AL AIN, (Pakistan Point News - 14th May, 2020) In celebration of Endangered Species Day, which is marked on 15th May, Al Ain Zoo has revealed some of its achievements in preserving wildlife and its role in championing the UAE as a global supporter of nature conservation and biological diversity.
Since its establishment 52 years, Al Ain Zoo began its efforts with the conservation of the Arabian oryx in 1968, under the guidance of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the first environmental leader in UAE in preserving wildlife, the Zoo said in a statement.
Today, the Zoo houses 4,000 animals, 30 percent of which are threatened with extinction and have been placed in breeding programmes to increase their numbers and preserve their genetic origins and diversity.
The Zoo’s efforts continue in breeding and caring for rare endangered species with a high-risk of extinction, such as the Dama Gazelle, Addax, Arabian oryx, Arabian Sand Cats, Scimitar-horned Oryx and the Arabian Tahrs.
"Some of these are close to extinction, and others are permanently extinct from the wild as a result of human practices, such as illegal trade, urban expansion, and poaching. The Zoo also works with partners to carry out research and conserve endangered species in their natural habitat in the wild," the statement said.
According to statistics released by Al Ain Zoo in 2019, the number of animal births at the park reached 1,086, 448 of which are endangered species.
