A place of memories
I have been visiting the zoo since 1994 and have great memories associated with it. Incidentally, I live quite close to the zoo and therefore visiting the place often was easy. Also I wanted my two girls to know more about animals and their natural history. My fondest memory of the place was when my children, who are now college going girls, played with the lion cubs a few decades ago. I also like the way my daughters enjoyed the flamingos changing legs when roosting at the exhibit. But the speciality was when the peacocks opened their feathers and started dancing in the central exhibit arena. That makes me emotional. The zoo was a huge space that we all enjoyed. We are going to miss it. Having interacted with the staff and Dr Reza Khan and his team, it will be a vacuum in a locality where it was an integral part. I look forward to the Dubai Safari. All animals have their speciality and we visited each of them. My children loved the flamingos and birds in particular.
From Mr Mohammad Arfan Asif
Dubai
From zoo to safari
Dubai has many laurels to its name with distinguished malls, high rise buildings and the five-decade-old Dubai Zoo, which was one of the main attractions for international tourists. I have visited the zoo on a few occasions when I was in Dubai. It was well maintained by the caring staff members. All the animals from the zoo will be shifting to the new safari park, which is the first park of its kind in the Middle East region. This should be applauded. In lieu of this, November 5 will be the last day for the old zoo. The UAE is known for its innovations in all areas, and this Safari Park is among them. I wish the Dubai government all the very best for this new venture.
From Mr K Ragavan
India
Hello Giraffes!
The Dubai zoo is a historical landmark of Dubai and its closure has made us have to visualise Jumeirah without this place. It was one of the first places we visited in Dubai about 12 years ago, and ever since then, it’s been cherished. It’s a place which is known for being there as the oldest structure on that road. Every time while driving on this road, we are in the habit of looking for the giraffes that sometimes pop their heads out of the cage, as if welcoming all. At the same time, it was high time that they got their dues for remaining so faithful to all of us. So congratulations to the ministry for working on this and for thinking about the safety of these animals.
From Ms Sudha Kathuria
Dubai
A fitting farewell
Unfortunately, even though I grew up in Dubai, I had only been to the zoo once, when I was young. However, since I was a kid, I used to love walking or driving past the zoo and spotting the giraffes that would peek out from above the fence. The zoo has been an attraction in Dubai, and I am really glad to see it being given a proper farewell. I have always appreciated how well the staff and animals were treated there and I am sure the new safari park will further Dubai’s commitment to wildlife conservation.
From Ms Divya Suri
Dubai
My family loved it
We use to stay in the Hamriya area of Dubai and we didn’t have a car. We used the public buses and I took my family to the zoo to enjoy themselves. The most memorable thing for me was when my son used to roar like a lion in his class, after visiting the zoo. The closing of the zoo is sad for almost all families because it was in the middle of the city, where residents could visit easily. All families will miss this. I have taken my children more than twice to this place and my children have enjoyed themselves at the zoo. The reptiles, monkeys, giraffes and the roaring of the lion made my son crazy with excitement. We always want to take pictures of all the animals and species there.
From Mr Lodhi Azmatullah Khan
India
Better conditions
I have visited the Dubai Zoo many years ago, when my children were younger and there were fewer places to visit in and around Dubai. I am really glad that it is finally going to close because personally, I feel that zoos are like prisons for animals. In a progressive and developed country like the UAE, where everything is top class, I think the animals definitely need a quieter and a much larger space. There have been several calls in the past to shut it down, due to the heat, the size and the traffic sounds, so it’s good to know that the authorities have decided to close it. However, the Dubai Zoo has taken in a number of stray and confiscated animals that were being smuggled in and out of the country. I do hope that they continue to save these animals and find a better and bigger place for them.
From Mr Anup Hegde
Dubai
An entertaining experience
I have been a resident of this great city since 1988 and live with my family here. The Dubai Zoo has always been the place to go on a weekend with the children and friends for a number of reasons. This proximity and location of the zoo allows everyone, easy access at any time of the day or week. On one particular occasion, a visit provided us some spectacular surprises. The peacocks unfurled their feathers, displaying their beauty and colour, whilst performing a dance. To everyone’s delight, cameras went into overdrive with everybody grabbing the opportunity to document this spectacle. The male lion, our most loved animal, whom we always go to see, wasted no time in asserting his presence as we passed by, letting out a spine chilling roar, reminding everyone why he is the undisputed king of the jungle. The tiger however was more than happy to grab his evening nap. The primates seemed boundless in their energy to entertain and the bird enclosure was a cacophony of sounds with each species gabbling and cackling away to a crescendo of orchestrated jazz. The closing down of the zoo does take away the option of an educative and entertaining family experience within city, but again I am sure the government has arranged for a better facility for both the animals and visitors alike to enjoy.
From Mr Gregory Gomes
Dubai
Lion cubs and more
While it is disappointing to know that the Dubai Zoo is closing down, it is both a pleasure and exciting to know that they are moving to a bigger premises. I came to Dubai in the year 1979, when I was just a toddler, and since then, I have visited the zoo many a times. I have the fondest memories of the Dubai Zoo. When the city of Dubai was young, fresh and just developing into a beautiful city, the Dubai Zoo provided the ultimate outing destination during those times. Both my brother and I used to jump with excitement just thinking of spending the whole day there. Every visit to the Zoo was a memorable one. I, especially, used to love seeing the big cats, the monkeys and the birds. We wouldn’t mind waiting for long, just to get a glimpse of the lions or the tigers, as sometimes they used to be inside their shelters. When the mighty cats used to come out, we used to see them with utter amazement. In fact, I was lucky enough to take my son to the same zoo when he was just three years old in the year 2002. On that day, two cubs: a lion and a tiger had arrived that day. They had just arrived and were left in the open for a few minutes. On that day, the visitors were given the unique opportunity to touch and play with these cubs. We were lucky enough to have visited the zoo on that day. This moment is an unforgettable one, and I would cherish it for a very long time. We are now looking forward to many such memorable moments in the new Dubai Safari too.
From Ms Sujatha Dhilipkumar
Dubai
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