eNewsletter September 2010
In this issue
In this month’s issue we’re excited to share the details of our cheetah cub’s first hunt. There’s also some behind the scenes of our staff enjoying Iftar and an excellent ´stay 3 pay 2´ offer so you can relax at the Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara.
Be our guest - Stay 3, Pay 2
This autumn is the perfect time to come and enjoy a perfect escape at the Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara.
Escape with three nights for the price of two, giving you a whole extra day to explore our island’s enchanting blend of wildlife, beaches, spa and fun activities. The package includes two nights for the price of one in a room, suite or villa daily buffet breakfast, 2 island activities per person per day until December 31st 2010.
- Deluxe Room Rates start from AED 1,299
- Deluxe Pool Access Rates start from AED 1,599
- Deluxe Club Room Rates start from AED 1,599
- Junior Suite Rates start from AED 1,999
- Beach Villa Rates start from AED 3,799
- Royal Villa Rates start from AED 11,499
Terms & conditions:
All rates are in AED and subject to 10% service charge and 6% tourism fee. Promotion is valid for arrivals between Saturday and Wednesday, inclusive Promotion applies to our Best Available Rate. Limited rooms available. Rooms are subject to availability at the time of booking. Promotion not available over Eid al Fitr. For more information on applicable tariffs during your desired booking period or to make a reservation, please contact our reservations desk or +971 (0)2 801 5400 or visit Anantara´s website.
Cheetah Cubs first Hunt This month we spotted the Desert Islands cheetah cubs with their first hunted prey.
The cubs, who are now over 6 months old, probably teamed up and surprised the hare on the pasture nearby where they live with their mother. They are now at the age where they will progressively show interest in prey species and will concentrate on the smaller prey such as hares and rock hyrax in the Arabian Wildlife Park.
Their mother started training the cubs over the past 2 months, catching small animals and then releasing them for the cubs to chase. This hare was the typical first prey of a cheetah cub. Without much natural defense, it is a fight of speed and agility and the perfect prey for a first kill with minimal danger.
Hares escape predators by outrunning their enemies; with their powerful hind legs they can reach speeds of up to 72 km per hour using a zig zag running technique. However, the cheetah also uses this technique and as the official fastest land mammal, can reach speeds between 112 and 120 km/h.
Once a cheetah has made a kill, it eats quickly and keeps an eye out for scavengers which will occasionally take away their kills, such as hyena. The cheetah cubs are still fully reliant on food from their mother but will continue to kill small prey to practice their hunting skills until they are ready to attempt more challenging prey.
However, this latest achievement further outlines the success of the Desert Islands Cheetah breeding program, which has continued to prove that the cheetah female has managed to raise fully wild offspring.
Behind the Scenes at Desert Islands
The Desert Islands teams are working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure Sir Bani Yas Island always looks its best.
A major part of this work involves removing any obstructions in the Arabian Wildlife Park which could harm animals, such as old pipes, old drinking troughs, shelters, concrete, iron markers and over 275 km of old fencing.
Irrigation on the island is also being upgraded. New subsurface water irrigation piping which was tested for efficiency has been installed along with flow meters for water systems and a lot of existing piping has been buried to increase its efficiency and over 144.90 metric tons of old irrigation material recovered for recycling..
The restoration of the historic elements of Sir Bani Yas Island such as the original signage, majalis and 28 pump houses has been completed and now certain elements such as old valve boxes, electrical and water markers have been restored to blend in with the surrounding environment.
Over 4106 invasive trees have been removed and mulched to create richer soil to raise new efficient, hardy and indigenous trees in the Desert Islands nursery.
In the hilltops, a hardworking crew has reshaped 1300 hectares of land used historically as a quarry and salt mine, restoring the natural beauty of the region.
These improvements and many more will continue on behind the scenes, so that the island is maintained as a beautiful and special place both for guests and its animal residents.
New Guest Boat’s Maiden Voyage
Guests to Desert Islands will love the luxurious, new guest boat used to ferry passengers from the Jebal Dhanna mainland dock to Sir Bani Yas Island.
Built in Australia, it stands 53 feet long and 25 feet wide and can travel as fast as 25 knots, making the trip across approximately 20 minutes.
Before arriving on Sir Bani Yas Island, the boat underwent a full interior refit and was configured to carry 35 passengers in luxurious comfort. The interior features luxurious white leather interior, wooden floorboards and paneling, a number of tv screens, sound system and bathrooms.
Elmarie Snyman, who rode on the boat’s maiden voyage said “I felt like I was in a luxurious lounge. The boat was cool, quiet and comfortable. We could have a conversation without the interference of boat engine sounds, it was an extremely pleasant trip!”
Desert Islands team Iftar
The Desert Islands team celebrated Iftar together this month.
Apart from taking special time to celebrate the traditions of this special country, the team also enjoyed the opportunity to mix with different colleagues and try new food when they broke their fast at various events around Desert Islands.
TDIC embraces the strong multiculturalism of the United Arab Emirates and these occasions were especially memorable because of the number of different nationalities and cultures who came together to celebrate this occasion on the Islamic calendar.