Dubai’s wildlife

Back in 2018, we took a short trip to Dubai. One of the highlights of any trip to the UAE should be a desert safari. We had to partake of that! The desertscape was so serene (as long as you’re hydrated, I guess). The safaris usually take place in the late afternoon and end in the night.

The following were a few glimpses of the wildlife that inhabit the barren land. Although it’s not exactly completely barren as someone who hasn’t really seen a desert. 😀

The Arabian Oryx is one of 4 Oryx species; the other 3 reside in Africa (one of which is reportedly extinct in the wild with only captive populations surviving). The Arabian Oryx was also once thought to be extinct in the wild but conservation and repopulation efforts have led it to be one of the very few species to get recategorized as “vulnerable” from “extinct in the wild”.

This large antelope species has straight, parallel horns which look like a single horn from the side and folklore has it that this led to the legend of the unicorn.

The falcon is a majestic raptor, though smaller in size that the golden eagle of the Himalayas. Falcons are prized birds and a much-loved symbol among the Arabs. They can be tamed and used for hunting and are known for their speed, loyalty, and courage. Though I couldn’t capture a clear frame of this trained falcon against the sky, the one usable click I did get gives some idea about the speed of these fliers. One falcon species, the peregrine, is the fastest living creature known to hit 390 kph (that’s 242 in mph); the much bigger golden eagle hits 320 kph (198mph).

Back to the Arabian falcons, a recent auction recorded a price of $173,000 for one bird!