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Qatar has launched an aggressive campaign to save its rawdas — fragile natural depressions that serve as lifelines for desert wildlife — fencing off more than 70 sites and planting thousands of native trees as human encroachment threatens to destroy one of the country's most vital ecosystems.  The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change warns the rawdas face mounting pressure from off-road vehicles, illegal camping, overgrazing and urban sprawl, particularly during the popular camping season when violators crush vegetation, dump plastic waste and light fires directly on desert soil. "These are among the most sensitive ecosystems in the country," said Khalid Juma al-Muhannadi, Director of Wildlife Development at the ministry.  He described the rawdas as strategic environmental assets that act as natural water reservoirs, wildlife habitats and seasonal vegetation centers essential to maintaining ecological balance. The ministry has adopted an integrated approach combining regulation, monitoring, rehabilitation and public awareness to protect these critical sites.  Authorities have identified approximately 1,500 rawdas nationwide and created a comprehensive geographic database containing detailed environmental information on each site to support planning and decision-making. Advanced monitoring technology including geographic information systems, aerial imagery and drones enables officials to track environmental changes and detect violations in real time across the vast desert landscape.  Rehabilitation teams planted more than 14,600 native seedlings during 2025, including sidr, samar, ghaf and acacia species. Seeds are collected from their original habitats and preserved in the national gene bank to protect genetic diversity and ensure the survival of indigenous plant species adapted to Qatar's harsh desert conditions.  The government extended restrictions on camel grazing and regulated sheep and goat grazing for an additional two years to allow vegetation to recover. Inspection campaigns intensified across desert areas, with environmental officers working alongside the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) to document violations and refer offenders for prosecution.  Salim Qadri al-Yami, Assistant Director of the Terrestrial Protection Department, said his team deploys environmental inspectors year-round across rawdas and desert areas to monitor harmful practices.  The most common offenses include overgrazing that degrades vegetation and accelerates soil erosion, lighting fires directly on the ground, off-road driving that crushes plants and scars the landscape, littering especially plastic waste, setting up camps in unauthorised locations and cutting plants for firewood. "During peak seasons, environmental violations are formally recorded and offenders are referred for legal action," al-Yami said, warning that plastic pollution poses serious risks to both environment and human health.  Nawaf Jabr al-Nuaimi, Assistant Director of the Natural Reserves Department, emphasised that protected areas play a vital role in conserving Qatar's plant and animal biodiversity. He said natural reserves serve as an effective tool for environmental protection, supported by regulatory legislation, restrictions on harmful human activities and afforestation initiatives alongside continuous monitoring and community participation through conservation projects. Al-Muhannadi stressed the importance of community involvement, urging residents to follow environmental guidelines, report violations and participate in volunteer programs.  Future plans include expanding fencing and rehabilitation projects, launching national initiatives to plant native vegetation and increasing public awareness through digital platforms. "These efforts reflect Qatar's commitment to protecting its natural heritage and conserving biodiversity in line with national and international environmental obligations," he said. The conservation push aligns with Qatar National Vision 2030 goals to safeguard biodiversity and ensure environmental sustainability for future generations.

