Zoolife March edition - Insights from Al Ain Zoo

MARCH 2018

A VETERINARY DAY WITH AN AMBITIOUS INTERN THE SOCIAL ANIMAL....

THE SACRED BABOON

UPCOMING EVENTS IN MARCH 2018 Abu Dhabi A free space for the wonders of light and lens, that we leave up to the visitors’ and webpage surfers’ creativity. Share your picture with us, and let it speak for you.

Please send the photographs to zoolife@alainzoo.ae

2 MAR Truckers Beats Yas Links

2 MAR Kite Fest 2018 Sir Bani Yas Island

2 & 3 MAR ITU World Triathlon Abu Dhabi Yas Marina Circuit

7 - 10 MAR Imagine Science - Film Festival New York University

UNTIL 24 MAR Art Studio Manarat Al Saadiyat

30 MAR Yas Island Cycle Race Yas Gateway Park

Al Ain 24 MAR

Earth Hour There he was, carelessly relaxing under the warm rays of the morning sun, saying: “What are you doing, camera guy? You think I look like a movie star? Fine… I know I’m handsome. Come on, show me how creative you can be before my break ends.”

Taken by Visitor: Altaf

Al Ain Zoo

24 MAR Walk & Learn Al Ain Zoo

25 MAR - 5 APR Spring Camp Al Ain Zoo

UNTIL 31 MAR Zoolightful Festival Al Ain Zoo

UNTIL 31 MAR Al Ain Oasis Events Al Ain Oasis 2 | ZooLife, Al Ain Zoo | March 2018

A veterinary day with an ambitious Intern Achieving its vision of wildlife conservation, Al Ain Zoo provides the best medical standards for wildlife care through its cuttingedge laboratories, equipped with the latest state-of-the-art technologies required to meet the Zoo’s requirements.

The Zoo’s lab ensures to provide the animals with the best medical services, performing thorough and comprehensive examinations, keeping their medical records upto-date and accurate.

In an effort to promote the volunteering model, the laboratory attracts a group of volunteers from laboratory specialties who are proud to work with Al Ain Zoo in this rare and unique field.

ZooLife spent the day with one of our ambitious volunteers to learn about her future hopes and successful career.

A Role Model In a group of volunteers, we spoke to Maitha Mohammed Al Baloushi, a UAE University graduate in General Biology, with previous training experience in Tawam Hospital’s medical labs.

Now Maitha has been given the chance to volunteer in Al Ain Zoo’s veterinary laboratory, specifically in the pathology department.

Maitha during her work at the Lab include receiving animal samples to be examined either after death or during the operation, working her way through a three-stage process and microscopically examining the dyed tissues, This enable the veterinarian in charge to determine the nature of disease or virus the animal suffered or is still suffering from.

Advanced Veterinary System Al Ain Zoo laboratory is a sophisticated diagnostic and therapeutic system, providing veterinary care to over 4000 species including birds. It has cut down on a lot of time and effort using simple medical check-up steps to provide animals with the appropriate treatment according to the latest international veterinary

standards. The veterinary clinic includes a team of experienced veterinarians and technicians, from whom Maitha Al Baloushi gained tremendous experience and had the opportunity to be involved in the fieldwork and train with distinct competencies, which helps her in her future work endeavours.

Endless ambition Maitha stressed that her ambition will not stop here. She will seek to develop herself and get a job in the field she loves, that enabled her to practice what she learned during her years of study. She can thus be a successful person who serves the community and contributes to the environment and wildlife conservation.

Maitha explained to ZooLife that her work is filled with excitement and pleasure as she works in a rare specialty in a non-traditional job.

Through her volunteer job, Maitha is able to practise and apply what she spent years studying.

Her duties at the veterinary clinic ZooLife, Al Ain Zoo | March 2018 | 3

The Sacred Baboon... the Social Animal that favours living within its troop!

The Sacred Baboon is one of the smartest of the primates species inhabiting Ethiopia, Eritrea, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Yemen. This smart animal prefers grassy savannah forests and dry rocky rural hills with permanent proximity to water sources.

Slightly threatened extinction due to poaching and loss of habitat.

This primate is characterized by its fine fur coated body, a strong jaw with long cutters and large cheek pouches for food saving, with a prominent nose that helps him identify other monkeys’ smell and threatening dangers from metres away.

Before recounting the story of the Sacred Baboon that was brought to the Zoo, the Supervisor Animal Care Primates Mayed Al Blooshi told ZooLife: “Baboons do not like to be stared at, as they see this as a threat and may reveal their teeth in their defence; hence caution is advised due to their volatile temperament especially with large males.”

“We first welcomed Bamboo the female baboon in October 2017 when she was brought to us in poor health. We made sure at Al Ain Zoo to provide her with comprehensive care until she regained her health.” continued Mayed. He added that these animals are very social and prefer to live within their 4 | ZooLife, Al Ain Zoo | March 2018

own troops, as they have had difficulty introducing this female with the other group consisting of 3 monkeys at the Zoo.

