Translocation trial of spiny-tailed lizard or dhub in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Summary

The spiny-tailed lizard or dhub (Uromastyx aegyptia leptieni), a Vulnerable reptile protected under UAE federal law, is losing habitat to rapid urbanization in Dubai, where road and megaproject construction increasingly displaces its gravel-plain burrows. Researchers from the Wadi Al Safa Wildlife Centre and University College Cork ran a pilot translocation to evaluate burrow usage, movement and site fidelity ahead of future large-scale relocations from construction sites. In 2014 and 2015, 13 dhubs were fitted with radio transmitters and temperature/humidity data loggers; a small local trial moved three animals short distances, and in September 2014 two more (NAK 003 and NAK 004) were moved about 1 km and held in on-burrow pens for their first seven days, both later confirmed still resident in 2017. In October 2015, ten more dhubs were caught, veterinary-checked and tagged; five were returned to their capture burrows as controls and five were translocated 31 km to excavated abandoned burrows in suitable habitat. Of the five long-distance translocated animals, three died within 90 days, mostly from predation after failing to settle into a specific burrow, while two established successfully; among the five controls, four survived and one was likely predated. The project found strong homing instincts increased predation risk for translocated dhubs, but that holding animals in release-site pens for several days markedly improved establishment. It rates itself a failure given the mortality rate, though it concludes usable capture and translocation protocols are now in place for urgent relocations from development sites, even if contribution to the wider population remains unconfirmed.