Miral’s 2026 conservation push harnesses AI and genetics to protect UAE’s wildlife and food systems

Miral has outlined four key conservation priorities for 2026, expanding its environmental initiatives in Abu Dhabi through projects that blend wildlife preservation, data science, and research into food systems.

These programs, announced under the company’s IMPACT by Miral platform, focus on sea turtles, the Arabian Sand Cat, the Dama Gazelle, and AI-enabled aquaculture. Collectively, they reflect a broader shift happening across the UAE, where conservation efforts are increasingly intertwined with technology, tourism development, and long-term sustainability strategies.

Timing is pretty important here. Throughout the Arabian Gulf, rising temperatures, coastal urbanization, habitat degradation, and marine pollution are exerting mounting pressure on ecosystems that the United Nations Environment Programme already considers highly stressed. Abu Dhabi, with its mix of marine and desert habitats nestled beside major visitor hotspots, faces a challenge that’s not just ecological but also strategic: how can it protect fragile species while still moving forward with economic growth?

One of the new projects aims to monitor endangered sea turtle populations throughout the Arabian Gulf. It will combine rescue records, satellite tracking, and hotspot mapping to develop a clearer understanding of migration paths, feeding locations, and behaviors. In practical terms, this could enable authorities and conservation groups to refine protection policies for marine life across the region.

Sea turtles still face significant threats worldwide, plastic waste, habitat destruction, warming waters, and fishing are all major concerns. In Gulf waters, hawksbill turtles are among the most at risk, and with coastal development booming, keeping tabs on them has become more crucial than ever. Abu Dhabi has already been investing in biodiversity monitoring, including DNA analysis from environmental samples and AI tools, and Miral’s latest project seems designed to fit into that larger ecosystem of scientific research.

On land, the focus shifts to the Arabian Sand Cat, one of the region’s most mysterious predators. Very rarely seen in the wild, this species is listed as endangered on Abu Dhabi’s Red List of Species. Under the new programme, researchers plan to use environmental DNA, GPS collars, camera traps, and AI-assisted analysis to estimate population size, map out their distribution, and gain a better understanding of their behaviors in the desert landscape of the emirate.

And it’s not just about a single species. Desert carnivores often serve as ecosystem indicators, if they’re doing well or poorly, it can tell us a lot about the overall health of the environment. But they’re often poorly studied. Miral’s approach could help fill some longstanding scientific gaps, while fostering stronger partnerships among conservation agencies, researchers, and technology experts. Interestingly enough, this trend of using digital tools to study wildlife in tough terrain is gaining momentum across the Gulf.

The third project zooms in on the Dama Gazelle, which is among the rarest antelopes out there, and has experienced catastrophic declines in North Africa. Conservation programs associated with Al Ain Zoo say the species has been wiped out from more than 99% of its former range, mainly due to hunting, habitat destruction, and overgrazing. Miral’s plan builds on existing breeding programs at Al Ain Zoo, with a focus on genetic research and biobanking to support future reintroduction and recovery efforts.

That focus on genetics really matters. For these critically endangered animals, maintaining genetic diversity during breeding can be the key to their long-term survival. Supporting biobanking, the storage of genetic material, aligns with a growing global trend in species conservation, where frozen genetic samples can be used later to preserve genetic traits and boost resilience in breeding programs down the line.

The fourth initiative goes beyond wildlife, zeroing in on food security. Miral is interested in exploring how AI might improve the sustainability of aquaculture in the UAE. The project will look at AI-driven underwater monitoring systems aimed at supporting fish welfare, reducing waste, and understanding fish behavior better within farming environments.

That’s a pretty significant focus for a country where food resilience has become a top policy concern. With climate change and population growth adding pressure to global food systems, sustainable aquaculture is gaining more attention in the Gulf as a way to diversify supply and cut reliance on imports. If all goes well, this research could help shape more efficient, environmentally friendly fish farming practices here, and maybe even beyond.

Taghrid Alsaeed, who’s the executive director of marketing, communications, and events at Miral and also serves as vice chair of IMPACT by Miral, described the approval of these programs as a major milestone in the platform’s sustainability journey. In her statement, she noted that the projects reflect both the company’s ambition and the power of collective action. She emphasized that their goal is to secure a more sustainable future for Abu Dhabi by safeguarding its natural ecosystems.

Miral’s efforts also tie into a wider pattern noticeable across the UAE since COP28 in Dubai, where climate action, biodiversity conservation, and innovative solutions are increasingly discussed as interconnected areas rather than separate issues. The country is ramping up efforts in mangrove restoration, marine protection, and the rewilding of species, alongside big investments in climate tech and nature-based solutions.

For Abu Dhabi, this convergence is especially relevant. Its environmental assets aren’t just part of its natural beauty, they’re also central to its future economic competitiveness. Tourism, conservation, and cutting-edge technology are becoming more tightly linked, and Miral’s new programs seem to demonstrate that the business case for sustainability is being cooled, from being based purely on branding to being driven by solid scientific data.

If these projects yield meaningful insights, they could do more than just protect specific species. They might help craft a model where conservation, public engagement, and innovative technology support and reinforce each other, offering the UAE yet another way to grow economically while respecting and preserving its ecological foundations.