Dubai: Mystery surrounds the return of a giant inflatable duck that disappeared from Dubai Creek last week.
The 18-metre-tall duck surprised onlookers when it appeared on December 1. It was gone by night.
The company behind the giant duck, Geowash, an eco-friendly car wash system, said it will re-emerge at a surprise location soon.
Geowash had set the duck afloat as part of its water conservation drive, expected to last two months.
The duck will tour a number of locations, possibly docking occasionally. The awareness campaign will also see Geowash staff offering conservation tips to onlookers.
In the UAE, the average individual water use rate is 500 litres per day, compared with the international rate of 170-300 litres, according to official figures.
On December 1, Geowash distributed free rubber ducks to children and handed out the UAE flag.
The duck was launched to also celebrate National Day (December 2) and Dubai’s winning bid for Expo 2020.
Meanwhile, residents are on the lookout for the bright yellow giant as they could win iPads for shooting pictures of the duck. The winning shots would be decided by votes.
Fans can share their duck moments on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram by using the hashtag #UAE_GiantDuck.
Though the duck’s next location is secret, Geowash told Gulf News it was flooded with queries on where to spot it.
Nithin Mathew from Geowash’s marketing team said “people are enquiring more about the giant duck than the car-wash.”
Geowash CEO Abdullah Al Shehi had earlier said: “The gigantic duck, which has been globally accepted as a symbol of joy and happiness, is something new in Dubai.
“As UAE residents enjoy the arrival of the duck, we would also like to remind them of the importance of water conservation.”
