Dubai: Dubai Safari Park will reopen on September 27 (Monday) for its new season while offering for the first time a behind the-scenes experience that allows visitors to get close to the animals.
The attraction offers experiences with its diverse community of animals from across the world that live in a climate-controlled environment close to their natural habitat. Each season, the Park revitalises its attractions.
This season, new species and 111 new-borns of different animals are among the additions. There will also be shows and activities for recreational and educational experiences.
Rare exhibits
Dubai Safari is home to the world’s first drive-through crocodile exhibit as well as the UAE’s largest group of baboons, the largest drive-through lion exhibit, and the country’s only drive-through hippo and tiger exhibits.
3,000 animals
The park’s walk-through aviary has birds from all around the world. The 116-hectare destination, which maintains “the highest global standards of animal welfare and conservation”, is currently home to around 3,000 animals, including 78 species of mammals – 10 different carnivores and 17 primates – 50 types of reptiles; 111 kinds of birds as well as amphibians and invertebrates.
New offerings
In its new season, visitors can see new animals, such as the squirrel monkey, the Mona monkey, the Arabian wolf, and the northern white-cheeked gibbon. In addition, the park has 111 newborns of different animal species. Dubai Safari has been working with local and international programmes throughout the year to introduce, incubate and exchange new animals. Its animal breeding programme has also added new animals before the start of the new season.
The winter season of Dubai Safari will host various exhibitions such as the Leopard Exhibition and interactive shows such as the bird show, a display of ‘amazing creatures of the world’ and birds of prey. Various areas of the Park such as the Arabian Desert Safari have been redeveloped to be more engaging for visitors.
Wolves’ welfare
The area devoted to Arabian wolves has been expanded by 10,000 square meters. The area contains many local trees and plants, in addition to unique formations of sand dunes and water, which have been developed to create a suitable environment for these animals. This area is considered the largest island sheltering Arabian wolves. Dubai Safari features two groups of Arab wolves through which it aims to establish an animal welfare programme in cooperation with various institutions in the region.
Close encounters
The park offers experiences for all members of the family, which include feeding the animals and opportunities to take souvenir photos. The ‘Safari Journey Package’ enables visitors to enter the African Village, the Explorer Village, the Safari Journey, the Asian Village, the Arabian Desert Safari and the Kids Farm, in addition to having access to the train service and reserved seats in the live shows.
For the first time, the Safari Park is offering a behind the-scenes experience, which allows visitors to get close to the animals, learn about their habitat and ways of caring for them with the guidance of an animal shepherd. The park also has a Jungle Photographer’s package intended for photography enthusiasts.
Busy season
With Dubai hosting Expo 2020 Dubai and travel restrictions in the Gulf region and worldwide easing up further, the emirate is set to see a significant rise in regional and international tourism. Industry experts believe Dubai will be the world’s most sought-after tourism destination between October this year and March 2022.
Aligned with Dubai Municipality’s plan to create world-class recreational destinations, the Dubai Safari Park has played a major role in enriching Dubai’s value proposition for the global tourist.
Ahmed Al Zarooni, Director of Public Parks and Recreational Facilities Department, Dubai Municipality, said: “The Park offers an immersive animal safari experience that is among the best in the world. Not only can visitors come face-to-face with diverse animals, including ungulates, carnivores, birds, reptiles, primates and small mammals, including several endangered ones, they also have opportunities to learn about their nature and habitats in detail.”
