The Dubai Crocodile Park is home to 250 Nile crocodiles. Photo: Dubai Crocodile Park
The Dubai Crocodile Park is home to 250 Nile crocodiles. Photo: Dubai Crocodile Park
The Dubai Crocodile Park is home to 250 Nile crocodiles. Photo: Dubai Crocodile Park
The Dubai Crocodile Park is home to 250 Nile crocodiles. Photo: Dubai Crocodile Park

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Crocodile Park and Dolphin Bay — Dubai's two new animal adventures

The attractions vow to put education and wildlife welfare at the forefront

One Carlo Diaz

April 13, 2023

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  • Arabic

Animal lovers in the UAE have two new ways to get closer to wildlife — kayaking with dolphins and learning how to care for a crocodile.

Dolphin Bay at Atlantis The Palm launched three no-contact dolphin programmes on Thursday.

They allow guests to kayak with dolphins, paddle with them or join them in their daily morning routine alongside a marine mammal specialist. There is no contact between visitors and the animals, which moves away from some dolphin shows.

Kayak with dolphins at Aquaventure Waterpark. Photo: Atlantis
Kayak with dolphins at Aquaventure Waterpark. Photo: Atlantis

Dolphin Bay, which is part of Aquaventure Waterpark, is home to Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, and also houses an aquarium and sea lion park.

Dubai Crocodile Park

Elsewhere, the Dubai Crocodile Park is opening in Mushrif Park on Tuesday.

It is home to 250 Nile crocodiles of all ages, from babies to adults. A statement released by park authorities said the 20,000-square-metre facility is designed “to create an optimal environment” for the resident animals year-round.

Nile crocodiles are native to freshwater habitats in Africa. They can reach a maximum size of about six metres and can weigh up to 750kg. They are also known as one of the most aggressive predators.

“Since the crocs moved into our facility, we've had babies hatch, which is the ultimate proof of the animals thriving,” says Tarryn Clare, the exhibit curator of the park. Welfare and education, she adds, will be the main focus of the park.

Dubai Crocodile Park opens soon. Photo: Dubai Crocodile Park
Dubai Crocodile Park opens soon. Photo: Dubai Crocodile Park

The venue is also home to a natural history museum, an African lake-themed aquarium and outdoor landscaped areas. There will also be dining outlets around the venue.

Visitors can learn more about the reptile and observe them up close, whether they are walking on land or swimming underwater. Information panels will be set up along the walking path, and the park can also curate sessions for school trips to share the educational aspect of crocodile care.

Dolphin Bay: open daily from 10am to sunset; Dh250 per person; atlantis.com. Dubai Crocodile Park: from April 18; 10am to 10pm; Dh95 per adult and Dh75 per child; dubaicrocodilepark.com

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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

ESSENTIALS

The flights 
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Where to stay 
Trips on the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian cost from US$16,995 (Dh62,414) per person, based on two sharing.

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The past Palme d'Or winners

2018 Shoplifters, Hirokazu Kore-eda

2017 The Square, Ruben Ostlund

2016 I, Daniel Blake, Ken Loach

2015 Dheepan, Jacques Audiard

2014 Winter Sleep (Kış Uykusu), Nuri Bilge Ceylan

2013 Blue is the Warmest Colour (La Vie d'Adèle: Chapitres 1 et 2), Abdellatif Kechiche, Adele Exarchopoulos and Lea Seydoux

2012 Amour, Michael Haneke

2011 The Tree of Life, Terrence Malick

2010 Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Lung Bunmi Raluek Chat), Apichatpong Weerasethakul

2009 The White Ribbon (Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte), Michael Haneke

2008 The Class (Entre les murs), Laurent Cantet

While you're here
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE

Estijaba – 8001717 –  number to call to request coronavirus testing

Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111

Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre

Emirates airline – 600555555

Etihad Airways – 600555666

Ambulance – 998

Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries

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Company Profile

Company name: NutriCal

Started: 2019

Founder: Soniya Ashar

Based: Dubai

Industry: Food Technology

Initial investment: Self-funded undisclosed amount

Future plan: Looking to raise fresh capital and expand in Saudi Arabia

Total Clients: Over 50

While you're here
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Whiile you're here
Results
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So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?

Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
 

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Dragons
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Bahrain
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Racecard
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    Always check the weather forecast before setting off Make sure you have plenty of water Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon Wear appropriate clothing and footwear Take your litter home with you
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What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

Updated: April 13, 2023, 8:49 AM
Dubai