AMAZING GREEN PLANET IN DUBAI
AMAZING GREEN PLANET IN DUBAI, despite being located in the middle of a desert, Dubai is a metropolis on steroids that is teeming with activity and fun. The Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Fountains, the Palm Jumeirah island, and the Atlantis Resort with its renowned dolphin encounter are just a few of the many attractions in Dubai. However, the majority of tourists do not anticipate seeing any kind of rainforest in Dubai, which makes a trip to Green Planet Dubai much more spectacular.
Dubai has many family attraction. Some of the things to do in Dubai include visiting the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo and the relatively new Dubai Safari Park.
However, nature lovers and eco-warriors are not limited to seeing desert wildlife on a classic Dubai desert safari and camel ride as Green Planet Dubai is a lush green ecosystem that is truly impressive.
GREEN PLANET DUBAI
WHAT IS GREEN PLANET DUBAI?
Green Planet Dubai is accessed via the Dubai Mall and a 20-minute walk along the air-conditioned Metro Bridge.
It’s region’s first biodome, opened in August 2016, and one of only a few biodomes in the world,
Dubai’s Green Planet is aptly named and an amazing vertical tropical rainforest in Dubai.
This fully glass-enclosed ecosystem is built around a central structure, one of the world’s largest man-made tree.
It supports over 3000 exotic plants and animals creating four levels of the rainforest and is a truly impressive sight.
The canopy is at 30 to 45m, followed by a mid-storey, forest floor and finally a flooded rainforest.
Dubai Green Planet has multiple levels of access, including a suspension bridge, a three-storey waterfall and numerous interactive educational stations to explore along the way.
GREEN PLANET DUBAI BIRDS
We had no idea what to expect but as explorers, found so much to do, touch and feel.
The birds at Green Planet Dubai were exotic and enthralling, particularly the toucans and Cuban Amazon parrot
GREEN PLANET DUBAI ANIMALS
Our up close and personal animal encounters along the way, guided by the very friendly and accommodating, knowledgeable staff, topped off our visit making it a highlight of our short trip.
From learning how to handle a snake, to feeding a stunningly beautiful toucan flying freely around the canopy, to being mesmerised by a totally not shy and well-camouflaged chameleon.
Here are some of the animals in Green Planet Dubai.
BURMESE PYTHON
One of the largest snakes in the world, the Burmese Python can be as long as 20 feet.
One of the highlights at Green Planet is holding and touching the boa constrictors and pythons.
CHAMELEON
They say when photographing animals, always try to take THE shot when there is eye contact between you and your subject.
Well, tell that to a chameleon whose eyes move independent of each other, constantly roaming in all directions at the same time…
A still photographer’s nightmare, but a videographer’s dream!
TWO-TOED SLOTH
The most amazing moment was spotting Liam.
One of two, two-toed sloths living in the Biodome, he was characteristically asleep, in a tree right next to our path (sloths sleep for 18 hours a day).
At the sight of him, I thought my ‘sloth-ship’ had come in but then he awoke and my excitement overflowed.
He was right there, face height and within arm’s (and camera’s) reach.
Oh, my godfather…!
For all of 15 minutes of a sloth’s wakeful moments, he entertained us.
His keeper informed us of his ‘slothful’ (and very enviable) lifestyle.
How a small snack can totally exhaust a slow-moving with a metabolism slower than a self-confessed menopausal female totally amazed me.
SQUIRREL MONKEY
These cute critters are from South America and have very long tails.
SUGAR GLIDERS
Sugar gliders are small nocturnal mammals that glide from tree to tree.
FEEDING TIME AT THE GREEN PLANET
A few bites of his favourite feed of sweet potato wedges, some cursory poses for our cameras and opportunistic gentle strokes of his fur, and that was it.
He was done.
Time for another slothful nap.
Almost on cue, he slowly ambled down the tree to ground level, whereupon he simply curled up under a leafy plant, and, yes, went straight back to sleep.
In contrast to Liam, I was so full of adrenaline and excitement at our brief encounter.
Never in my dreams did I think a short visit to Dubai would deliver one of my life’s dreams to see a sloth, up close and personal, never mind actually touch and stroke one.
Well, Liam did it for me. From then on, nothing else mattered.
The biodome had delivered.
SPECIAL ENCOUNTERS AT GREEN PLANET DUBAI
These special encounters are worth checking out as you’ll learn heaps from the experts as you watch the activities. The Piranha Encounter and Bat Cave are free while the Sloth and Sugar Glider Encounters cost AED149
PIRANHA ENCOUNTER
The Piranha encounter is at 4 pm daily. Watch the Piranha feeding frenzy when 1,000 Piranhas devour food with razor-sharp teeth.
THE BAT CAVE
Meet that bats at Green Planet’s bat cave, which is a recreation of the Seba’s short-tailed fruit bat’s natural habitat.
Also in this cave is the Pygmy Slow Loris, which is one of the few Southeast Asian mammals with venom.
THE SLOTH ENCOUNTER
The Sloth Encounter is a 20 to 30-minute interaction with the sloths at 2.30pm daily.
It’s a chance to get close enough to take photos as well as learn more about sloth behaviour from Green Planet biologists.
SUGAR GLIDER ENCOUNTER
Get a selfie with a sugar glider and find out more about their behavioural patterns from the resident biologies.