Desert Vipers BioBlitz records 97 species

Biodiversity is in decline worldwide, including in the Middle East, and wildlife observations in the UAE have historically been limited. To help change this, Desert Vipers – a cricket franchise in the ILT20 league – teamed up with Nature Wave and students from Jebel Ali School for a 90-minute BioBlitz at their team hotel, JA The Resort. Split into groups, participants recorded species across three on-site locations using iNaturalist, competing to log the highest number.

JA The Resort, which uses treated wastewater to cultivate dozens of irrigated plant species and borders the sea, offers a mix of habitats ideal for wildlife. The BioBlitz aimed to better understand the biodiversity it supports. Over the course of the event, 97 species were identified through 310 observations, with participants enjoying both the discovery and a deeper connection to nature.