28 January 2007
MUSCAT -- A Lebanon-based entrepreneur, in association with a local business house, is planning to set up a permanent zoo at the Qurum Natural Park. If everything goes well, the first zoo in the Sultanate will take shape soon. Jamal al Deen, who has a temporary zoo at the Qurum Natural Park to attract festival visitors, said that he is in discussion with the Muscat Municipality and Ajith Hamlai of Ajay Group to establish a permanent zoo within the park. The discussions are at an early stage and Al Deen will have to get a clearance from the Muscat Municipality to proceed with his plan. Al Deen said he had already brought around 70 animals for the Muscat Festival.
"Since there is no zoo in Oman, several officials suggested to me to make a permanent zoo at Qurum Natural Park," he said. Al Deen has two zoos in the Middle East -- one in Lebanon and another in Jordan. He had brought some of the animals and birds by truck from Jordan for the festival. The whole plan is to relocate his Jordanian zoo by bringing the remaining animals to Oman to make a large one with a wide variety of animals and birds. Al Deen said he was little late for the Muscat Festival. "I came here only eight days ago," he noted. The zoo has been a crowd puller, with several thousands of people visiting the venue every day. As many as 3,000 people visit the zoo daily on weekends and on week days, the number of visitors is around 2,000.
Asked whether the extreme climatic condition suits the animals, he said he had run a zoo for two months during Hala Festival in Kuwait and the animals didn't have any problem. Al Deen's zoo at Qurum Natural Park has a large collection of animals, including lion, leopard, hyena, wolf, polar bear, crocodile, fox, jungle cat, impala, deer, vervet and pates monkeys and wild goat. Birds include ostrich, peacock, parrot, cock and duck. All these are kept in pairs a male and a female. For children, the zoo is not merely an amusement area, but also a place for learning more about animals. The visitors' charge is fixed at RO 1 for adults and 500 baisas for children.
MUSCAT -- A Lebanon-based entrepreneur, in association with a local business house, is planning to set up a permanent zoo at the Qurum Natural Park. If everything goes well, the first zoo in the Sultanate will take shape soon. Jamal al Deen, who has a temporary zoo at the Qurum Natural Park to attract festival visitors, said that he is in discussion with the Muscat Municipality and Ajith Hamlai of Ajay Group to establish a permanent zoo within the park. The discussions are at an early stage and Al Deen will have to get a clearance from the Muscat Municipality to proceed with his plan. Al Deen said he had already brought around 70 animals for the Muscat Festival.
"Since there is no zoo in Oman, several officials suggested to me to make a permanent zoo at Qurum Natural Park," he said. Al Deen has two zoos in the Middle East -- one in Lebanon and another in Jordan. He had brought some of the animals and birds by truck from Jordan for the festival. The whole plan is to relocate his Jordanian zoo by bringing the remaining animals to Oman to make a large one with a wide variety of animals and birds. Al Deen said he was little late for the Muscat Festival. "I came here only eight days ago," he noted. The zoo has been a crowd puller, with several thousands of people visiting the venue every day. As many as 3,000 people visit the zoo daily on weekends and on week days, the number of visitors is around 2,000.
Asked whether the extreme climatic condition suits the animals, he said he had run a zoo for two months during Hala Festival in Kuwait and the animals didn't have any problem. Al Deen's zoo at Qurum Natural Park has a large collection of animals, including lion, leopard, hyena, wolf, polar bear, crocodile, fox, jungle cat, impala, deer, vervet and pates monkeys and wild goat. Birds include ostrich, peacock, parrot, cock and duck. All these are kept in pairs a male and a female. For children, the zoo is not merely an amusement area, but also a place for learning more about animals. The visitors' charge is fixed at RO 1 for adults and 500 baisas for children.
By A E James
© Oman Daily Observer 2007
