Dubai/UAE: Safari Park to Open in 2016

In 2012, the construction works for Dubai’s new zoo Safari Park have started. As the Dubai Municipality recently announced, the zoo is expected to open in mid-2016. Situated at the locality of Al Warqaa in Dubai, Safari Park will replace the current 1.5 hectare zoo at Jumeirah Beach Road with all animals being relocated to the new space. The park will be home to nearly 1,000 animals from all over the world, including 350 rare and endangered species. As Hanan Hassan Al Aradi, an official at the Dubai Municipality, explains, the Safari Park’s design is based on the world’s best zoos. “A team of specialists visited a number of the world’s best and important zoos, such as those in Indonesia, Singapore, Austria, Germany and the San Diego Zoo. It is important to note that we did not only use their best practices but also adapted them to suit the needs of Dubai”, Al Aradi says.

Covering an area of 119 hectares, the new zoo will comprise several themed lands such as Arabian, Asian and African villages. The landscape will feature 2,500 trees and 100 different kinds of plants, each related to the area’s theme. Further Safari Park attractions will include a golf course, a botanical garden, a butterfly garden and restaurants. The zoo will use environmentally-friendly systems and solar energy. The project’s investment volume amounts to 150 million AED (37.6 million Euros). (eap)