Doha Zoo

Joan
By Joan

I was wondering if the Doha Zoo is open today and if it is open, what are their timings?

By Chelsea• 13 Dec 2008 21:23
Chelsea

Timtan - that's a great idea about the sponsorship.... I'll see about suggesting it next time we're at the Zoo! And I agree with the prices needing to be raised - not too high as it would prevent the workers from being able to go and it's one of the few places they can visit and enjoy in peace!

It might be an idea to try and organise lots of people to write to the Zoo about the exhibits and the animals there. I think if everyone told the Zoo exactly what is written here and give examples of Zoos in their home countries that they can research, they might start to feel ashamed enough to make some changes. Or even writing letters to be given to QAWS who could hand them in all together. Would anyone be interested in writing to them?

No-one should expect drastic changes over-night but even the most basic of improvement such as enrichment for them to interact with will improve the welfare of these animals. As they have nothing now - the tiniest thing will make a huge impact!!

www.qaws.org

By nadt• 13 Dec 2008 19:18
nadt

sponsoring is a good idea, however they can also up the fees. In Melbourne for a family of four we used to pay roughly 120QR and it was worth it to be able to see the animals living as close to as possible in their own environment setting, well fed, well cared for and not isolated in small cages. Here for memory i think it was about 15 riyals for a family.

By Scarlett• 13 Dec 2008 11:29
Scarlett

I have been once...and had to leave with such sadness and anger inside my heart because of the treatment of the animals in their itty bitty little cages. The tigers and other big cats were pacing back and forth..a serious sign of mental stress. There were some dead monkeys in the cages and too many live ones to be held in one area to be healthy. If you are going to have a zoo, then keep it where the animals are well fed, emotionally stable, not stressed out and not overbreeding. Each species have specific nutritional needs and they need to be met, not just fed whatever is available. If you can't get the specific food in, then release the animal to those that CAN care for it properly.

As far as funds are concerned...with a country as wealthy as Qatar, there should be no shortage of available funds to care properly for the animals. However, like someone said, perhaps they could let you sponsor an animal...at least it would make us residents feel like we are doing something to help!

Grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked,the good fortune to run into the ones I do,and the eyesight to tell the difference.

By countrylady13• 13 Dec 2008 10:45
Rating: 4/5
countrylady13

its very cheap to get into doha zoo,maybe they should charge more to enter then they have money to make the changes they need to do,in the uk we have a saffari park and chester zoo,and no doha zoo is not as good as them.

By Chelsea• 13 Dec 2008 00:17
Chelsea

Sorry state it's in? Those people that have been down to the shelter recently will have noticed that a company here in Qatar are renovating our premises free of charge!! Without the assistance of such companies our premises will often look worn out due to the constant demands on the facility to house the number of animals we have to. As everyone is aware, the money we do have goes on the animals. It's true we have to manage on limited funds but recent generosity from the community has enabled us to continue to scrape by.

Although we have very limited resources and funds we are still very active in trying to improve the welfare of all animals in Qatar and these include the ones kept at the Zoo and in Pet Shops.

www.qaws.org

By heero_yuy2• 13 Dec 2008 00:11
heero_yuy2

...is that it's the staff who follows the signboard and it's the 'audiences' who is actually 'feeding' them.

Now that...is what they call it 'Standard Operating Procedures'. LOL

"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach

By nadt• 13 Dec 2008 00:06
nadt

well hero, maybe not their salaries but defintely their food delayed..

By Chelsea• 13 Dec 2008 00:06
Chelsea

Sorry I don't understand.... Maybe I'm having a blonde day!! You assume I know about what??

www.qaws.org

By Chelsea• 12 Dec 2008 23:58
Chelsea

Unfortunately the zoo will never improve until people are educated as to how they should be kept. I know the Zoo has a tiny budget and they can't do everything they would like to do but no-one will give them more money.

As for them having the baby monkeys out on leads - it's because people here don't see them as wild animals that should live like wild animals, they see them as cute and cuddly things that they want to touch. Education is the only way that animals will be treated differently in the future.

Maybe if people started to suggest improvements instead of just complaining they might start to listen. Don't know if it will work but it's worth a try.

Though the security HAVE got a lot better and there are far less people throwing food into the enclosures!!

www.qaws.org

By heero_yuy2• 12 Dec 2008 23:50
heero_yuy2

LOL

"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach

By fefee• 12 Dec 2008 23:42
fefee

i went there ones and for now, dont think i want to go back any time soon.i had a sad impression of the way the animals live. that place is not better than an animals jail. most animals are not living under the correct condition. who ever think that its good, havet been to a real zoo before. sorry if i offended any one.

By nadt• 12 Dec 2008 23:41
nadt

yeah alexa, i know, this is why qatar is so bland, like you said everything is a poor copy of the other.

As for the animals, like i said if you see the way the labourers are treated and percieved, well theres no hope for the animals..

By nadt• 12 Dec 2008 23:37
nadt

huh MD, maintenance in doha, whats that? Never heard it before here ;-)

By anonymous• 12 Dec 2008 23:35
anonymous

Isn't it like anything else in Qatar: we gotta have it, let's build it. What should we put inside? Uh, never mind. What's maintenance? Uh, never mind.

By nadt• 12 Dec 2008 23:35
nadt

i remember the first time i took my kids there ages ago, the poor monkey had its hand out wating for some food..was very sad to see..

By nadt• 12 Dec 2008 23:34
nadt

yep MD, no argumet here, then again with the way labourers are treated here, expecting more from a zoo is a joke..

By anonymous• 12 Dec 2008 23:33
anonymous

nadt, that might be true. Then they will die from famine in this case.

By nadt• 12 Dec 2008 23:33
nadt

yeah i agree Alexa, why bother having one in the first place.

