Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife (BCEAW) #Sharjah

Special Features

Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife (BCEAW)

The Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife (BCEAW) is a modern conservation, research and captive breeding facility specializing in the unique fauna of the Arabian peninsula. The BCEAW, along with another 3 facilities which comprise the Sharjah Desert Park, is the realisation of His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed al Qassimi’s dream to preserve the natural fauna and flora of Sharjah and the United Arab Emirates for future generations.

The BCEAW is unfortunately closed to the public but all of the animals which are held here can be seen at Arabia’s Wildlife Centre. The Wildlife Centre houses and impressive variety of animals indigenous to the Arabian peninsula and is fully air conditioned, making it perfect for a day out with the family even in summer.

By the mid 1990’s the Sharjah Government, under the leadership of His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed al Qassimi, had started recognising the need to implement strong environmental policies, including air and water pollution control, the enforcement of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), and the protection of the habitat.

A private company, Animal Management Consultancy (AMC), was hired to design, build and manage a faciltiy which would serve as a base to address these issues. One of its first tasks was the construction of a centre to house the recently established Arabian Leopard Breeding Programme. This led to the opening of the Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife in May 1998. Using the Arabian leopard as its flagship species te BCEAW grew into a facility that not only bred the locally endangered wildlife but also serves as a base for research into all the other species of mammal, reptile, freshwater fish, amphibians and invertebrates which are endemic to the Arabian Peninsula.

Recognizing that environmental education was essential to the longterm success of the project, the next step for Animal Management Consultancy was to create an Environment Educational Centre. The result is the impressive Arabia’s Wildlife Centre, which was opened to the public in September1999.

In 2005, after nearly a decade of having successfully established and managed the first facility of its’ kind in the Middle East, AMC handed over management of the centre to the Environment and Protected Areas Authority.

Over the years the BCEAW has built up strong ties with facilities, institutes, government departments and field researchers, on both a regional and international basis. This cooperation has made it possible for environmental planning and management to be discussed cooperatively, rather than each area of responsibility dealt with on an individual basis. This holistic approach has reaped great benefits for the wildlife and habitats of Arabia, with expertise and resources being shared amongst people with a common goal.