Dubai wildlife

You have probably heard a lot about Dubai night life – there is no shortage of that here with our umpteen shopping malls (with 24 hour weekend shopping during Eid), restaurants, hotels and night clubs (just have a browse through Time Out Dubai if you don’t believe me).

But what you may not know much about is the Dubai wildlife. I have spotted a few little critters in my travels over the last few weeks.

The first was an Arabian Red Fox (I think although it was night-time) that I spotted on my way to friends who live in The Villa. Now that might sound odd but the complex / development is called The Villa. So you have people saying stupid sounding things like “I live in a villa in the villa” and you scratch your head a bit if you don’t know. But anyway, this little guy was on the side of the entrance road, which is a bit off the beaten track as The Villa is out in the desert a bit. I hope he didn’t tarry too long at the side of the road and moved off into the desert after I passed him.

[Arabian Red Fox photo by P. Roosenschoon from Dubai Desert Conservation]

Next sightings were all at or around the Nad Al Shiba vet clinic (where I take strays as part of my Trap-Neuter-Return work with Feline Friends). First I was behind a truck load of camels that were on their way somewhere. The photo isn’t great I’m afraid, but they looked like little old ladies on the bus all peering over the top of the canopy, wrapped up in their blankets. The best was they would all look in one direction and then the other, I could almost here them saying to one another “ooo he’s a good driver this lad” and “fancy a cuppa when we get home then Doris?”. The one even put it’s head down on it’s neighbours hump for a rest. So funny.

[camels on the “bus”]

The last pic I took when I was actually at the vet. They specialise in wild animals, horses and falcons at Nad Al Shiba – and when I arrived to fetch the recovered kitty I saw all the falcons waiting to go home. They line them up on astroturf covered poles, cover their eyes and wait for the owner. Each one is still attached to it’s own glove.

falcon waiting room

And then as I left again I saw 3 small buck in the farm on my way out. They looked like Springbok to me, but Stu said they may have been some kind of Arabian deer, although I haven’t been able to verify as I didn’t get a picture.

Exciting stuff hey?!