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Dubai to have one more zoo

DUBAI — Dubai Municipality has announced its plans to build a new zoo near Mushrif Park at a cost of Dh200 million.

Expected to be completed in January 2008, the first phase of the project will involve a zoo with the area of around 50 hectors. It will also include car parking over 15.5 hectors.

Qassim Sultan, Director-General of Dubai Municipality, said that the existing zoo in Jumeira will shift to the new location which will be designed as open zoos like Safari.

Apart from the zoo, the new project will also include a botanical garden. A group of specialists in designing zoos will undertake the zoo’s designing.

“The new Dubai Zoo has the potential to become a landmark attraction for national and international visitors. It will serve a major tourism and visitor education function for all of the UAE. This will be enhanced and supported by present trends towards eco-tourism and biodiversity conservation,” said Sultan.

Dubai Zoo attracts annually large number of visitors. In 2004 the number of visitors reached around 779,000 visitors. So far, 590,000 people have visited the zoo in 2005.

The project has been divided into two phases so as to accomplish it at a quick pace. The first phase involves basic mobilisation works while the second phase will include construction activities for the zoo and the botanical garden.