Dubai Zoo.
On the eve of moving
Great changes await the Dubai Zoo. Soon all of its residents will move to the modern spacious park Dubai Safari, the construction of which started in 2012. Over a thousand species of animals and birds will be kept in the conditions most closely resembling their natural habitat.
As for now the animals, birds, lizards and snakes still live in the elite district of Dubai.
The Dubai Zoo, located at the head of Jumeirah street, is one of the oldest zoos of the Arabian Peninsula.
The total area of the zoo is quite modest: about two hectare and there is no place to expand due to the elite construction everywhere.
I have been postponing the visit to the Dubai Zoo for some time. I was alarmed by the tourists’ comments on sad animals, tiny cages with metallic bars, heavy smells. I was reluctant to go there and waited for the day when all zoo residents will be transferred to the spacious and comfortable Safari Park. But the Park opening was delayed, so finally I decided to see the Dubai animals in their current conditions
There is a ticketing office at the entrance: an adult ticket for 3 dirham. Very cheap. While buying the ticket I noticed a cute scene: a zoo employee was feeding a tiny gazelle with milk from a bottle (I wonder what is the correct name for the baby gazelle? Gazelling?:)
The heart immediately melted and I started to think positive.
© Victoria Lazareva, feelingthelife.com
© Victoria Lazareva, feelingthelife.com
The zoo is clean, though the enclosures are old. The whole territory is closely planted with trees and bushes. Of course there is a specific smell but not a strong one.
Fifteen hundred animals, birds and reptiles coexist in this small area.
I walked along the enclosures with Bengal tigers, passed the lion, which was making a dreadful roar. I saw Gordon’s wild cat that does not breed when captive with the exception of the Dubai Zoo. I enjoyed looking at antelopes, mountain goats, pelicans, gannets, huge ostriches. I turned away when seeing a male gorilla: his face (I cannot call it a neb) expression was too human. The all-consuming sadness was in his close set smart eyes.
I lightened up when seeing my favorite domestic rabbits. They are also in the zoo. Four pieces in one big cage (straight away I had a thought: “Should I give my white rabbit Susik to the city? He is well-fed dominant male, will be a leader of these four). I felt better.
But when I saw Syrian bears I got upset again: such confined cage!
When seeing the Arabian wolves (completely exterminated in nature) I couldn’t help it: I called the groundskeeper and asked to give them water. The poor things were thrashing about with their tongues out.
Altogether I enjoyed the zoo. The animals are fed and healthy, which is the most important.
© Victoria Lazareva, feelingthelife.com
© Victoria Lazareva, feelingthelife.com
© Victoria Lazareva, feelingthelife.com
© Victoria Lazareva, feelingthelife.com
© Victoria Lazareva, feelingthelife.com
© Victoria Lazareva, feelingthelife.com
Flies on the nose of a lion, the king of beasts, spoiled the whole image a little. What kind of contemplation of a beautiful large animal is it?.. But suddenly the lion, the one with the flies on his nose, sprang up, went over to his lioness girlfriend, and the couple engaged in active lovemaking. The lion family was showing such an “irrepressible will to live” that I brightened up: Ok, so things are not too shabby for the king of beasts.
After the lions I went to the beautiful giraffes: how awesome are they!
© Victoria Lazareva, feelingthelife.com
© Victoria Lazareva, feelingthelife.com
© Victoria Lazareva, feelingthelife.com
I received a special esthetic pleasure watching flamingos. Royally proud birds, elegant, dignified.
In the Dubai Zoo the flamingos have very light, soft pink feathering.
Pink or red coloring of the flamingos feathering is given by the pigment substances of lipochromes, which the birds receive with food.
© Victoria Lazareva, feelingthelife.com
© Victoria Lazareva, feelingthelife.com
© Victoria Lazareva, feelingthelife.com
© Victoria Lazareva, feelingthelife.com
Then I turned to a huge aviary and got stuck there for an hour, no less. In my opinion the strongest element of the Dubai Zoo is the large amount of the beautiful and rare birds. Flamingos, herons, storks, pelicans, ostriches, magnificent peacocks, which you cannot stop looking at. And of course crowned cranes, truly the royal birds, whose beauty and grace mesmerize!
Today the zoological parks objectives are the creation, the development of the humanistic attitude towards the animal world, the use of knowledge for the benefit of the nature. The contemporary zoos are based on the comfort, the natural living conditions for animals, interesting and educational meetings of the human with the nature.
The zoos, which example needs to be followed are: a gorgeous Singapore zoo, one of the largest and most beautiful open parks, where the animals are kept in the conditions to the maximum resembling the natural ones. The Berlin Zoo (Germany) is the largest in Europe research center. Also the London Zoo (England), the Prague Zoo (Czech Republic).
© Victoria Lazareva, feelingthelife.com
© Victoria Lazareva, feelingthelife.com
© Victoria Lazareva, feelingthelife.com
© Victoria Lazareva, feelingthelife.com
© Victoria Lazareva, feelingthelife.com
© Victoria Lazareva, feelingthelife.com
© Victoria Lazareva, feelingthelife.com
© Victoria Lazareva, feelingthelife.com
One of the first zoos is considered to be the Amun Garden, or botanical park of Egypt, created approximately 1,500 years B.C. by Pharaoh Thutmose III. Returning from his military quests he brought to Thebes various animals. As narrated by the Chinese “Book of Sacred Songs”, in the XII century B.C. the Emperor Wen Wang founded a garden between Beijing and Nanjing to keep wild animals. The rulers of the Ancient Assyria also had zoological gardens. The king of Israel Solomon (X century B.C.) owned a zoo. European zoological gardens appeared during the ancient Greeks and Romans times. Alexander of Macedon (III century B.C.) used to send his teacher Aristotle animals and birds from all conquered countries.
But it’s time to leave. With all mixed feelings about the Dubai Zoo in general I had a good impression. Although the size of cages for most predators is obviously small. And that is why with all my heart I wish Dubai the soonest opening of the new zoological house! I won’t be surprised if very soon the Dubai Safari makes the list of the best zoological parks of the world.
In a modern zoo animals and people should be in the comfort zone. Only then the visitors feel joy from uniting with nature, when they see that animals and birds are at ease.
Author and photographerVictoria Lazareva
