All I will say on the subject of my 2 dirham visit with free parking is that I'm grateful most of the animals have already been relocated to the new Safari Park with the rest to follow. However I am a little sad that animals are already being brought in from their natural habitats to fill the new Safari Park.
With the internet, apart from breeding and conservation programmes I really don't feel there's a need for Zoo's in this day and age other than for revenue and entertaining families. Also having lived in South Africa for 4 years and having camped on several occasions at Kruger National Park, I can safely say this is the last time I will be visiting a zoo and I will definitely NOT be visiting Dubai Safari when it opens.
I leave you with a couple of photo's from my visit and you can make up your own mind as to whether we need zoo's and safari parks in this day and age.
Please read this link about how and why Dubai Zoo was set up. All the animals were either confiscated by customs, including 2 Gorillas, or donated by residents who were keeping them in their homes. Yes people really do keep Lions in their homes in Dubai and they often escape.
They don't look like they have much space or interesting features to keep the animals happy and healthy.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn’t the biggest of zoos
DeleteOh I wasn't sure I even wanted to look at your photos as I hate zoos. I totally agree with your views and even have vowed that I wouldn't visit one ever again.
ReplyDeleteI'd rather wait until I can visit Kruger National Park :D
I was intrigued and at only 2 dirham entry 40p it’s not a lot of revenue to be raising
DeleteHi Suzanne, my sentiments exactly. Animals don't belong in zoos for our amusement, but I am all for conservation centers and breeding programs. We spent time in the Kruger National park and the Addo Elephant park and there is no comparison to a zoo.
ReplyDeletexx
I'm struggling with my conscience after a few years ago, petting some Lions at a nature reserve in South Africa, which I now know I was mislead about them being abandoned and hand reared to be be released into the wild, I now know they were being bred for either a) hunting or b) zoos
DeleteOh my goodness, those enclosures are so small! I think there is a place for zoos for conservation, but animals should never be kept in such small cages.
ReplyDeletethe zoo has obviously outgrown it's ability to look after these animals hence why they've built the new safari park for them, but having been to Kruger, I don't feel the need to visit another artificial enclosure
DeleteI think if managed right zoos are good but when small and the animals look unhappy then it's not right.
ReplyDeleteThank you for linking up
I think it's difficult to make an animal look happy, our dog is always accused of looking sad, but that's just how his face is
DeleteI am not a big fan of zoos, specially like you having been to Kruger and other places where you see the animals where they should be! I think conservation and breeding could be done SO much better than it is, still with small, cramped zoos! #mysundayphoto
ReplyDeletei'm not really a fan of safari parks outside of the natural habitat, not even the uk ones, they still have small enclosures, it's not right seeing a rhino anywhere in the uk either, regardless of how well it's looked after
DeleteWhat a shame the animals look so sad! I went to London Zoo a couple of years ago and the animals looked pretty comfortable but I would much, much rather them be in their own natural habitat! #MySundayPhoto
ReplyDeleteit's a difficult one, the more we go and visit the longer we will have places like this to visit
Deleteoh no they all look so confined it makes me feel so sad, I think there is a place for parks that host rescued animals if they have lots of space and a wonderful quality of life but taking them from the wild is disgraceful. I have to say I am not a fan of Zoo's either unless like I say they are rescuing and putting the animals above revenue x
ReplyDeletethis why the municipality have built the safari park, but it still makes me uncomfortable seeing animals outside of their natural habitat
DeleteI think most zoos nowadays do a great job for conservation. Shame this one seems so cramped.
ReplyDeleteit closes next week and most of the animals have already been moved to the new safari park
DeleteThis zoo looks awful! It looks so cramped and just sad. It is such a shame.
ReplyDeleteit is a small zoo that has outgrown it's space hence why they've built the new safari park
DeleteHow sad to read this,they need there space! X #mysundayphoto
ReplyDeletehopefully they'll have more space in the new safari park, but i still won't be visiting, this zoo closes its doors after 50 years next week
DeleteTotally agree with you. We've stopped going to zoos now and only really ever visit wildlife parks where they have much more room even then it depends on the place. Great photos! Looking forward to seeing tomorrow's! #mysundayphoto
ReplyDeleteHaving lived in SA and seeing the animals in their natural habitat i'm not even a fan of wildlife parks these days
DeleteOh those animals really don't look like they have enough space at all. Definitely agree that it is much better for animals to be in their own habitat where possible.
ReplyDeleteit sure is and it's nice they've built the safari park for them but sad they're bringing more animals to fill it
DeleteI must admit that I prefer safari Parks to zoos, as the animals have so much more space to roam around #animaltales@_karendennis
ReplyDeleteI'm not a fan of either, but if i had to choose it would be a safari park
DeleteVery mixed feelings about zoos - a well run zoo where the animals have ample space and are limited to those species that "adapt" well to an enclosed life does mean that people have the chance to get close to them and this will hopefully spark an interest in helping to preserve all species and their natural habitats. Other than that, then no - I am not some-one who likes zoos. #AnimalTales
ReplyDeletei'm ok with a zoo if it's for breeding purposes or endangered animals, but just for viewing purposes, then i'm not a fan
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