Male baboons are two times larger than females and can live up to 30 years in the wild.

“Bamboo was scared when we tried to bring her into her new home and join the group, and what made it even more difficult for us is that she was living with her human caretaker and never realized she was a primate. She loved her human family and blended with them thinking she was one of them, considering them her own troop”, Mayed told ZooLife. “These animals need a certain introduction routine to other animals of the same species to be able to easily integrate with them, where Bamboo required over a month to get to know her new family.”

“Sacred baboons are so sensitive; they require special care and attention as they follow a certain behaviour and prefer to live within the same group.” he said. “Today Bamboo lives with her new family and Susie, the mother, takes care of her as if she were one of her own.”

“Baboons can adapt to different environments because their food is diverse. They climb tall trees and high mountains to avoid predatory animals and to rest at night, and prefer to live close to drinking water.” concluded Mayed.

Mayed Al Blooshi ZooLife, Al Ain Zoo | March 2018 | 5

Al Ain Zoo features a wide variety of plants, especially the local ones, attractively painting its garden to form an aesthetic canvas of beauty, adapting to the country’s environment and climate and standing tall and stunning on its roadsides. For this, we are compelled to highlight them and know more about their characteristics.

Zoo Life met with Al Ain Zoo Horticulture team to talk more about landscaping plants and the efforts to improve the Zoo’s green areas.

plants, given the great opportunity to save on irrigation water consumed in landscaping projects.

Moreover, these plants’ needs in basic agricultural services are very limited compared to other plants such as pruning and pesticide spraying, which further cuts down on operational expenses.

There are different types of local plants that can be used in landscaping due to their aesthetic environmental characteristics and validity for all agricultural purposes.

The Horticulture team at Al Ain Zoo carefully handles the local plants, which are considered one of the most important nature treasures.

With their ability to adapt to desert conditions, local plants’ unique characteristics distinguish them from the rest of the plants, as they withstand high temperatures and water scarcity, bear drought & salinity and resist diseases & agricultural pests.

In addition, the team has recently landscaped an area of 1,303 square metres, where they utilized local plants such as Al Mihtidi, Dhag’a, Senna makki or Haloul as it is locally known, in addition to the Ghaf, Henna and Romaan trees, most of which are grown and produced at the Zoo’s nursery.

Furthermore, the team used ornamental stones of various sizes and recycled logs in their landscaping designs.

With natural resources conservation at heart, the team focused on propagating local

The aim of this project is to reduce the consumption of irrigation water, through which 95% of the

6 | ZooLife, Al Ain Zoo | March 2018

water consumed in green grass irrigation was conserved. On the other hand, the cultivation and propagation of local plants will contribute to publicizing them all while adding an elegant and aesthetic touch of the façade of the Zoo for its visitors to enjoy. The use of the available natural local resources will protect and preserve them, especially the endangered ones, to ensure sustainability and creativity in the agricultural field.

Additionally, the project’s scientific research edge allows monitoring the growth of local plants, studying their nature and collecting their seeds.

Local Plants...

The Splendour of Environmental Harmony

There are many challenges facing landscaping projects, including irrigation.

Therefore, local plants have been introduced in landscaping, assisting in natural resources conservation due to their low water needs compared to other landscaping plants. This will enhance the water sustainability in the future and will highlight local plants as a national treasure that must be preserved.

ZooLife, Al Ain Zoo | March 2018 | 7

He succeeded in the widespread acceptance of goodness; he established many institutions and associations that undertook huge development projects. In addition to many initiatives that permeated the local community until no one was left in need. These, and many other achievements, can be seen as a direct result of the late Sheikh Zayed’s generosity.

8 | ZooLife, Al Ain Zoo | March 2018

ZooLife, Al Ain Zoo | March 2018 | 9

Practicing jiu-jitsu helped him manage his emotions and read his opponent’s thoughts “I managed to turn my failures into a series of successes in my life and my work at Al Ain Safari was a future I had not planned for.”

Hareb Al Nakhlawi

“I have always loved horses from a very young age, and this made me aspire to become a zoologist. Al Ain Zoo turned out to be the best choice for me, where, according to my qualifications, I was appointed as a Safari Guide. I was surprised by the scale of the challenge that I had to face; what is this job and how will I deal with a future I did not plan for?”

“All my plans, aspirations and goals have changed, and I realized that changing direction in our lives may reveal great things that we are oblivious to. Now I am proud to be a Safari Guide, and I know really well that what I offer the visitors is a preservation of my national identity, a commitment towards myself and others, and proof of my ambitions.” said Hareb Bakheet Al Nakhlawi, a Safari Guide at Al Ain Zoo. Hareb’s interview with “ZooLife” was fun as he had many stories, ambition and determination; he also had a shy yet joyful personality.

“ZooLife” asked him curiously: Who are you as a person Hareb?

Tell us more about yourself.

