Al Ain Zoo
Encyclopedia
Al Ain Zoo is a 400 hectares (988 acre) zoo located in the foothills of the Jebel Hafeet
Mountains in Al Ain
, United Arab Emirates
. It mainly comprises Arabian antelopes and oryx
, eland
, gazelle
, lechwe
and can be found in the tree shaded paddocks which offer excellent breeding conditions.
The zoo features a big cat house. Lions, pumas, black and spotted leopards and jaguars are found here. In addition to this, it also has a reptile
house, monkey
compounds, aquarium and aviary. From February 2010 until July 2010, the Al Ain Zoo hosted the "Dinosaur Trail", a small section which includes around 15 to 20 mechanical dinosaurs with sensors such as the T-Rex as well as information about the dinosaur such as when they lived, which parts of the (current) world they would have been found, their height, diet, etc.
The Al Ain Zoo also hosts the almost extinct white lion
(less than 200 remain in the world).
Should one wish to walk around the zoo and see all the animals they would need approximately 2 hours (the Dinosaur Trail should not take longer than 10 to 15 minutes, inclusive of taking photographs).
The zoo also has a "train" with open carriages. It operates between 10am and 6pm with the last one departing from the Train Station at 5:40pm. It does not enter the "yellow" section which hosts the African Lion, Bengal Tiger, Chimpanzee, Puma, Salt water crocodile, Panther, Nile Crocodile and Leopard.
Jebel Hafeet
Jebel Hafeet is a mountain primarily in the United Arab Emirates on the outskirts of Al Ain in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The mountain actually straddles part of the border with Oman. The mountain rises 1249 meters and offers an impressive view over the city...
Mountains in Al Ain
Al Ain
Al Ain |Spring]]), also known as the Garden City due to its greenery, is the second largest city in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the fourth largest city in the United Arab Emirates. With a population of 374,000 , it is located approximately 160 km east of the capital Abu Dhabi and about...
, United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
. It mainly comprises Arabian antelopes and oryx
Oryx
Oryx is one of four large antelope species of the genus Oryx. Three of the species are native to arid parts of Africa, with a fourth native to the Arabian Peninsula. Their pelage is pale with contrasing dark markings in the face and on the legs, and their long horns are almost straight...
, eland
Taurotragus
Taurotragus, commonly called Eland, is a genus of antelopes of the African savannah, containing two species: the Common Eland and the Giant Eland...
, gazelle
Gazelle
A gazelle is any of many antelope species in the genus Gazella, or formerly considered to belong to it. Six species are included in two genera, Eudorcas and Nanger, which were formerly considered subgenera...
, lechwe
Lechwe
The Lechwe, or Southern Lechwe, is an antelope found in Botswana, Zambia, south-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, north-eastern Namibia, and eastern Angola, especially in the Okavango Delta, Kafue Flats and Bangweulu Swamps....
and can be found in the tree shaded paddocks which offer excellent breeding conditions.
The zoo features a big cat house. Lions, pumas, black and spotted leopards and jaguars are found here. In addition to this, it also has a reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
house, monkey
Monkey
A monkey is a primate, either an Old World monkey or a New World monkey. There are about 260 known living species of monkey. Many are arboreal, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent. Unlike apes, monkeys...
compounds, aquarium and aviary. From February 2010 until July 2010, the Al Ain Zoo hosted the "Dinosaur Trail", a small section which includes around 15 to 20 mechanical dinosaurs with sensors such as the T-Rex as well as information about the dinosaur such as when they lived, which parts of the (current) world they would have been found, their height, diet, etc.
The Al Ain Zoo also hosts the almost extinct white lion
White lion
The white lion is occasionally found in wildlife reserves in South Africa and is a rare color mutation of the Kruger subspecies of lion . It has been perpetuated by selective breeding in zoos around the world...
(less than 200 remain in the world).
Opening hours and visiting
The zoo is open from 9:00 in the morning until 19:00 (7:00pm) in the evening. The tickets are priced at 15 dirhams for adults, 5 dirhams for children aged 3 to 12 while new borns and babies up till 24 months have free admission. The last tickets are sold at 18:00 (6:00pm). There is a bird show featuring Predatory birds and night birds that lasts 30 min starting at 7 PM.The dinosaur trail is open till 8PM. Wheelchairs are available on request.Should one wish to walk around the zoo and see all the animals they would need approximately 2 hours (the Dinosaur Trail should not take longer than 10 to 15 minutes, inclusive of taking photographs).
The zoo also has a "train" with open carriages. It operates between 10am and 6pm with the last one departing from the Train Station at 5:40pm. It does not enter the "yellow" section which hosts the African Lion, Bengal Tiger, Chimpanzee, Puma, Salt water crocodile, Panther, Nile Crocodile and Leopard.