Al Ain Zoo switches to summer evening hours

Al Ain: Al Ain Zoo will be open in the evenings to enable visitors to experience the zoo in cooler conditions.

The change in operating hours started yesterday and the night-time zoo will be available to visitors between 4pm and 10pm up to September 30. The move coincides with the launch of Reptile Month that celebrates the zoo’s diverse reptiles with an array of activities, said a spokesperson of the zoo.

Themed ‘Life in Cold Blood’, the month pays tribute to Al Ain Zoo’s exceptional collection of reptiles — one of the largest in the region, the spokesperson said. The zoo’s reptile house is home to more than 520 specimens, 32 different species and 27 different habitat displays, featuring crocodiles, lizards, snakes and turtles.

The visitors will be able to see the Burmese python, green anaconda, reticulated python and sand boa along with the regular activities of the zoo. There will also be special events such as crocodile feeding every Thursday at 5pm, and snake feeding every Thursday at 9pm. During Ramadan, the zoo will be open from 6pm to 12 midnight.

Muna Al Daheri, acting chief of conservation and education at Al Ain Zoo, said that reptiles include a number of incredible species. The launch of the new evening hours is an ideal time for the reptile month, she said, adding that reptiles are mostly nocturnal and more active in the evenings. “We are confident visitors will enjoy learning about these unique species and get first-hand experience on how animal behaviour differs at night,” she said.

Al Ain Zoo, she said, will also soon announce the launch of family movie nights that are set to entertain families in June. In addition to themed months and animal exhibits, Al Ain Zoo also offers a variety of entertainment and education activities including regular bird and parrot shows, giraffe and budgie feeding, the Elezba petting zoo, and guided tours.