Dubai Zoo: Nuisance animals given by public are put to sleep in humane way

Dubai Zoo today announced that it had released some animals to their natural environment be that in desert, hills or coastal areas handed over to it by the public.

But some of the animals which are nuisance for the public and could create problems for the members of the public are accepted not to keep them alive and exhibit in the zoo but to put them to sleep in a humane way.

Dr. Reza khan, Specialist, Wildlife and Zoo Management, Public Parks and Horticulture Department of Dubai Municipality, said recently a Dubai resident found an indigenous snake, Hissing Sand Snake or Schokari Sand Racer (Psammophis schokari) captured it and handed over to the zoo for its up keeping.

“Dubai Zoo often receives animals as gifts from the members of the public. Sometimes such animals could come from various authorities like the police, customs and even sections within the Dubai Municipality, to which Dubai Zoo belongs or from the Federal Ministry of Water and Environment which often confiscates animals from various airports either because of lack of proper legal papers or because the entry of these animals are banned in the UAE,” he further said.

In a press statement, Dubai Zoo said it deals with such new arrivals in three separate courses:

1. If the zoo needs such an animal [or animals] it will keep it, mainly to make pairs for the existing singletons.

2. When such animals could be of public nuisance or could create problems for the members of the public then zoo accepts such animal not to keep it alive and exhibit the same in the zoo but to put it to sleep in a humane way so that there is no health and safety issues for the public.

3. All UAE animals are accepted as either these could be kept and bred in the zoo for the students and other visitors to enjoy and gain knowledge on the local fauna or because zoo specialists will release back such animals to the proper UAE nature.

“Dubai Zoo has started sending back confiscated or zoo-bred indigenous animals to the UAE nature from as far back as in 1991,” Reza added. 

Most successful release is being the ringed and release of Dubai Zoo bred 16 Greater Flamingo and 50 Socotra Cormorant to the Dubai Creek to mark the 42nd national Day during November 2012.