The Yas SeaWorld Research and Rescue Center on Yas Island has recorded more than 800 animal rescue intakes since opening in 2023, the centre announced, marking three years of marine conservation work across the Arabian Gulf.
The facility operates around the clock with a team of 10 rescue professionals, more than 40 rehabilitation experts, and seven marine scientists. It runs a dedicated rescue helpline and deploys what it describes as the region’s first marine wildlife rescue ambulances.
“At Miral, we are dedicated to creating immersive and meaningful experiences that inspire, and educate, leaving a lasting impact on our guests and our community. The Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center brings this commitment to life, showing how science, education, and collaboration can come together to safeguard the unique marine-life of the Arabian Gulf. Since opening three years ago, the centre has advanced marine conservation, deepened public awareness, and nurtured a shared sense of environmental responsibility across the community. Its achievements support Abu Dhabi’s sustainability ambitions and reflect Miral’s commitment to protecting our environment for generations to come,” Dr Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, Group CEO of Miral said in a statement.
Among the centre’s more prominent cases was a Bryde’s whale found disoriented near the Port of Fujairah in late 2024. Working alongside the Fujairah Environment Authority and local partners, the team ran health assessments and monitored the animal before guiding it back to open water. Earlier that year, a flock of flamingos injured during a hailstorm at Al Wathba Wetland Reserve was brought in for treatment alongside unattended eggs, with the birds eventually returned to the wild.
The centre’s earliest and most followed case remains Malquot, a baby dugong rescued in collaboration with the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi. He is currently one of only three dugongs under human care worldwide.
Beyond rescue operations, the centre has engaged more than 7,500 people through events and community outreach, including workshops with hotels along Abu Dhabi’s coastline. Its monthly Science Talk series, free and open to the public, has drawn more than 3,000 attendees since 2023.
“In the past three years, we’ve made marine science accessible, not just to researchers but to the rest of the community. Whether through university partnerships or our monthly Science Talk series, we’re sparking curiosity and inspiring a new generation of marine advocates,” Dr Elise Marquis, Senior Director at the Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center further explained.
“This workshop represents an important step toward initiating a dynamic, collaborative effort to enhance seagrass research. We are entering a new era of opportunities for seagrass conservation, and we are immensely proud to be actively instigating it,” she added.
Research partnerships include joint maritime work with NYU Abu Dhabi, plankton-focused workshops with Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, and an initiative with Khalifa University that brought high school students into conversations about Abu Dhabi’s sustainability future. The centre’s internship programme has taken on 61 high school and university students to date.
In 2025, the team attended the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, where it shared peer-reviewed findings on seagrass. The centre had earlier hosted the first regional seagrass scientific workshop in collaboration with EAD and the Convention on Migratory Species Dugong-MOU Secretariat.