In the sun-scorched lands bordering Zimbabwe's largest wildlife sanctuary, Takesure Moyo pedals through his village each morning on a mission to help his community coexist with the elephants and predators that roam nearby.The 49-year-old is among several locals trained as community monitors under an initiative by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and Zimbabwe's National Parks and Wildlife Authority (Zimparks).Equipped with a mobile phone, he uses an app to log sightings, spoor and incidents — data that enables authorities to respond swiftly and issue alerts to prevent potential confrontation with dangerous animals, including ones straying from the nearby Hwange National Park."We have always lived with wild animals around us, but our responses to human-wildlife conflict were rather individual and unco-ordinated," said Moyo, speaking in vernacular Ndebele."The initiative has helped the community become more knowledgeable about animal behaviour and ultimately minimise conflict."Wild animals have killed around 300 people in Zimbabwe over the past five years, according to Zimparks, with crops and livestock also suffering heavy losses. Nearly 70% of reported incidents occur in communities bordering national parks such as Hwange, it says.A few years ago, Moyo lost six cattle to lions. It prompted him to become involved in the project to protect his community.Equipped with a bicycle provided by IFAW, he patrols the area around his village daily, sending updates to Zimparks with a focus on "problem animals" like elephants and lions.His input complements data received by satellite from GPS collars fitted to 16 elephants in the area, both feeding a mobile application called EarthRanger that allows real-time monitoring and rapid response.Zimbabwe is home to nearly 100,000 elephants, the world's second-largest population of savannah elephants after neighbouring Botswana, according to a 2022 aerial survey conducted under the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area."During the dry season, elephants sometimes come for water at the nearby dam, which is the source of water for our communal gardens," Moyo said. "And during the cropping season, they can come to eat our crops."The EarthRanger app — used in 80 countries, according to its developers — is "highly effective," Zimparks acting public relations manager, Tamirirashe Mudzingwa, told AFP.As a live early warning system, it gives communities time to protect themselves, their livestock and property from approaching wildlife, he said.A separate project collects data from collars fitted to some elephants that have been rescued, rehabilitated and reintroduced to free-roaming herds by the Wild Is Life organisation.At a monitoring centre, technical officer Simbarashe Mupanhwa pointed to multi-coloured lines on his computer screen that tracked the movements of Samson, a seven-year-old elephant back in the bush after being saved when he was abandoned at birth."Other than helping monitor the elephants' movements, the application is also able to track the organisation's rangers and vehicles, helping ensure that if there are any incidents of poaching, reaction is as swift as possible," Mupanhwa said.The satellite telemetry "offers critical spatial insights into habitat use, movement patterns, and the identification of frequently utilised areas, including ecological corridors and dispersal zones," said Phillip Kuvawoga, IFAW's conservation senior director.Community-based conservation has become a common ground for IFAW and Zimparks, which have different philosophies over Zimbabwe's ballooning elephant population.The government argues the country cannot sustain so many of the animals and has lobbied for the lifting of a global ban on the trade in tusks, saying its ivory stockpile is worth millions of dollars that could be used to bolster ranger welfare and conservation.Zimparks, a government agency, supports "consumptive tourism" such as safari hunting, including of elephants, while IFAW promotes photographic safaris."The collaboration embodies a pragmatic agreement: conservation efforts must be inclusive, science-based, and adaptable," said Alleta Nyahuye, country director of IFAW, which flags as its mission the ideal of "helping animals and people to thrive together".In villages like Moyo's, the impact is tangible."It's not just about protecting animals," Moyo said. "It's about protecting our way of life, too." 

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani’s official visit to Rwanda offered one of the most quietly meaningful diplomatic moments of the year.A single image circulated widely: HH the Amir walking through the Rwandan wilderness with a camera in hand, observing wildlife with calm curiosity. It showed a leader close to people, grounded, and genuinely engaged with the world around him and it subtly reflected the kind of diplomacy Qatar increasingly represents.Rwanda’s progress over the past three decades is one of the most remarkable transformations on the African continent. From unimaginable tragedy, the country has built stability, economic growth, reconciliation, and a governance model now studied internationally.In many ways, Rwanda’s emphasis on planning, unity and long-term development mirrors the values that also guide Qatar’s own national trajectory, making the partnership between Doha and Kigali both natural and strategic. Qatar’s role in facilitating dialogue between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo further illustrates the country’s approach to foreign policy: patient, steady, respectful, and focused on lowering tensions rather than raising them.It is a diplomacy that stands out precisely because it avoids spectacle. His Highness the Amir’s visit also gains significance in the context of his broader regional outreach, including his stop in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and his participation in the G20 Summit in South Africa. Qatar and South Africa share positions on several global issues, particularly the Palestinian question, where Pretoria’s principled stance has drawn international attention.This alignment adds weight to Qatar’s growing partnerships across the continent. Taken together, these developments outline a clear direction: a foreign policy that moves fluidly between people, nature and high-level diplomacy, and a leadership style built on calm confidence and genuine respect.That photograph from the Rwandan forest was more than a striking moment; it captured the essence of a political philosophy that seeks peace through understanding and progress through partnership.

