Baby giraffes reared at Al Ain Zoo to be rehomed in safari park

The young Rothschild giraffes are on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s endangered red list

Al Ain Zoo to release new born Rothschild’s Giraffes in Al Ain Safari. Photo: Al Ain Zoo

Two newborn giraffes reared at Al Ain Zoo will be rehomed in the emirate's safari park near Jebel Hafeet.

The animals will join 12 other giraffes in the 217-hectare park under its conservation programme.

The young Rothschild giraffes, a sub-species of the Northern Giraffe, are on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s endangered red list.

Giraffes can live up to 25 years but are considered vulnerable with numbers estimated to have dropped to fewer than 100,000 wild animals worldwide.

Specialists at the zoo helped rear the newborns to develop a strong connection with their mothers and other giraffes.

They were initially kept with their mothers, separate from other giraffes and African animals in the safari.

Just a few months after their birth, the youngsters were weaned and ready to eat alongside their mothers.

Then they received help in learning to feed independently by being introduced to different types of food by their animal care specialists.

When the weather began to cool, the zoo started to gradually introduce them to the rest of the group.

Al Ain Zoo sponsors several species conservation programmes around the world in collaboration with other scientific bodies, zoos and governments.

Perth Zoo's female giraffe Kitoto and her calf. Courtesy: Getty

It conducts research on the conservation, breeding and preservation of multiple endangered species, and returns some to their natural habitats.

The centre is home to about 4,000 animals, with more than 200 species.

Southern white rhinos have also been at the zoo since 2008 under its conservation programme.

Worldwide, numbers of the near-threatened animals are a major success story, making a comeback in recent years with populations swelling to about 21,000.

At Al Ain Zoo, there is a group of 11 rhinos – five males and six females – inside dedicated animal exhibit zones that replicate their natural African habitat.

Al Ain Safari - in pictures

Tickets for the safari experience cost Dh200 for a seat on a vehicle that allows great views of the animals.

Alternatively, Nissan Patrol 4x4s, seating six passengers, can be rented for private trips at a cost of Dh1,000 per vehicle. A full circuit of the safari area will take between 45 minutes and an hour.

The safari extends over 217 hectares – the size of 304 football pitches.

The safari is not just home to Arabian and African animals, such as the scimitar oryx, springbok, eland, blesbok, giraffe, zebra and lion, but also to 38 native and African plants.

Looking out the windows of the tour vehicle, seeing only wild animals among grass and sand, with mountains in the distance, it is easy to forget that this is in the heart of a modern city.

“The experience will be unique, being driven entirely by Emirati tour guides. This will emphasise local traditions and warm hospitality, drawing on an unrivalled passion for the UAE’s proud heritage,” Al Ain Zoo director general Ghanim Al Hajeri says.

From Wednesday, nature and animal lovers will no longer have to travel thousands of kilometres to experience an African safari.

Many more species will be introduced, including crocodiles and hippos, housed in an enclosure that makes it possible to view them both above and under the water, says Al Ain Zoo safari manager Luke Brown, from Zimbabwe.

Zebra are one of many wild animals that visitors to Al Ain Safari at Al Ain Zoo will be able to admire. The safari park extends over 217 hectares, with more than 250 animals roaming freely. Mona Al Marzooqi / The National