There are 20 new Dubai residents who are extra thankful for the ‘winter' we're having at the moment - a colony of King and Gentoo penguins have just arrived from SeaWorld in the States (1) and have become the most popular additions to the city overnight.
The country's own happy feet colony have just landed in Ski Dubai, and visitors can have a totally unique interactive experience with them - and once you've gotten up close to the birds you'll realise just how unique their personalities are (2).
The ‘peng-friend' encounters are open to anyone over the age of three, giving visitors the opportunity to interact with the penguins (3) and meet the trainers who have worked with the birds since they hatched.
If you don't fancy donning snow boots and a parka, there's a March of the Penguins every day (2pm, 5pm, 8pm weekdays, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm, 8pm weekends); watch on from the mall as the feathered friends walk though the SkiDubai snow park. Cuteness alert!
Cost Dh175 per person
Footnotes
1. The birds have been born and raised in conservation projects, so people needn't worry that they've been plucked from their natural habitat and flown over to Dubai. It's hoped that the ‘peng-friend' encounters will raise awareness and help sustain their natural habitat.
2. When Scene visited we found the birds were all very different: McFatty was a friendly, protective chap who liked a hug, Mona Lisa's a perma-pruning diva and Pebbles is the baby and total cutie of the group.
3. The penguins enjoy human attention, and let you stroke their backs and rub their bellies - but the choice to interact is always theirs.
Details
Where Ski Dubai, Mall of the Emirates
Timings 1pm-9pm, Sun-Thu; 12pm-9pm Fri-Sat
Call 04 409 4090
