Dubai Zoo (Arabic: حديقة حيوان دبي) was a 1.5-kilometre (0.93 mi) zoo located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It was originally built in 1967 by a Dubai resident when Sheikh Rashid bin Maktoum, the late Ruler of Dubai, permitted Otto J. Bulart to build a zoo on a 2-hectare (4.9-acre) plot in Jumeirah.[2] 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).[citation needed]
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 were reportedly so small that the animals can barely move.[3] The zoo has been closed since November 2017 and all animals were relocated to the new Dubai Safari Park. They no longer live in cages and have an open habitat with a lot more space to move around.
The zoo housed approximately 230 animal species. Among these are around 248 mammal specimens, including foxes, hyenas, pumas, Asiatic lions, jaguars, chimpanzees, baboons, monkeys, deer, bears, porcupines, giraffes, hippos, and Barbary sheep. 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. Birds include ostrich, golden eagle and parrots. Reptiles are represented by around 400 specimens.
Visitation and opening hoursEdit
Dubai Zoo attracted annually a large number of visitors. In 2008 the number of visitors was 336,346.[4]
Opening hours during summer were 10 am to 6 pm, and 10 am to 5:30 pm during winter.
Dubai Municipality planned to build a new zoo since at least 2003 to replace the old zoo.[5] Construction was to be completed by 2008 and the zoo would be sited variously at Mushrif Park or Dubailand at an estimated cost of US$55.6 million or AED 610 million. In February 2009, it was announced that the zoo project at Dubailand was on indefinite hold.[6][7][8]
On 11 February 2012 the municipality announced that it had commissioned a study to shift the two-hectare, government-run zoo from Jumeirah to new, world-class premises. Within two months a consultancy and action team had come up with the final concept, proposing a new location and required area, and recommending the allocation of space for each species according to international standards, said Hussain Lootah, the director general of the municipality.[9]
On 14 May 2012, it was announced by the Dubai Municipality that the animals from the overcrowded Dubai Zoo will be relocated to an open safari within the next two years. Officials said they will redevelop 400 hectares (990 acres) of land in Al Warqa'a for the safari project, at a cost of Dh150 million. The safari houses the existing zoo animals and also accommodates new ones. "The zoo is one of the issues and has been the big talk for many years" said Mr Hussain Lootah, the municipality's director general.[10]
On 23 April 2013, Hussain Nassir Lootah, Director General of Dubai Municipality said that the first phase of the Dubai Safari has completed and the construction of the project will be completed by end of 2014.[11]
The ambitious Dubai Safari park was developed on land that has been previously a landfill. Excavation work started in September 2012. Dubai Safari Park is spread across 120 hectares of land and include a zoo, safari and butterfly park, botanical garden, resort, and golf course, in addition to educational and veterinary facilities. It features more than 1,000 animals and birds.[11]
The safari is divided into African, Asian and Arabian villages, with each village accommodating animals from those respective regions.[11] As of 5 November 2017, the old zoo has been closed down.[12]
The Dubai safari Park was opened on 12 December 2017 to the general public.
^. Uaeinteract.com. Archived from the original on 28 January 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2010.
^. Gulf News. 2 February 2009. Archived from the original on 6 February 2009. Retrieved 18 September 2010.
^. Archive.gulfnews.com. 24 May 2007. Archived from the original on 4 July 2008. Retrieved 18 September 2010.
^. Dubai-online.com. 1 February 2007. Archived from the original on 1 June 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2010.
