AL AIN, 12th September, 2023 (WAM) — Al Ain Zoo has announced its diverse green vegetation cover, a critical factor in maintaining ecosystem health by improving air quality and lowering greenhouse gas emissions, based on the best practices in agriculture and irrigation.
The Zoo's vegetation cover contains approximately 500 species of local and non-native plants distributed across various areas of the Zoo.
Among the Zoo's most significant efforts in this field is cultivating local and non-local plants that can thrive in the UAE's environment, known for its high temperatures and low rainfall. The Zoo utilises treatment and modern irrigation systems and access supplementary animal food through its plants and trees to benefit from the seeds. It also replants and propagates vegetation in various parts of the Zoo.
The horticulture team at Al Ain Zoo is working on various initiatives to raise community awareness of preserving natural resources and ensuring sustainability by disseminating information via the Zoo's social media platforms, discussing with students during their visit, and participating in external exhibitions and conferences.
The Zoo also highlights the significance of these natural resources and their contributions to supplying seeds of local plants such as palm trees and shares the knowledge and expertise of its specialists to environmental bodies to preserve and propagate endangered plants.
These initiatives of Al Ain Zoo come in line with the Year of Sustainability launched by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, under the slogan of "Today for Tomorrow," to reaffirm its commitment to apply the highest sustainability standards as one of its noble values.