Dubai Zoo
Encyclopedia
Dubai Zoo
was originally built in 1967 by a Dubai
resident when H. H. Sheikh Rashid bin Maktoum
, the late Ruler of Dubai, permitted Otto J. Bulart to build a zoo on a two hectare
plot in Jumeirah
. It is still the oldest zoo in the Arabian Peninsula
. It was considered a Dubai landmark in the late 1960s as it indicated the "town's end".
In 1971 the management of the Dubai Zoo was taken over by the Dubai Municipality
. During the first couple of years of its existence, the Dubai Zoo housed only a few animals like the big cats, monkeys and hoofed-animals. There was also a small aquarium with some fishes and reptiles. From May 1986 to May 1989, a part of the Zoo was redesigned and rebuilt. From June 1989 to the present there has been constant re-designing and renovation. Dubai zoo is the first Arabian zoo to breed the rare Chimpanzee
and the Arabian or Gordon's wildcat (Felis silvestris gordoni).
In recent years, the Dubai Zoo has come under fire for the conditions in which its animals are housed. Animal rights activists and even hotels and tourist websites encourage the boycotting of the facility. Cages in which the animals are trapped in are reportedly so small that the animals can barely move.
. Endangered species include Socotra shag or cormorant
, Bengal tiger
, gorilla, subspecies of grey wolf and Arabian wolf
, Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica), and the indigenous Gordon's wildcat. Bird include ostrich, golden eagle
and parrots. Reptiles are represented by around 400 specimens.
Opening hours during summer are 10 am to 6 pm, and 10 am to 5:30 pm during winter.
has planned to build a new Zoo for a number of years. Media reports since at least 2003 stated that the planning for a new zoo was under way. Construction would be completed by 2008 and would be sited variously at Mushrif Park
or Dubailand at an estimated cost of USD 55.6 million or AED
610 million. The project was expected to be completed in 2008.
In February 2009, it was announced that the zoo project at Dubailand was on indefinite hold.
was originally built in 1967 by a Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
resident when H. H. Sheikh Rashid bin Maktoum
Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum
HH The Emir Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum was the Vice-President and Prime Minister of United Arab Emirates and Emir of Dubai...
, the late Ruler of Dubai, permitted Otto J. Bulart to build a zoo on a two hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
plot in Jumeirah
Jumeirah
Jumeirah literally means "beautiful." It is a coastal residential area in Dubai, United Arab Emirates mainly comprising low rise private dwellings. It is administratively divided into three neighborhoods titled "Jumeirah 1," Jumeirah 2" and "Jumeirah 3." It has both expensive and large detached...
. It is still the oldest zoo in the Arabian Peninsula
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula is a land mass situated north-east of Africa. Also known as Arabia or the Arabian subcontinent, it is the world's largest peninsula and covers 3,237,500 km2...
. It was considered a Dubai landmark in the late 1960s as it indicated the "town's end".
In 1971 the management of the Dubai Zoo was taken over by the Dubai Municipality
Dubai Municipality
Dubai Municipality is the municipal body with jurisdiction over city services and the upkeep of facilities in the Emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It was established in 1954 by the then crown prince of Dubai, Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum...
. During the first couple of years of its existence, the Dubai Zoo housed only a few animals like the big cats, monkeys and hoofed-animals. There was also a small aquarium with some fishes and reptiles. From May 1986 to May 1989, a part of the Zoo was redesigned and rebuilt. From June 1989 to the present there has been constant re-designing and renovation. Dubai zoo is the first Arabian zoo to breed the rare Chimpanzee
Chimpanzee
Chimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
and the Arabian or Gordon's wildcat (Felis silvestris gordoni).
In recent years, the Dubai Zoo has come under fire for the conditions in which its animals are housed. Animal rights activists and even hotels and tourist websites encourage the boycotting of the facility. Cages in which the animals are trapped in are reportedly so small that the animals can barely move.
Animals
The zoo houses approximately 230 animal species. among these are around 248 mammal specimens, including foxes, hyenas, pumas, lions, jaguars, chimpanzees, baboons, monkeys, deer, bears, porcupines, giraffes and Barbary sheepBarbary sheep
The Barbary Sheep is a species of caprid native to rocky mountains in North Africa. Six subspecies have been described. Although it is rare in its native North Africa, it has been introduced to North America, southern Europe and elsewhere...
. Endangered species include Socotra shag or cormorant
Socotra Cormorant
The Socotra Cormorant, Phalacrocorax nigrogularis, is a threatened species of cormorant that is endemic to the Persian Gulf and the south-east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is also sometimes known as the Socotran Cormorant or, more rarely, as the Socotra Shag. Individuals occasionally...
, Bengal tiger
Bengal Tiger
The Bengal tiger is a tiger subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent that in 2010 has been classified as endangered by IUCN...
, gorilla, subspecies of grey wolf and Arabian wolf
Arabian Wolf
The Arabian wolf is a subspecies of Gray Wolf which was once found throughout the Arabian Peninsula, but now only lives in small pockets in Southern Israel, Southern and western Iraq, Oman, Yemen, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and probably in some parts of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt.-Features and...
, Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica), and the indigenous Gordon's wildcat. Bird include ostrich, golden eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
and parrots. Reptiles are represented by around 400 specimens.
Visitation and opening hours
Dubai Zoo attracts annually a large number of visitors. In 2008 the number of visitors was 336,346.Opening hours during summer are 10 am to 6 pm, and 10 am to 5:30 pm during winter.
New Dubai Zoo
Dubai MunicipalityDubai Municipality
Dubai Municipality is the municipal body with jurisdiction over city services and the upkeep of facilities in the Emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It was established in 1954 by the then crown prince of Dubai, Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum...
has planned to build a new Zoo for a number of years. Media reports since at least 2003 stated that the planning for a new zoo was under way. Construction would be completed by 2008 and would be sited variously at Mushrif Park
Mushrif Park
Mushrif Park is 5.25 square kilometre desert-like park in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is located in the eastern part of the city , about 16 km from the traditional center of Dubai...
or Dubailand at an estimated cost of USD 55.6 million or AED
United Arab Emirates dirham
The dirham is the currency of the United Arab Emirates. The ISO 4217 code for the United Arab Emirates dirham is AED. Unofficial abbreviations include DH or Dhs. The dirham is subdivided into 100 ....
610 million. The project was expected to be completed in 2008.
In February 2009, it was announced that the zoo project at Dubailand was on indefinite hold.