Plans to have animals at the new Dubai Safari perform live tricks, such as juggling, have been described as “appalling” and a “huge step backwards” by a leading animal rights group.
Last week, Dubai Municipality announced plans for the “interactive animal shows” at Dubai Safari when it opens later this year.
“Many more animals from around the world will be re-homed at the new site…. They will do different kinds of tricks, like juggling and such,” Naseem Kalliyil Mangat, media officer at Dubai Municipality, was quoted as saying by 7DAYS newspaper, which added that the shows would include birds, monkeys and other animals.
The animals, currently housed in the former Dubai Zoo, will move to the safari-style 119-hectare project being built in Al Warqa.
While campaigners from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) welcomed the closing of the old Dubai Zoo, which they campaigned against in June 2010, they hit out at plans outlined by management of Dubai Safari.
“That’s appalling. Actually China banned animal performances at zoos several years ago. It’s great that the animals are being moved from the disgusting current zoo, but having animal performances is a huge step backwards,” Ashley Fruno, PETA’s regional campaigner for the Middle East and Asia, told Arabian Business.
The new Dubai Safari project will be nearly 80 times bigger than the former Dubai Zoo, which opened in 1967. The new facility will house around 1,000 animals and is set to open by the end of the year.
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