Seven captives got their first taste of freedom yesterday when Dubai Municipality released four mammals and three birds into the desert scrub area outside Al Mushrif Park in Rashidiya.

The release was the second this year, and part of Dubai Zoo's programme to replenish the severely depleted indigenous fauna.

A desert eagle owl, a jumpy Arabian fox, a March Harrier, a reluctant buzzard and three tiny Ethiopian hedgehogs were freed in an area earmarked by the municipality for Dubai's new "open zoo".

Ahmed Mohammed Abdul Karim, director of Public Parks and Horticulture, released the animals and birds with help from zoo director Dr Reza Khan and zoo administrator Saleh al Najjar.

"With the speed of development in Dubai, the habitat for these animals is dwindling every day," he said.

The three-year-old desert eagle owl, a mottled fawn-and-black bird with amber eyes, was the first captive to be released.

The owl, an indigenous species, had been with the zoo for the past year and was set free in a grove of Arabian acacia and Manila tamarind trees.

Of the seven animals, two – the harrier and buzzard – arrived at Dubai Zoo after being confiscated by CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) authorities in Dubai. The remaining five were local donations.

Dr Khan and zoo keepers also set up water troughs and a supply of two dozen domestic quail as prey for the owl and Arabian fox. A supply of Indian millet was also scattered as feed for the quail.

Dr Khan said the pristine wilderness area, one of the few undeveloped tracts of land in the emirate, is a haven for indigenous species. Work on the open zoo, which will feature enclosed reserves for each species, is not expected to begin until 2003.

By mid-morning, the desert eagle owl had begun to investigate its new surroundings, the desert fox bounded far away from the assembled humans, the two migratory birds were long gone and the three hedgehogs had either curled up into impenetrable balls or scurried into nearby shade.