Exhausted pelican gets a helping hand on busy Dubai road
Drivers stop their cars as a Syrian resident helps the stranded bird escape danger
Dubai: A Syrian resident in the UAE helped save an exhausted pelican from being struck by vehicles on a busy Dubai road, bringing traffic to a halt while he guided the bird to safety.
Abdulrazzaq Suleiman was travelling from Warsan in Dubai towards Sharjah along Ras Al Khor Road at around 2pm on November 1 when he spotted the bird stranded on the road, apparently too weak to fly.
With vehicles moving along the congested road, Suleiman pulled over in a safe location, took precautions and stepped out of his car to help the bird cross.
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Despite the heavy traffic, motorists stopped their vehicles, allowing him to approach the bird and gradually guide it away from danger.
Suleiman said the rescue took between five and 10 minutes, during which he carefully coaxed the exhausted bird into a safer area.
A fellow motorist, an Emirati citizen, then took the bird to Dubai Safari Park, according to Suleiman.
Reflecting on the incident, Suleiman said helping an animal in distress was a natural response and reflected the values of compassion and responsibility he had learnt in the UAE.
"This is nothing unusual for us. We learnt from our leaders the importance of protecting life and preserving safety and security in the UAE," he said.
