Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Abu Dhabi is now operational.
The 8,602-square-metre facility, the first to open outside the US, is an addition to SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, which is scheduled to open later this year.
The research centre was created with a focus on marine conservation and education, with the hopes of raising a new generation of conservationists and marine biologists in the UAE.
Describing it as the region's largest dedicated marine life centre, Mohamed Al Zaabi, chief executive of Miral, the property developer behind the project, says the site's key pillars are “research, rescue, rehabilitation and return”.
Collaborating with the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, the facility, with staff including scientists and veterinarians, will help with injured marine life in the region. People who spot an animal in distress can call 800 555 and depending on how severe the injury, it could be treated at the centre.
“Once we receive the call, we have all the equipment or vehicles ready to go to get those animals and bring them here,” Al Zaabi tells The National.
“We do what is needed to rescue at that time and return back to open water. I’m sure the centre will receive calls from other emirates and other countries to rescue.”
Dr Chris Dold, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment chief zoological officer, was also at the inauguration. He says the partnership between the two sides is promising because of the experience that staff from the US can bring over.
“The way our global network is going to work, we're figuring that out right now,” Dold tells The National.
“But what we have done is many of the people who are going to be working here on the rehabilitation side, that rescue side, have started their careers and had years, in some cases decades, working in our parks in the US, and so that bridging of expertise on behalf of rescue and rehabilitation is already here.”
While some SeaWorld sites in the US have been criticised over animal welfare concerns in the past, the focus in the UAE is on education and the transfer of knowledge.
The centre offers outreach programmes to "empower the UAE community to actively participate in conservation work", it states in its profile, and it has a 160-seat auditorium that can be used for events.
“We want to educate people about animal care, we want to get them to be more aware of marine life. So next time when they go for a fishing trip, before they throw plastic, they think twice,” says Al Zaabi.
“That's one of our goals we want to achieve. We want to raise the awareness of people living here in this country to be aware of animal care, and how we can be more careful about our marine life.”
Al Zaabi says the idea is for students, whether they are in nursery or PhD candidates, to become more knowledgeable when it comes to learning about sea creatures and the ocean. Only those invited or who make an appointment can visit the facility.
“We're very proud of bringing that knowledge to this region and hopefully [we will] transfer this knowledge to younger generations,” he says.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
The biog
Hobby: "It is not really a hobby but I am very curious person. I love reading and spend hours on research."
Favourite author: Malcom Gladwell
Favourite travel destination: "Antigua in the Caribbean because I have emotional attachment to it. It is where I got married."
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 0
Manchester City 2
Bernardo Silva 54', Sane 66'
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More on animal trafficking
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Rashford 36')
Liverpool 1 (Lallana 84')
Man of the match: Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
How to turn your property into a holiday home
- Ensure decoration and styling – and portal photography – quality is high to achieve maximum rates.
- Research equivalent Airbnb homes in your location to ensure competitiveness.
- Post on all relevant platforms to reach the widest audience; whether you let personally or via an agency know your potential guest profile – aiming for the wrong demographic may leave your property empty.
- Factor in costs when working out if holiday letting is beneficial. The annual DCTM fee runs from Dh370 for a one-bedroom flat to Dh1,200. Tourism tax is Dh10-15 per bedroom, per night.
- Check your management company has a physical office, a valid DTCM licence and is licencing your property and paying tourism taxes. For transparency, regularly view your booking calendar.
Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.