Al Ain Zoo celebrates Earth Day
On the occasion of World Environment Day, which is observed annually on June 5th, Al Ain Zoo highlighted some of its achievements in nature conservation and the preservation of animals and conducted an event at the Sheikh Zayed Desert Learning Centre.
The first accomplishment of the Zoo is the establishment of its own natural reserve for the preservation and propagation of the Arabian Oryx. Numerous initiatives, like the plan for breeding Arabian Sand Cats and the publication of the Dama Gazelle Conservation Strategy, were launched in the wake of this accomplishment.
The Zoo is hosting an event on World Environment Day at the Sheikh Zayed Desert Learning Centre called "Beat Plastic Pollution" with the goal of promoting environmental awareness and the preservation of wildlife. This activity aims to educate all zoo staff on the peril of plastics and their threat to the environment and wildlife.
A documentary presentation titled "Natural Life in Abu Dhabi - Al Dhafra Turtles" will also be part of the event. Following this, there will be a number of environmental education/workshops on topics including recycling, garbage classification, and plastic identification. Reusable metal water bottles will be given out as a thank you to everyone who will attend the event and as a reminder to quit using single-use plastic water bottles.
Also included was a documentary titled "Drowning in Plastic". Workshops on waste categorization and recycling as well as awareness of plastic identifying codes for plastics were held. To urge both visitors and Zoo personnel to quit using disposable plastic water bottles and convert to more sustainable materials as alternatives to disposable plastic containers, the Zoo issued reusable metal water bottles.
On that basis, as of August 2022, the Zoo was able to recycle 400 kg of electronic waste, 480 kg of plastics, 170 kg of ink cartridges, 5 kg of metal containers, and 6880 bottles less of disposable plastic water bottles.
By employing recycled materials to create new goods, the Zoo's recycling programmes have helped to minimise greenhouse gas emissions and energy use, saving 391 million thermal power units of energy, 117 cubic metres of landfill space, 232 trees, and 1810 litres of fuel.
Al Ain Zoo is constantly eager to spread knowledge about the value of protecting the environment, its natural resources, and its animals among the general public, especially the UAE young and its employees, by celebrating environmental events, organising awareness-raising programmes, workshops, camps, and more.
