Al Hefaiyah Mountain Conservation Centre
Opening Time: 9:00 Am – 6:30 Pm (Tue – Thu), 2:00 Pm – 6:30 Pm (Fri), 11:00 Am – 6:30 Pm (Sat – Sun)
Al Hefaiyah Mountain Conservation centre, Kalba Sharjah
Al Hefaiyah Mountain Conservation Centre (Arabic: مَرْكَز ٱلْحفيَّة لِصوْن ٱلْحَيَاة ٱلْجَبَلِيَّة) is a wildlife reserve and visitor centre located west of the coastal town of Kalba in the Emirate of Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Opened in 2016, the Conservation Centre is a 12 km2 (4.6 sq mi) wildlife sanctuary and visitor centre, with some 30 animals preserved at the centre, including Arabian leopards, which are thought to now be extinct in the wild in the United Arab Emirates. It has been hailed as a major step forward in the conservation of endangered mountain species in the UAE, and in 2016, won the Middle East Architect educational project of the year award. Outdoor animals include Arabian leopard, rock hyrax, gazelle, caracal, Arabian tahr, Arabian wolf, and striped hyena. In addition to the critically endangered leopard, the Arabian wolf (Canis lupus arabs) and Arabian tahr (Arabitragus jayakari) are designated threatened species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Smaller species are housed indoors at the centre and include snakes, lizards and hedgehogs. Visitors to the centre travel around the outdoor areas in golf buggies with guides, with a number of hides set up to allow the animals to be observed in their natural habitat. The centre also plays host to art exhibitions and other events.
Tourist places in kalba area: Khor Kalba Mangrove Centre, Al Hefaiyah Mountain Conservation Centre, Al Ghail Hiking Trail, Al Ghayl Fort, Kalba Bird of Prey Center, Kalba Clock Tower Square