If you haven’t been, now is the time to check out the Al Ain Wildlife Park and Resort, a cool spot for hot summer nights.

Written by Laura Fulton

If you thought the days of visiting animals in their natural habitats were gone till October, think again. The Al Ain Wildlife Park and Resort is hosting a unique season of wild summer nights which you simply should not miss.

Approaching the entrance at the easy to find park (just follow the brown tourist signs) the welcoming waterfall is almost enough to make you forget the heat, even so close to sunset. The animal action begins right away as you’re greeted by a live ball python and a blinking owl which kids can touch and see up close. You can wander at will or save your legs and tour by buggy.

Sure it’s hot, but as the sun begins to wane in the late afternoon, the endangered white lions on loan from South Africa are beginning to wake from their afternoon siesta –two-year-old siblings Sanbona and his sister Shamwari happily frolic on the rocks, despite the warm weather.

Grab a guide on your way in to check out feeding times and shows, like the feeding of the endangered Arabian Oryx at 6pm or the feeding of the giraffes, zebras, wildebeests and gazelles in their Serengeti setting. As they would in the wild, the animals move slowly in the late afternoon sun – anyone worried about their welfare should know that they have been given plenty of space and that animals often live longer in captivity without natural predators, sickness or the destruction of their natural habitat.

 

Want proof that these are well-adjusted animals? Just check out the matronly gorilla, who may even deign to peer at you through her ground level window. She still loves to pick up a quick – or more like a slow – game of basketball, in spite of her age, and see eye to eye with little ones who come to visit her.

If the heat gets to be too much, head over to the darkened nocturnal room to see the adorable Arabian rodents like the jarboa and jird, the hedgehog and the long-tailed night monkey. The six month old sand cat kitten who was born via in vitro fertilization in December also lives in her nocturnal desert habitat, and there are high hopes that more sand cats will be born thanks to IVF within the next few months. Senior keeper Mahra al Shamsi recalls the night this kitten was born – she was born during a big rain – apparently a good sign.

 

After a browse through the dim night habitat, the outdoor heat isn’t so harsh. And there’s still plenty to see, like the gorgeous pair of playful cheetahs resting in the grass, the wide variety of birds in the large outdoor enclosures including vultures and peacocks, the monkeys climbing on the elaborate jungle gym and the crocodiles lounging in green water. With new exhibits opening all the time, there’s plenty to see and do at Al Ain Wildlife Park and Resort.

As always, the fascination of the reptile house never fails to appeal – motionless lizards almost seem unreal until the green iguana [whoops!] a questioning eye. Fat bellied pythons register high on the gross-out scale, and kids peel their eyes to spot the motionless red-tailed boas. Outside, spry turtles soak up the attention, while inquisitive meerkats scurry about under the watchful eye of the sentry who constantly stands to attention atop the highest rock on the lookout.

When you’re ready for another quick cool off, take a stroll through the bird enclosure, where birds fly free overhead and wombats waddle through the sand underfoot. A “door” of thick hanging ropes prevents birds from escaping while warm weather penguins enjoying a swim alongside the glass so kids can see them in action under water and leap for fish as the keeper tosses them dinner from a bucket.

Summer or not, the temperature outside is fine once the sun goes down – you can go before sunset for a better view of the animals, but lights make night time viewing enjoyable after dark. There’s enough to keep even little ones interested for hours, and with a restaurant on site and plenty of picnic areas, you can plan to stay for the duration.

 

Be sure to catch the birds of prey exhibit, a demonstration of different types of raptors including huge kestrels, gorgeous hunting falcons and mysterious silent owls swooping to show how they would catch food in the traditional way.

Looking for a really fun night out? Wednesday is family day with movies for the kids plus a play area, henna and face painting.

But the real show stopper – the dinosaur exhibit – is open every day. The 24 lifelike mechanized dinosaurs, with their authentic sounds and long teeth, are realistic enough to entertain little ones and intrigue big ones. This informative exhibit is more than a little spooky, especially after dark. On loan from Dallas, Texas, this collection of cleverly created dinosaurs has been around the world, but they’re only here in Al Ain till September – you won’t want to miss it.

Times and prices
The park is open from 4pm to midnight every day excluding Friday when the doors open at 10am and stay open till midnight.

To visit the park only, adults pay AED 15, AED 15 for the dinosaur exhibit only or a combo of the two (highly recommended) for a meagre AED 25. Children aged 3 to 12 can see the park for AED 5 or pay AED 15 for the dinosaur exhibit and see everything. Children aged two and under go free.