Dubai Zoo is located near Jumeira Road,established in 1967, and the management of Dubai zoo was taken over by the Dubai Municipality.From May 1986 to May 1989, a part of the Zoo was redesigned and rebuilt. From June 1989 to the present there is constant re-designing and renovation. Rashid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, the late Ruler of Dubai,ordered to build the Zoo on a two hectare]] plot in Jumeirah.During the first couple of years of its existence, the Dubai Zoo housed only a few animals like the big cats, monkeys and hoofed-animals. There was also a small acquarium with some fishes and [[[reptiles]], after the re-development in 1986 to 1989 Dubai zoo houses approximately 268 mammals, 532 birds, 359 reptile and 50 fish and 230 animal species,such as Barbary sheep, Bengal, Siberian Tigers, Arabian wolves, Socotra Cormorants and gorillas.Dubai zoo is cosidered to be the oldest zoo in Arabian Peninsula.The zoo's modern facilities though small, house many Arabian species, including the Arabian Wolf, which is no longer found in the wild, Gordon's Wildcat and the world's only captive breeding colony of Socotra Cormorants.The Arabian species in the zoo include gazelle, caracal, foxes, wolves, hyaena, wild cat, flamingo, cormorant, herons, gulls, eagles, buzzards, vultures, snakes, skunks and lizards.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. Dubai zoo remain open from 10am - 6pm daily, while 10 am to 5:30 pm during winters.
New Dubai zoo edit
Dubai Municipality is planning to build a new zoo near Mushrif Park at a estimated cost of USD 55.6 million.The project is expected to be completed in 2008. The first phase of the project will involve a zoo with the area of around 50 hectares. It will also include car parking over 15.5 hectares. The new project will include a botanical garden. The project has been divided into two phases.The first phase involves basic mobilisation works while the second phase will include construction activities for the zoo and the botanical garden.The zoo's administration block will have a total area of 8.7 hectors, while the delivery area for small animals is 12.4 hectors, delivery area for big animals 7.2 hectors, Safari park 108 hectors, night zoo, camels area 60 hectors, falcon area 50 hectors, science section and the museum 17 hectors, while 150 hectors will be kept for future provisions.