By anonymous• 12 Dec 2008 23:31
anonymous

"honestly, qatar being such a rich country you would expect the zoo to be amazing and animals well kept."

honestly, qatar being such a rich country you would expect the construction sites to be amazing and workers well kept.

By nadt• 12 Dec 2008 23:31
nadt

MD, i dont think any animals at the qatar zoo, will suffer from obesity, the animals are skinny, never seen a skinny elephant like i saw the one at doha zoo..

By anonymous• 12 Dec 2008 23:30
anonymous

The junk food and candy:

Writing in the journal Science, researchers say obesity is a major cause of death in adult zoo elephants.

By nadt• 12 Dec 2008 23:30
nadt

honestly, qatar being such a rich country you would expect the zoo to be amazing and animals well kept.

By heero_yuy2• 12 Dec 2008 23:28
heero_yuy2

Saw that over there last time I've visited the place...

"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach

By heero_yuy2• 12 Dec 2008 23:27
heero_yuy2

...is I was expecting camels over there.

None of the animals you mentioned was there.

Now the 'monkeys' are outside the Doha Zoo cage!

"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach

By anonymous• 12 Dec 2008 23:22
anonymous

Or does anybody opt for monkeys? Doha = "natural habitat" of monkeys?

By anonymous• 12 Dec 2008 23:21
Rating: 2/5
anonymous

"Natural habitat" in Doha would mean camels, scorpions, rabbits, foxes should be on display. And some snakes and birds.

By heero_yuy2• 12 Dec 2008 23:20
heero_yuy2

"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach

By heero_yuy2• 12 Dec 2008 23:19
heero_yuy2

Shame on everybody who goes there to play on the animals. Like Alexa said.

"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach

By countrylady13• 12 Dec 2008 23:16
Rating: 3/5
countrylady13

u are right,the more people go,the more they will make better, i think many have complained,really there were security there, i no as u go in there is 2 monkeys and kids not nice to it, i saw that myself,long time ago,now they stop u feeding it, b4 kids throwing food at him,i took my 3 grand children alexa,3 7 and 10 if i thought i that bad NO WAY I WOULD TAKE THEM,i dont wear rose coulered glasses ,i see what i see, it is better, NOT PERFECT, better, PS i didnt like the camel taking kids on its back, that should be stopped

By anonymous• 12 Dec 2008 23:14
anonymous

A new study comparing wild, captive and working elephants has found that living in zoos can significantly shorten the animals' lives.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7777413.stm

Another reason not to support the zoo!

By countrylady13• 12 Dec 2008 22:03
countrylady13

this is not a thread to argue,how long since u been? now u not allowed to feed the amimals security there watching,no one tormenting animals, yes i no it was bad b4, but now its better,

By countrylady13• 12 Dec 2008 19:27
countrylady13

my eyes were open,and as i said it needs more attention, its a lot better than it was, i can see a diffrence, but yes still needs more changes,, i am not saying its the best, but not as bad as it was still nice day out,cant be that bad it was veryyyyyyyy busy, sure if people thought it health hazzard they not go,

By ex-expat• 12 Dec 2008 17:03
Rating: 4/5
ex-expat

Sorry, you must open your eyes.

Doha zoo is a complete mess and a health hazard for the animals and the visitors.

It's easy to see that the animals are not given decent care or allowed the exercise they need.

By countrylady13• 11 Dec 2008 21:06
Rating: 2/5
countrylady13

just got back from the zoo,it was great,lot off security at gates, cages clean, lovley day NO RATS ,LOL, great day out, u go lets no what u think,enjoy

By anonymous• 11 Dec 2008 20:16
anonymous

It's a shame, as nomerci said. It really is.

By dawnvfinch• 11 Dec 2008 20:03
dawnvfinch

I heard the animals are skinny and underfeed :-(

By nomerci• 11 Dec 2008 17:26
Rating: 3/5
nomerci

It is not Zoo, it is HELL.

Shame for everybody who is going there.

What comes around, goes around....

By anonymous• 10 Dec 2008 22:59
Rating: 4/5
anonymous

Due to RUSH they are opening 10:00 AM starting from TODAY 10/12/2008

By flanostu• 10 Dec 2008 22:55
Rating: 2/5
flanostu

the city centre is a much cleaner zoo

By heero_yuy2• 10 Dec 2008 22:54
heero_yuy2

The only difference is the 'cage' size and dress attire...and 'country of origin'.

Now on Fridays, there's no 'cage' in Grand Hamad Avenue.

"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach

By nadt• 10 Dec 2008 22:38
nadt

take something with you to block your nose, can get very smelly, poor animals, they all have sadness on their faces..

By countrylady13• 10 Dec 2008 22:27
countrylady13

i have been visiting the zoo for 10 yrs,never saw a rat,ok it needs a bit off attention,its inproving, i have 3 grand children,3 7 and 10 yrs old, no way would i take them if it was that bad,

By countrylady13• 10 Dec 2008 13:43
Rating: 4/5
countrylady13

nice day for the children,especialy now,weather not to hot, nr hyatt plaza ,there is fun area for children and i think a park

By heero_yuy2• 10 Dec 2008 10:50
heero_yuy2

...on several occasions everyday.

"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach

By countrylady13• 10 Dec 2008 10:13
Rating: 5/5
countrylady13

today is family day.open 2pm,we went yesterday at 1pm oclock,there were hundrends of workers outside,didnt open till 2pm ,but today is family day

By heero_yuy2• 10 Dec 2008 10:07
heero_yuy2

"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach

By cygnet_chay• 10 Dec 2008 10:03
Rating: 5/5
cygnet_chay

They open at 4 in the afternoon...

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