AL AIN :Al Ain Zoo provides environmental, veterinary, and nutritional support program for the cheetahs that were confiscated recently by the UAE authorities while being smuggled across the UAE- Saudi border.
“We have taken advanced steps with confiscated cheetahs in terms of providing the adequate habitat and maintaining their natural behavior through physiological, mental, nutritional, and veterinary care—some of the most important means that we use for the well-being of animals in our zoo,” said Myyas Ahmed Al Quarqaz, General Curator at Al Ain Zoo.”
He added: “During 2019 we started an integrated animal training program that targeted, in its first stage, a number of selected species, foremost of which were cheetahs. The program aims to enhance the positive behavior of these species and facilitate the day-to-day work and developing their natural interactive behavior. In addition to the cheetahs, the program includes the African wild dogs, Humboldt’s penguins, gorillas, and Arabian wolves.”
“We worked to introduce the cheetahs with the other animals in the zoo and train them to get used to the presence of people. The cheetahs have been trained for a remarkable experience, the Cheetah Run, in which visitors watch the fastest land animal on the planet run at a speed of 120 km per hour with amazing power, and most importantly get to learn about their conservation status, threats in the wild, and the natural behavior and capabilities of these amazing animals.
In terms of nutritional care, Al Ain Zoo applies the highest standards of quality and safety. It has established special facilities for preparing, storing, and distributing food to meet the physiological and energy requirements of each animal, according to its age and activity levels. The zoo provides more than two hundred varieties of the finest types of vegetables, fruits, meat, herbs, and fodder.
As part of its veterinary program, Al Ain Zoo provides the necessary medical care for the cheetahs immediately after their confiscation. In addition to regular checks and vaccinations to maintain their health, the zoo placed the cheetahs in quarantine once received to make sure they are disease free and to protect staff and visitor safety.
Al Ain Zoo has announced a series of new projects as part of its mission to conserve nature; one of these upcoming projects is the Rescue Center, which is under construction and currently 63% complete. This project aims to provide shelter for rescued wild animals of various species. The Center can host up to 200 animals of different species, ranging from predators to large primates. The project will provide 24-hour animal care services under the supervision of a team of experts.