Outside a zoo, it should be nigh-on impossible to sight the sleek silhouette of a panther or the flick of a lemur's tail in the Middle East. Those thrilling sightings belong firmly in the wild or on a safari.
Yet as The National reported yesterday, border officials are seizing growing numbers of exotic animals as they step up the battle against traffickers. Despite stringent laws banning the sale of rare and endangered species as pets, many still hawk them.
After being bought, some creatures have subsequently escaped; footage of lions and cheetahs roaming residential areas inevitably go viral. But this is no trivial matter. Being kept as pets is stressful and potentially life-threatening for creatures which are used to the wild. Snatched from the freedom of their natural habitats, they can become anxious, sick or even violent, lashing out under duress.
Worldwide, the industry is worth up to $25 billion and is second only to drugs as an illegal trade. In 2010, Al Ain Zoo took in five young cheetahs discovered in a shipment at Dubai international airport; another 10 had tragically died in transit.
Wild animals do not adapt well to captivity because they require specific care, sustenance and climate control, which only zoos and licensed facilities are fit to provide. Quite apart from the health and safety risks to owners, keeping such creatures in captivity constitutes animal cruelty. In addition, the illicit trade feeds criminal networks in the UAE and across the globe. It is vital for authorities to enforce the law, be on maximum alert for misdemeanours and spread awareness of this issue.
That begins at airports and ports, where exotic animals are often found smuggled in suitcases or custom-made items of clothing, and ends with owners, who imperil their communities, the animals and themselves. The battle to combat the trade in rare animal products, like rhino horns and ivory, is more complex but no less sinister.
While they might make an impressive trophy, there is no justification for the cruelty of taking wildlife out of its natural habitat.
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
WHEN TO GO:
September to November or March to May; this is when visitors are most likely to see what they’ve come for.
WHERE TO STAY:
Meghauli Serai, A Taj Safari - Chitwan National Park resort (tajhotels.com) is a one-hour drive from Bharatpur Airport with stays costing from Dh1,396 per night, including taxes and breakfast. Return airport transfers cost from Dh661.
HOW TO GET THERE:
Etihad Airways regularly flies from Abu Dhabi to Kathmandu from around Dh1,500 per person return, including taxes. Buddha Air (buddhaair.com) and Yeti Airlines (yetiairlines.com) fly from Kathmandu to Bharatpur several times a day from about Dh660 return and the flight takes just 20 minutes. Driving is possible but the roads are hilly which means it will take you five or six hours to travel 148 kilometres.
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
More on animal trafficking
The specs
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Power: 480hp at 7,250rpm
Torque: 566Nm at 4,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: L/100km
Price: Dh306,495
On sale: now