“I graduated from Bond University in Queensland Australia with a Bachelors’ Degree in Business Administration. I have had a connection with horses ever since I was 14 years old and I also got the chance to participate in local endurance competitions. I had an administrative job with a government institution, and then I moved on to my next job at Al Ain Zoo. I was one of five people that trained in the Safari Guide field.”

abilities, but what about your job as a Safari Guide?

“They complement each other, and thanks to being a Safari Guide I have become even more positive and tactful. It also helped me gain more cultural awareness and learn different languages due to the wide variety of nationalities of visitors. Amongst the important aspects that the Safari has added to my personality, is the ability to appreciate and value things that might be considered very ordinary. In addition, I have become more able to accept situations and experiences in a less judgmental manner.”

You mentioned turning your negative situations into positive ones. How do you do that?

“I turned the obstacles that I encountered at work into a major challenge through which I was able to develop myself and prove my ability to commit. I was able to transform my first loss at the Jiu Jitsu Championship into a great energy of challenge and determination.

When visitors referred to me and my colleagues as “drivers”, I was determined to prove our potential to

them, and our vital role in preserving wildlife. The drive back and forth to Abu Dhabi from Al Ain 4 times a day for training was draining until I turned the effort I put into it to energy that created challenge and success.”

“When I went to propose to my wife, I was anxious about her father’s reaction to the nature of my job. I was pleasantly surprised with his reaction because as soon as he knew that I was a guide in Al Ain Safari he said: Your work at Al Ain Zoo gives me confidence in handing over my daughter to safe hands. The youth that work for this institution are very aware of and committed to their duties, as they face many societal challenges in order to elevate our homeland and preserve our ecological heritage.”

What about the visitors? Do you have any other stories about them?

“Yes, there are two stories that have greatly influenced my attitudes. One day when I was escorting visitors around the Safari a German visitor asked me: Why are you wearing a red ghutra while your colleague is

wearing a white one? While in another situation, my female colleague was asked by a little Canadian girl: How are you driving this car? Doesn’t this violate the customs and traditions of the UAE? They do not allow women to drive.”

“These questions along with many others, caught my attention. Visitors, especially non-Arabs, have a great passion and curiosity for our customs and traditions. They observe the most specific details, that’s why we have to be more careful and attentive in conveying the honorable image of the UAE to the world, regardless of our locations and positions. It is a great responsibility that we have to deal with in an honest and decent manner. It is what is clearly perceived when dealing with the staff of Al Ain Zoo; we are the ambassadors of this country.”

We thank our colleague Hareb for this interesting interview, and for demonstrating the amount of awareness and responsibility that he has towards his country. We are proud of Hareb and wish him and UAE youth endless success.

Hareb continued: “I also love Jiu Jitsu; I’m currently a blue belt. It is a very special sport that has allowed me to gain complete mental awareness and an amazing ability to focus and determine what my opponent is thinking. It gives those who practice it a lot of discipline and self-control, providing them with the ability to set their priorities and gauge the thoughts of others.”

Marwa at the Orphanage during her trip to Nepal 10 | ZooLife, Al Ain Zoo | March 2018

Jiu Jitsu added all that to your ZooLife, Al Ain Zoo | March 2018 | 11

“Ginger� is the name Al Ain Zoo gave me and I love to climb tree branches and ropes, who am I?

12 | ZooLife, Al Ain Zoo | March 2018

Baboons use 30 different sounds for communication. They are able to grunt, scream and bark.

How many differences can you find?

ZooLife, Al Ain Zoo | March 2018 | 13

January Edition Question

When was the last visit of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan to Al Ain Zoo?

When was the opening of Sheikh Zayed Desert Learning Centre?

Time Management

10 October 2016 Congratulations to the February Edition winner Abdullah Jamal Al Omari for winning one Annual Family Pass!

Send your answers to zoolife@alainzoo.ae and see if you got the right answers!

The Four Tusked Elephant

Take some

time to plan your day according to your daily tasks and

priorities. Planning ahead adds valuable hours to your day. If you A tusk of the “Stegotetrabelodon Syrticus” is considered to be one of the largest and most important fossil finds from the Miocene Period discovered in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. It belonged to one of the oldest species of elephants, the “Elephantidae”. This elephant species had four tusks, two in the upper jaw and two in the lower jaw, 14 | ZooLife, Al Ain Zoo | March 2018

each of which was approximately two metres long. The tusk fossil was discovered by Dr. Mark Beech, Senior Resident Archaeologist of the Abu Dhabi Islands Archeological Society, ADIAS. This discovery led to scientists identifying that the species existed in the region about 6 to 8 million years ago. Scientists proved that the climate and nature

at that time were similar to the current climate of East Africa, with its slow-moving rivers and grassy green lands rich with Savanna plants that provided a suitable environment for multiple species of animals to exist and breed, such as elephants, hippos, and giraffes whose future generations became extinct in the region.

spent at least ten minutes more than an

planning your day carefully, you are likely to save

hour a day. Good time management involves future

planning, expecting the

unexpected and acquiring FLexibility.

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