AL AIN : The Al Ain Zoo participates in a number of global programs that aim to protect threatened species, including the Bengal tiger, which is endangered under the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s classification system. Currently, only about 3,800 of these tigers remain in the wild.
The Al Ain Zoo received its first Bengal tiger in 1996 and began providing care, running protection programs, and acting as an ambassador for the tigers. The zoo currently has two white male tigers. As all white tigers have disappeared from the wild, many zoos worldwide are seeking to protect and conserve these tigers in captivity.
To celebrate International Tiger Day on July 29, 2020, Al Ain Zoo is highlighting its global efforts to protect the white Bengal tiger through educating the community about the importance of these tigers and the threats they face, which have decreased their numbers in the wild to the point of extinction. The Al Ain Zoo participates with strategic partners and international organizations to implement breeding programs that seek to increase this species, improve their genetic origins, and support research and field conservation programs.
In this context, the Al Ain Zoo has joined the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) and has since played an important and active role in the breeding process through breeding programs, genealogical records, information exchange, and research.