The zoo in the United Arab Emirates is famous for being the oldest park not only in this state, but throughout the Arabian Peninsula.
Walking in the zoo in Dubai, you can not only watch interesting animals and birds, but also hide from the exhausting scorching sun in the shade of magnificent trees, sitting on one of the many benches. There are several pretty cozy cafes in the park where you can take a breather and have a good bite to eat.
Dubai Zoo is a great place to spend time with the whole family.
General information
If you take a trip to Dubai with children, you should definitely go to the local zoo. Of course, it is not as famous and large as Prague, London or Berlin, and even inferior in size to the Moscow zoo, but it is also worth attention.
This zoo is quite cozy, and in it you can see not only unique and rare animals from various continents, but even close and familiar to Russians and other Europeanalien plants.
Dubai Zoo: photo, description
The oldest zoo today is larger than its original area. It is located in the beautiful picturesque area of Jumeirah, near the famous Burj Al Arab hotel.
In total, the zoo (its territory covers an area of 2 hectares) is inhabited by 230 species of animals, as well as approximately 400 species of various reptiles, among which there are very rare specimens. Some of the species are listed in the Red Book. In total, there are more than one and a half thousand individuals. The parks and alleys of the Dubai Zoo are planted with different types of deciduous trees, which are a curiosity for Arab citizens.
It should be noted that in this zoo there is no definite system in the location of enclosures - all its inhabitants are interspersed. Chimpanzees can be seen next to a lion or with some birds, such as ostriches.
The Dubai Zoo is very comfortable and cozy: you can relax on one of the many benches and have a snack at any time in one of the cafes.
A Brief History
The zoo in Dubai is considered, as noted above, the oldest not only in the UAE, but throughout the Arabian Peninsula. It was landscaped in 1967 by the ruler of that time (Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum). The story began with a private collection of the most exotic animals. In a small area of the park, only a few species of animals were placed, and to a greater extent monkeys and several species of ungulates and cats. So this zooexisted for several years. In the same period, a small aquarium was also installed here, in which several varieties of reptiles and fish lived.
It was transferred to the jurisdiction of the authorities of Dubai in 1971. Its area is approximately 2 hectares. From 1986 to 1989, a large-scale reconstruction was carried out here. Since then, the Dubai Zoo has been constantly working to improve the living conditions of his many pets. Much attention is also paid to the wishes of visitors.
There is a small mosque and a so-called restaurant on the territory of the zoo, which is a simple building with air conditioning and tables where you can taste a KFC hamburger, pizza from Pizza Hut and other food.
In 2012, construction began on the new Dubai Safari Park, which is to cover an area of 450 hectares in the Al Wark area.
Inhabitants
According to visitors' opinions, most of the animals in the zoo are well-groomed and pleasant to look at. Of particular interest to visitors are Bengal tigers, giraffes, chimpanzees, crocodiles, lions, Arabian wolves, Syrian bears, ostriches, Gordon's wild cats, as well as birds and snakes of the Arabian Peninsula.
Despite its modest size, the zoo sheltered about one and a half thousand birds and animals. In total, 9 species of large cats and 7 species of primates are represented in the park.
Theoretically, the park can be walked around in an hour, but practice shows that this is impossible. In fact, there is something to see here. Individuals brought from all over the world live in the zoo: 43species of animals, birds - about 52 species, and reptiles - about 23 species.
Baboons, antelopes, porcupines, deer, maned sheep, giraffes live in the enclosures. Here you can also see predators - jaguars, lions, wolves, bears, hyenas and other dangerous animals. Among the birds here you can meet parrots, eagles, hawks, pink flamingos, cranes, storks and other varieties of birds.
The Arabian wolf that lives here cannot be found outside the zoo due to its almost complete extermination. Such animals include the Amur and Bengal tigers. And Gordon's wild cat feels great here and even breeds. An increase in the number of rare Kotri cormorants is also observed in the zoo. Rare inhabitants of the endless sandy shores of Dubai are the sand snake, the Arabian rattlesnake and the eared vulture.
How to get there?
The Dubai Zoo is located in the center of Jumeirah, close to the Mercato Mall (shopping center). He receives his guests daily from 10:00 am to 18:00 pm in the summer. In winter, the complex closes 30 minutes earlier. Tuesday is a day off. Animals are usually fed from 4 to 5 pm. It should be noted that the cost of visiting the zoo is symbolic - about 1 euro per person, and children under 2 years old can go to the zoo for free.
The road to the zoo from the most distant hotel takes no more than 20 minutes. You can get to it by regular buses of routes No. 8, 28, 88 (cost -3-8 AED). Taxi fare will be at least 10 AED. Prices, in any case, are acceptable - from 50 to 150 Russian rubles. Getting to the zoo is easy even from the most remote areas of Dubai.
Conclusion
About the zoo in Dubai, the reviews are the most positive and enthusiastic.
Only in it you can meet the inhabitants of the desert, not found in natural conditions either in Dubai, or in Russia, or in any other country. Of particular note are the eared vulture and snakes. Even native wolves, foxes and hares live here.
In general, the zoo is quite cozy and clean, and its inhabitants are not so scary to watch here - they do not cause such pity as in many other zoos in the world.
It is important for all tourists to remember that a strict dress code must be observed here. Do not go on the tour with bare shoulders, shorts or short clothes.
