinah by sending an SMS with the word ’BuTinah’ to 3888, as many times as they like.

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