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Arabia's Wildlife Centre Arabia's wildlife centre

Discussion in 'United Arab Emirates' started by devilfish, 13 Jan 2012.

  1. Jackwow

    Jackwow Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    I'm sure it is but as I said in my original post it might be difficult to find the time. I'm only in town Thursday and Friday and my time on Thursday is already committed and on Friday the place is only open for 2 or 3 hours in the afternoon. If I could photograph the animals then I would make a big effort to get there but as I can't I'm less inclined. And to think I lived in Dubai for 13 years (99-12) and never knew the place existed?! :(
     
  2. Jackwow

    Jackwow Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    What reason did you give them to be allowed? Wasn't it a bit odd, you being the only visitor taking pics, you must have got a few looks.
     
  3. TeaLovingDave

    TeaLovingDave Moderator Staff Member 10+ year member

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    This could well be both cynical and incorrect, but being as the stated reason for the photography ban is - as I recall - to prevent aggression caused in the past by men being offended their wives were at risk of being inadvertently photographed, it may have helped Devilfish's case that being of Egyptian origin, he *might* have been deemed less offensive than another Western visitor would have been?

    The real pity as far as you are concerned, Jackwow, is that this policy has only been in place for a handful of years - as such, had you been aware of the collection when living in Dubai the issue might not have even come up for the majority of your time there :(
     
  4. Shirokuma

    Shirokuma Well-Known Member

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    Sorry, to clarify I meant why is photography not allowed.
     
  5. TeaLovingDave

    TeaLovingDave Moderator Staff Member 10+ year member

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    I've answered your question in the post directly above - for ease of use I've quoted the relevant portion of the post below.

     
  6. Nisha

    Nisha Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  7. devilfish

    devilfish Well-Known Member

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    Sorry, just saw this. I didn't give very good reasons but repeated that I desired to
    Photograph the animals, given my interests. A phone call would have also helped but once I was there, they eventually permitted it.
     
  8. devilfish

    devilfish Well-Known Member

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    Good memory TLD. I think I posted a more detailed account of my experiences on one of the photos, perhaps one of the leopard on display?
    As with others on the forum who were allowed to take photos, I was given a badge to wear.
     
  9. devilfish

    devilfish Well-Known Member

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    Excellent news but this is a different place. Al Bustan is a private zoo down the road from Arabia's Wildlife Centre (and the Desert Park/Breeding Centre complex). I'll try to dig up a fascinating recent Youtube clip.
     
  10. TeaLovingDave

    TeaLovingDave Moderator Staff Member 10+ year member

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    And for all the many, many species I would love to see at Arabia's Wildlife Centre, I would trade them all for a chance to get into Al Bustan to see their Marbled Cats :p
     
  11. vogelcommando

    vogelcommando Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  12. Nisha

    Nisha Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Bit of news that seem's to have been missed - Sharjah now houses Black Rhino, a male arrived from Zurich back in March
     
  13. Arizona Docent

    Arizona Docent Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Me too!

    As for Arabian leopard breeding program (mentioned earlier), the latest issue of IUCN Cat News has an opinion piece on the situation. A large percentage of genetically important individuals are in Yemen and are not connected to the official breeding program at places like Arabia Centre and Al Bustan. Recent strife in Yemen has caused a few Yemen specimens to starve to death and the opinion piece strongly urges the connecting of the Yemen individuals to the main captive breeding population.
     
  14. MortenJ

    MortenJ Member

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    I find it very funny that camera's are banned but cellphones are not sounds like going to concert that have same rule alot video's is on youtube
    Al Ain zoo looks like not banned cameras
    I try to email them but no reply yet
    still not many that have arab cobra,Oman carpet Viper,Arab Leopard
     
  15. MortenJ

    MortenJ Member

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  16. animalszoos

    animalszoos Well-Known Member

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    I visited the collection a few days ago and it is interesting to see that the species list has not changed much in 9 years. The blind cave fish, Arabian hares and Jackal are absent. The mongoose exhibit between caracal and sand cat enclosures was under rennovation and was labelled 'striped mongoose' which I am guessing refers to banded mongoose (which they would have replaced the Indian grey mongoose with).

    The collection is still fantastic and the amount of Arabian wildlife is phemonenal. It is a shame it is not well known or frequently visited. With the new Dubai safari park and proposed Sharjah safari park with larger, generic species, Arabia's Wildlife Centre will likely become less popular.
     
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  17. Rayane

    Rayane Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Did you manage to see any of the eight Sandgrouse species they keep?
     
  18. Erwino1991

    Erwino1991 New Member

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    I visited this centre last December and didn't see any Sandgrouse :(