ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)

Al Ain Zoo has witnessed 575 births from January to November 2023, topped by ungulates, as a result of the natural breeding programmes to preserve endangered species and care for them with the highest standards of health.

Mohammad Yousef Al Faqeer, Acting General Curator at Al Ain Zoo, said: "We maintain a balanced pace of births, consistent with international breeding standards and best practices in terms of setting priorities and targets, and choosing appropriate methods and techniques such as health status, genetic diversity and the ability of animals to adapt and coexist with natural conditions in the wild, taking into account the degree of threat of extinction, as endangered animals constitute 30 per cent of the zoo’s population."

In practice, the zoo applies scientific procedures and methods to improve the quality of its breeding programmes. For example, the veterinary team conducts comprehensive periodic examinations of all animals in the zoo in terms of biochemistry, haematology, microbiology, anatomy, molecular biology and genetics, and full body tests.

These tests help veterinarians protect the animals from diseases and enable us to provide all their needs. In the field of reproduction in particular, the zoo is introducing new bloodlines to some of the species to increase genetic assets and genetic diversity, which reflects positively on their general condition and their ability to coexist and reproduce.

Al Ain Zoo’s animal care team provide full care for all species in its care, ensuring the wellbeing and health of different species and the consistent nature of their habitats by monitoring and responding to the needs of different animals, studying their behaviour, and solving any health problems and rehabilitating them. The animal care team are constantly searching for ways to enhance the quality of life of their animals and providing a safe and diverse environment that helps them reproduce and grow naturally.