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Dubai's wildlife legend who lived in zoo, cared for gorillas and lions retires after 35 years

He recalls how their giraffe used to serve as a local landmark for locals — and why they once had to put down 300 venomous cobras

Dubai's beloved wildlife expert Reza Khan has retired from the city's municipality, marking the end of a 35-year career that established him as one of the most respected figures in wildlife conservation in the UAE. His retirement last week concludes a journey filled with authored books, conservation efforts, and countless memorable stories from his time at the Dubai Zoo in Jumeirah.

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At 78 years old, Khan had officially retired in 2019 but was granted an extension as the principal wildlife conservationist at Dubai's Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve, also known as Al Qudra Lake.

For decades, he has been the go-to person for amateur wildlife enthusiasts, residents, journalists, and government officials seeking guidance in identifying wildlife across the UAE. His expertise spans an impressive array of species, many of which he was the first to document in the region.

“I’ve always believed that nature has a story to tell if you’re willing to listen,” said Khan, reflecting on his work.

He is known for being the first to document sightings of rare wildlife species in the UAE and has authored several books, including one on Dubai Zoo and a pictorial guide to the birds of the Emirates.

His works are filled with photographs he captured himself, often using his trusted DSLR camera and a massive 500mm lens.

A journey that began in Al Ain

While the now-closed Dubai Zoo became synonymous with his name, it wasn’t Khan's first job in the UAE. His journey began in 1983 at Al Ain Zoo, where he joined as the curator of birds and primates.

Originally from Bangladesh, he was an assistant professor of zoology at Dhaka University when he moved to the UAE. Frustrated after being passed over for a promotion, he left his homeland and landed in Abu Dhabi just one day before his work permit was set to expire.

Renowned ornithologist Salim Ali, who had visited Abu Dhabi in the early 1980s, recommended him for the position, and Al Ain Zoo chose Khan from a shortlist of three candidates.

“I still remember that day vividly. It was December 14, and there was a Toyota pickup waiting for me at the airport,” Khan recalled. “It was my first time outside Bangladesh, and I had no idea what to expect.” A few weeks later, his family joined him.

In those early days, Khan lived within the zoo grounds, a fact that amazed and confused his children’s schoolteachers. “When my kids told their teachers that they lived in the zoo, the teachers thought they were making it up,” he shared with a laugh.

In June 1989, Khan took the reins at Dubai Zoo, succeeding its founder, Austrian engineer Otto J. Bullart, who had transitioned to Al Ain Zoo. He resided in a six-bedroom villa within the zoo's grounds, mirroring his living arrangements at Al Ain.

Bullart, deeply passionate about wildlife, was personally selected by Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum to oversee the zoo until it was taken over by the Dubai Municipality in 1971. Situated on a two-hectare plot in Jumeirah, the zoo opened its doors in 1967, establishing itself as one of Dubai's iconic institutions before closing in November 2017. “Not many people realise that it was the second-oldest zoo in the (Middle East and North Africa) region, following Egypt’s Giza Zoo,” Khan said.

In its early days, the entry fee was just Dh1, with visiting hours from 10am to 12pm and then from 4pm to 6pm. “The zoo was closed on Tuesdays and Saturdays, but even when open, visitors rarely saw many animals due to barricades on three sides of the enclosures. The only visible animal was a giraffe, whose long neck served as a landmark for locals. Directions were often given in reference to the giraffe, with people saying, “Turn left 200 meters from the giraffe's neck or follow the road down.”

Tragically, the giraffe passed away in 1992, revealing a 7kg stone in her stomach filled with assorted debris, including plastic, metal, and even hair ribbons. “In those days, people fed animals whatever they wanted,” Khan lamented. “They didn't understand the consequences of their actions, and it cost the giraffe her life.”

Khan also recalled the challenges he faced in his role. “Every day, we received supplies of chicken, fruits, and finger buns for the animals. The animal keepers claimed first dibs on these items, and it was hard to blame them since there were no food options for miles. To address this, I arranged for a canteen for the keepers and persuaded Dubai Municipality to ban the finger buns, explaining they were meant for human consumption, not animals,” he chuckled. The job description he crafted for the animal keepers, who were initially referred to as labourers, remains in use today.

“Budget constraints were a constant challenge,” Khan explained. “For many years, our maintenance budget was a meagre Dh80,000. So we often had to get creative — borrowing leftover materials from construction sites or coordinating with other departments to get the work done. When we needed a cage, we built one with whatever we had available.”

Khan reflected on the location of the zoo. “It was situated right on the bend of a road, which posed a constant risk of speeding vehicles crashing into it. I remember one incident when a heavy truck did crash into the zoo, so I coordinated with the road department to construct a 3ft-tall concrete bollard on the pavements to prevent such accidents. Those bollards can still be spotted while driving along Jumeirah Road.”

Zoo's most beloved resident

Khan recounted how every confiscated animal ended up in the zoo, sharing a particularly memorable story: “Take the gorilla, for instance, whom I named Digit after the movie Gorillas in the Mist. It was seized in 1997. The smugglers had kept it with a chimpanzee in a 1sqm box. When we opened it, we found them huddled together in fear. We provided them with a hot water bottle and treated them with antibiotics. The gorilla went on to become the zoo’s most beloved resident. We built its cage using 16mm rods and installed an air-conditioning unit to ensure it was comfortable.”

In 2000, they acquired a female gorilla who had been smuggled in a fish basket. Despite her small size, the two gorillas quickly became friends after their introduction. However, not all stories of confiscated animals had happy endings. Khan recalled being given 800 baby parrots: “We couldn’t keep a single one of them; all of them died,” he said, reflecting on the heartbreaking reality of wildlife trafficking.

On another occasion, the zoo had to take in 300 venomous snakes, including four King Cobras, all of which had to be euthanised due to the lack of antivenom for cobras, kraits, and king cobras in the region.

Dr. Khan said that although he has retired, he has no plans to hang up his boots or settle down at home just yet. “I have a deep passion for documenting nature, and that will always be a part of me,” he said. “Dubai is my home, and it’s where my children and six grandchildren are, so I’ll continue to explore and share the wonders of the natural world for as long as I can.”

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