For the first time in the Middle East, the biggest show in 65 million years is being staged at the Al Ain Zoo. The ‘Dinosaur Trail’ exhibit gives visitors an opportunity to journey into the past to encounter prehistoric beasts that roamed Earth millions of years ago. The exhibit opens to the public Friday, February 19, 2010.
H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Al Ain Zoo Board of Directors and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, and H.E. Majid Al Mansouri, Managing Director of the Al Ain Zoo and Secretary General of the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi ceremonially opened the Dinosaur Trail exhibit with a ribbon cutting event Thursday evening, February 18, 2010.
Part of a travelling exhibit, the ‘Dinosaur Trail’ features a diverse range of animated dinosaurs include the Tyrannosaurus, Acrocanthosaurus, Brachiosaurus, Megalosaurus, and Triceratops. Also featured are the infamous Stegosaurus with a double row of plates along its back, and the savage Deinonychus Slasher, a 125 million year old ferocious fighter. The dinosaurs are life-size including the 5 meter tall and 12 meter long “King Tyrant” Tyrannosaurus Rex – one of the largest land predators ever recorded.
A 6,000 square meter area – the size of a football pitch – has been transformed from a sandy patch of desert into a Jurassic Park-like display. The true-to-life dinosaurs hide behind every turn of a 300 meter long walking trail lined with hundreds of full grown trees and characteristic period landscapes. Lighting illuminates the trail for evening visits.
H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan said: “The Dinosaur Trail provides an interactive educational experience for children of all ages. Children now have the opportunity to get up close and personal with the biggest and most fearsome creatures that ever lived. The exhibit is sure to be a fun and educational experience for all.”
The exhibit teaches visitors about the origin of dinosaurs, their habitats, and the period in which they lived. It also features a fossil dig where child palaeontologists can excavate dinosaur fossils, as well as a robotic dinosaur demonstrating the inner workings of animatronics. A family picnic area, snack shop, and retail store complete the exhibit.
The travelling dinosaur exhibit arrived after a 13,000 kilometre journey from Dallas, Texas. The exhibit has been featured in many large city zoos around the United States including the San Diego Zoo, the Detroit Zoo, and the
Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, Louisiana. This is the first time the exhibit has travelled outside North America.
As with many travelling exhibits, there is a small up-charge in the admission price for guests wishing to experience the exhibit.
The Dinosaur Trail will run through July 2010 and is open during park hours. Combination tickets for the Zoo and Dinosaur Trail are priced at AED 25 for adults and AED 15 for children.
For further information on the exhibit, visit www.awpr.ae or contact the press office at +971 3 704 1543
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