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC), represented by the Wildlife Protection Department, carried out a clean-up and rehabilitation campaign of Rawdat Al Waseeta in Al Shamal, part of a national project to fence and rehabilitate Qatar’s wild fields. Carried out in co-operation with Qatar Insurance Company (QIC), the rehabilitation effort saw the participation of representatives from official entities, volunteers, and environmental workers, with 15 students from the Children’s Literature Center taking part in planting native trees and desert plants, in addition to 300 seedlings of local species such as the Qatari Al Ghaf Tree, which help stabilise soil and preserve biodiversity in desert environments. In this context, Assistant Director of the Wildlife Development Department at MoECC Dr Dhafi Heedan said that this initiative forms part of an integrated set of projects implemented by MoECC to protect terrestrial ecosystems and develop the country’s vegetation cover in cooperation with private-sector partners. **media[383109]** He said that rawdat areas are some of Qatar’s most important ecosystems, providing natural habitats for plant and animal species, adding that fencing is a key step done before conducting environmental rehabilitation. For his part, Group Chief Administrative Officer of QIC Group Rashid al-Buainain affirmed that the partnership with MoECC reflects a strategic commitment to supporting national environmental protection projects and conserving natural resources. **media[383110]** He said that rehabilitating rawdat areas is not merely an environmental activity but a long-term investment in Qatar’s environmental future, adding that QIC remains committed to continued cooperation in similar initiatives. At the conclusion of the event, participants, volunteers, and supporting organisations were honoured in recognition of their efforts, with an emphasis on continued collaboration between MoECC and private-sector institutions through sustainable environmental development initiatives, in alignment with the Qatar National Vision 2030.

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change’s Wildlife Protection Department in co-operation with the Environmental Security Unit of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) has carried out an extensive inspection campaign in the southern regions of the country aimed at reducing environmental violations regarding the use of bird-attracting devices.The campaign resulted in the seizure of around 474 bird-attracting devices (sound lures), and the necessary legal measures were taken in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations in this regard. The ministry stressed the importance of adhering to environmental laws and regulations and refraining from using methods that harm wildlife and biodiversity. It also noted that the campaign is ongoing as part of its efforts to protect Qatar’s environment and preserve its natural components.

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has announced the issuance of Ministerial Decision No 26 of 2025 regarding the regulation of the hunting season for birds and wildlife.The decision sets the conditions and controls for practicing hunting, as part of the Ministry’s efforts to protect biodiversity and ensure the sustainability of wildlife in the country. Under the decision, the migratory bird (Al-Laffo) hunting season begins on September 1 and continues until February 15 of each year, for a period of two years from the date it comes into effect.The decision stipulates that hunting the houbara bustard is only permitted using falcons, while the use or trade of non-traditional hunting tools and means is strictly prohibited, particularly electronic devices that emit bird-like sounds (calling devices).The decision also stressed the necessity of avoiding causing harm to bird eggs or nests, and refraining from damaging wild plants. Hunting is allowed only from sunrise to sunset. The sale, trade, or circulation of hunted birds is prohibited. Further, hunting is banned in the certain locations that include: within nature reserves, islands, artificial lakes, inside cities and villages, public parks, within 500 meters of public roads, and on private properties and farms unless the owners and right-holders have granted permission for this.The decision included a list of species permitted to be hunted during the two-year period (2025–2026), including: houbara bustard, stone curlew, mallard (wild duck), blue rock thrush, song thrush, common chiffchaff, greater hoopoe lark, desert wheatear, Isabelline wheatear, and northern wheatear.Besides, Article Three of the decision prohibits the hunting or possession of any local and resident wildlife species, as well as other migratory species, across all parts of Qatar throughout the year, for two years from the date the decision takes effect. These species include: hare, ostrich, gazelle, honey badger, jerboa, hedgehog, shrike, crested lark, warbler, Swinhoe's White-eye (Zosterops simplex), red-tailed wheatear, cream-colored courser, spiny-tailed lizard (dhub), and monitor lizard.Accordingly, the Ministry stressed that any violation of this decision will subject the offender to the penalties stipulated in Law No 4 of 2002 Promulgating the Law of the Environment Protection. The Ministry urged all to abide by the standard regulations and guidelines to safeguard wildlife and preserve natural resources for future generations.

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change's Department of Wildlife Protection has carried out a comprehensive cleanup campaign in the central region, covering Rawdat Muaither Al-Darb, Al-Riffa, and north of the Abu Nakhla complex, as part of its ongoing project covering meadows and wild areas across the country. The campaign aims to preserve the natural environment and protect the green cover, contributing to the promotion of environmental sustainability and allowing visitors to enjoy nature in clean and safe surroundings. The ministry stressed that these initiatives are part of its continuous efforts to protect the environment and to reduce harmful practices that negatively impact the ecosystem in these places. It pointed out that its field teams regularly monitor and implement awareness and cleaning programmes. The ministry called on all visitors to wild areas and Rawdats to maintain cleanliness by refraining from leaving waste behind, and to dispose of their waste in the designated containers to help preserve the beauty of nature and protect wildlife.