Al Ain Zoo Al Ain Zoo

Wondering is this zoo worth a visit?
Have these projects been completed?
 
The Al Ain Zoo is one of 5 ZTL collections with an Asian houbara
One of 4 with an Arabian sand boa
One of 3 with an Arabian leopard, a Schokari sand racer, white-bellied bustard, grey francolin, Leptians spiny-tailed lizard and an Arabian tahr
One of 2 with a Laristan mouflon, black-faced impala and Nubian red-necked gazelle
And the only one with a Saharan Barbary sheep, dama gazelle (nominate subspecies), buff-crested bustard and fringe-eared oryx
 
Laristan mouflon and nominate dama gazelles are off exhibit, saw them in Ferbruary. No sign of black faced impala.
 
Jakub said:
Confirmed by a curator. Look at the gallery on my picture..
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That's why I deleted my comment. While the individual on your picture DOES look like a Nanger dama dama, I still have doubts about the accuracy of the facts stated both by the zoo and apparently the curator.

Unfortunately I have little to back my doubts up as I can't find the paper I read on the Nanger dama situation. As far as I remember, Nanger dama dama are restricted to two small areas and there are even doubts about the nominate subspecies value.
For this particular reason, an experiment was made using Al Ain stock (and was still on-going at the time of my reading I believe) : crossbreeding the two different subspecies available in captivity (ruficolis and mhorr) to check the viability of the nominate subspecies, with the hypothesis of it being only the result of natural inbreeding of the two other subspecies in the small area known to be home to Nanger dama dama. The paper I read didn't give any strict answer as the experiment was still conducted.

So my question is the following and I doubt anyone has the answer here : are the Nanger dama dama from Al Ain true imported ones or are they the result of the experiment, and therefore only potentiel "dubious" "Nanger dama dama" as the hypothesis hasn't been cleared yet ?
I would be quite schocked if they actually managed to import true Nanger dama dama from the wild. With so little individuals left, it wouldn't make sense especially considering the high risk of such mission.

I hope I remember correctly all that I read, I shall share the paper if I find it.
 
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zooman said:
Wondering is this zoo worth a visit?
Have these projects been completed?
Click to expand...
It depends.
Compared with other zoos in UAE or middle east in general: yes, it is worth. It is a nice zoo with big enclosures.

Compared with zoos outside: I think it doesn't really have an important collection but it is always interesting to visit zoos in other countries!
 
Tim Brown said:
I you`re coming from Australia probably not...if you`re in the UAE definitely so.
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Stop over on my way to London. Abu Dhabi Sea World reason for UAE visit.
 
I found this interesting video presentation regarding the elephant program at Al Ain, focusing on the physical and psychological wellness of elephants in human care.
1.0 Jabali (WiLD × Unknown) 2011.00.00
1.0 Epesi (WILD × Zulu) 2017.00.00
0.1 Zulu (WILD × WILD) 1985.00.00
0.1 Masego (WILD × WILD) 00.00.00
0.1 Abrish (WILD × Zulu) 00.00.00
0.1 Bahati (WILD × Mageso) 2023.00.00
0.0.1 Unknown (WILD × WILD) 00.00.00
0.0.1 Unknown (WILD × WILD) 00.00.00
0.0.1 Unknown (WILD × WILD) 00.00.00
Elephant Habitats: Active Lifestyles and Species-Specific Habitat Design | Association of Zoos and Aquariums
 
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