Most animals in Dubai are seen in built settings, worth knowing before you book. The aquarium on the ground floor of Dubai Mall runs a 48-metre tunnel with sand tiger sharks passing overhead; the Underwater Zoo a level above adds otters, crocodiles and penguins. The Green Planet at City Walk keeps a rainforest under glass, with sloths and macaws in the branches. At Ski Dubai you walk among king penguins at minus two degrees, in a parka handed out at the door.

Wild fauna lives outside the city. The desert reserve covers 225 square kilometres of dunes where Arabian oryx and gazelles range; entry is only with a licensed operator, about an hour along the Al Ain road, and drives set off soon after first light. Ras Al Khor sits inside the city limits — thousands of flamingos winter on its mudflats from November to March, and its three hides are free. Boats out of Dubai Marina look for dolphins, with turtles down to luck.

Standards vary sharply between operators, so ask before paying. Serious centres offer no rides on wild animals, no hugging, no holding animals for photographs; traditional Emirati falconry is another matter, a recognised cultural practice with its own rules. With children, check the minimum height at the aquariums and confirm whether transfers and entry fees sit inside the price. From June to September outdoor trips with animals move to dawn, leaving around 05:30. Allow two hours for aquarium and zoo, half a day for the reserve.