^Kannan, Preeti (12 February 2012). "Dubai Zoo to move to a new location". The National. Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Media. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
^Kannan, Preeti (14 May 2012). "Dubai Zoo animals will be relocated to open safari". thenationalnews.com. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
^ abc"Dh150m Dubai Safari next year". Emirates 24/7. 23 April 2013. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
^"Mass migration of animals across Dubai as zoo closes its doors". The National. Abu Dhabi. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
ReferencesEdit
Travel.nytimes.com
October 19, 2023
dubai, arabic, حديقة, حيوان, دبي, kilometre, located, dubai, united, arab, emirates, originally, built, 1967, dubai, resident, when, sheikh, rashid, maktoum, late, ruler, dubai, permitted, otto, bulart, build, hectare, acre, plot, jumeirah, still, oldest, arab. Dubai Zoo Arabic حديقة حيوان دبي was a 1 5 kilometre 0 93 mi zoo located in Dubai United Arab Emirates It was originally built in 1967 by a Dubai resident when Sheikh Rashid bin Maktoum the late Ruler of Dubai permitted Otto J Bulart to build a zoo on a 2 hectare 4 9 acre plot in Jumeirah 2 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 Dubai Zoo25 13 21 N 55 15 24 E 25 222375 N 55 256582 E 25 222375 55 256582Date opened1 May 1967 56 years ago 1967 05 01 Date closed5 November 2017 5 years ago 2017 11 05 LocationDubai United Arab EmiratesLand area1 5 ha 3 7 acres No of species230MembershipsWAZA 1 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 citation needed 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 were reportedly so small that the animals can barely move 3 The zoo has been closed since November 2017 and all animals were relocated to the new Dubai Safari Park They no longer live in cages and have an open habitat with a lot more space to move around Contents 1 Animals 2 Visitation and opening hours 3 Dubai Safari Park 4 Picture gallery 5 See also 6 Notes 7 ReferencesAnimals EditThe zoo housed approximately 230 animal species Among these are around 248 mammal specimens including foxes hyenas pumas Asiatic lions jaguars chimpanzees baboons monkeys deer bears porcupines giraffes hippos and Barbary sheep 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 Birds include ostrich golden eagle and parrots Reptiles are represented by around 400 specimens Visitation and opening hours EditDubai Zoo attracted annually a large number of visitors In 2008 the number of visitors was 336 346 4 Opening hours during summer were 10 am to 6 pm and 10 am to 5 30 pm during winter Dubai Safari Park EditMain article Dubai Safari Park Dubai Municipality planned to build a new zoo since at least 2003 to replace the old zoo 5 Construction was to be completed by 2008 and the zoo would be sited variously at Mushrif Park or Dubailand at an estimated cost of US 55 6 million or AED 610 million In February 2009 it was announced that the zoo project at Dubailand was on indefinite hold 6 7 8 On 11 February 2012 the municipality announced that it had commissioned a study to shift the two hectare government run zoo from Jumeirah to new world class premises Within two months a consultancy and action team had come up with the final concept proposing a new location and required area and recommending the allocation of space for each species according to international standards said Hussain Lootah the director general of the municipality 9 On 14 May 2012 it was announced by the Dubai Municipality that the animals from the overcrowded Dubai Zoo will be relocated to an open safari within the next two years Officials said they will redevelop 400 hectares 990 acres of land in Al Warqa a for the safari project at a cost of Dh150 million The safari houses the existing zoo animals and also accommodates new ones The zoo is one of the issues and has been the big talk for many years said Mr Hussain Lootah the municipality s director general 10 On 23 April 2013 Hussain Nassir Lootah Director General of Dubai Municipality said that the first phase of the Dubai Safari has completed and the construction of the project will be completed by end of 2014 11 The ambitious Dubai Safari park was developed on land that has been previously a landfill Excavation work started in September 2012 Dubai Safari Park is spread across 120 hectares of land and include a zoo safari and butterfly park botanical garden resort and golf course in addition to educational and veterinary facilities It features more than 1 000 animals and birds 11 The safari is divided into African Asian and Arabian villages with each village accommodating animals from those respective regions 11 As of 5 November 2017 the old zoo has been closed down 12 The Dubai safari Park was opened on 12 December 2017 to the general public Picture gallery Edit nbsp Flamingos nbsp Lion nbsp Tortoise nbsp Parrots nbsp Herring gull and sacred ibis nbsp Deer nbsp BenchesSee also EditAl Ain Zoo Al Hefaiyah Conservation Centre Breeding Centre for Endangered Wildlife Sharjah Dubai Dolphinarium Dubai Safari Park Tourism in Dubai Tourist attractions in DubaiNotes Edit Currently Accredited Zoos and Aquariums aza org AZA Retrieved 1 April 2012 Dubai Zoo Dubaitourism ae Retrieved 18 September 2010 Animal rights campaigners call attention to Dubai Zoo Newzglobe com 13 June 2010 Retrieved 18 September 2010 1 dead link Preliminary studies for new Dubai zoo underway UAE The Official Web Site News Uaeinteract com Archived from the original on 28 January 2016 Retrieved 18 September 2010 No respite for animals in cramped Dubai Zoo Gulf News 2 February 2009 Archived from the original on 6 February 2009 Retrieved 18 September 2010 gulfnews Work on Dubai s new zoo set to start Archive gulfnews com 24 May 2007 Archived from the original on 4 July 2008 Retrieved 18 September 2010 Zoo to move to Dubailand Dubai online com 1 February 2007 Archived from the original on 1 June 2012 Retrieved 18 September 2010 Kannan Preeti 12 February 2012 Dubai Zoo to move to a new location The National Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi Media Retrieved 30 May 2012 Kannan Preeti 14 May 2012 Dubai Zoo animals will be relocated to open safari thenationalnews com Retrieved 31 July 2023 a b c Dh150m Dubai Safari next year Emirates 24 7 23 April 2013 Retrieved 18 February 2014 Mass migration of animals across Dubai as zoo closes its doors The National Abu Dhabi Retrieved 17 March 2018 References EditTravel nytimes com AE pagenation com Professionaltravelguide com UAEpropertytrends com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dubai Zoo amp oldid 1174299128, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
