Maintaining a local ecosystem

The American University of the Middle East contributes to maintaining local aquatic ecosystems by spreading awareness and engaging community in adopting sustainable practices and conserving biodiversity such as cleaning beaches and islands.

Kubbar Island Beach Clean-up Initiative

AUM Students and Alumni volunteered in Kubbar Island beach clean-up initiative. This initiative aimed at raising awareness among AUM students and the community as a whole about the importance of protecting the environment, conserving natural resources and disseminating this knowledge among various segments of society.

Kubbar Island is one of the most significant islands in terms of breeding seabirds in Kuwait. Thus, it was announced as a natural reserve by the Environment Public Authority in Kuwait in 2023. It belongs to the group of islands in the southern region of Kuwait, which are subtropical coral cays and surrounded by beautiful clear waters. During Summer months, terns are found on the island nesting and laying an estimated amount of 15,000 eggs.

More about Kubbar Islands

The Kuwaiti islands have a unique and distinctive nature due to their biological diversity and based on the sensitivity of the southern islands, the esteemed Council of Ministers issued Resolution No. (1078) in its meeting No. (49/2002 held on 10/27/2002) allocating the southern Kuwaiti islands (Qaruh , Umm al-Maradim, Kubbar) natural reserves, and based on Environmental Protection Law No. 42 of 2014 and its amendments and Resolution No. (2) of 2022 issued on 3/27/2022 regarding defining natural reserves and fencing, the owners and supervisors of them, and the classification of Kubbar Island as a natural reserve. And based on the Environment Public Authority’s role and responsibilities in implementing the Environment Protection Law, its regulations, and the decisions issued by it, in a way that requires preserving the environmental system and achieving sustainability of resources, and because Kubbar Island is one of the sensitive and important islands from an environmental point of view, due to its uniqueness with wildlife, ecology and biodiversity, and it is surrounded by coral reefs on all four sides. , which had a major role in  attracting terns, and the island is considered one of its habitats, as these birds migrate to Kubbar Island annually, starting in May, to begin mating and laying eggs, before leaving with their chicks in August, migrating south towards the Indian Ocean, whose numbers are estimated after hatching. There are about 15,000 eggs, and different types of terns, such as white-cheeked, large and small-crowned terns, are endemic to the island, in addition to the bridled. And the static nature of the island and the absence of external influences from human intervention around the island makes it a magnet for the migration of these birds safely with the intention of nesting and laying eggs, and maintaining the continuation of attracting these birds to the island is what the Environment Public Authority seeks in terms of its role in applying the law and preserving the extension The sustainability of its wildlife and the food chain in the marine environment. The establishment of any events and the accompanying human activities around these reserves and an increase in the intensity of noise levels will have a negative impact on marine organisms and damage to the environment. Based on the foregoing, the Environment Public Authority considers not approving the holding of this type of event. 

https://epa.gov.kw/en-us/NewsArchive/Id/2389 

Trash Challenge to clean the beaches

As part of the global initiative, which encourages people to clean the beaches in their area, AUM students accepted the challenge and cleaned the Anjafa Public Beach.

Sea and Sky Photography by Students

A photography activity was led under the theme “Sea and Sky” to promote aquatic stewardship.

The following photos were taken by AlKawthar Awad, Industrial Engineering Student.