Death In The Desert

Many agricultural farms, cattle, camel, goat and sheep farms are located in the desert of the UAE.

In olden days, only the Bedouin used to herd these domesticated animals.

However, with the advent of four-wheel-drive vehicles that allow people to venture into the remotest places, farming has taken a new twist. Many farms have sprung up in remote places.

On a recent field trip through a desert belt in Dubai, I was passing through the back of a farm that had orchards, a grass field, camels and cattle.

I was shocked to see piles of blue and green nylon ropes thrown in the sand, many buried in it with the tips sticking out.

Every farm uses nylon ropes to tie cattle or camels, for binding hay rolls, etc. But, instead of reusing or disposing of them properly, the farm workers discard these behind their compounds.

Nylon or plastic ropes are not biodegradable. But many domesticated and wild animals cannot distinguish between the nylon plastic material and similar-shaped plants and animals.

Cattle and goats often swallow these objects. The nylon material can get stuck in their stomach, crop or gizzard and choke the animals to death.

The government institutions and environmental agencies should be vigilant about the disposal of non-biodegradable farm waste.