Camels being taken to Al Sheehaniya Camel Racetrack for their daily training. PIC: Abdul Basit / THE PENINSULA
Doha: Al Sheehaniya Municipality is now emerging as a major tourist destination with a number of attractions that draw in a large number of visitors.
The eighth municipality of Qatar which was carved out from Al Rayyan Municipality in 2015, Al Sheehaniya includes a number of fantastic picnicking places like beautiful beaches, parks, and natural reserves where visitors prefer to spend their free time with their families and friends especially during weekend and holidays.
With temperature in Qatar getting moderate, the number of visitors to picnic places has increased significantly. The most attractive places for visitors at Al Sheehaniya Municipality are The Desert Garden, Al Sheehaniya Reserve, and Camel Racetrack apart from a number of parks, beaches and farms.
The Desert Garden which is designed as a huge desert tree with 20 pergolas in the shape of tree branches includes many wild trees and animals common in Qatari environment. There are eight species of animals including Arabian oryx and gazelles attracting large number of families and school students.
The Desert Garden helps introduce youngsters and school students on the environment of Qatar by providing a number of wild trees and animals from the environment of the country. The Desert Garden which is dedicated to families stretches in 13,804sqm green areas, having 62 wild trees like Al Samar, Al Sidr, Al Awasaj and Al Qurt.
The Garden has 400 meters long jogging track, shaded play area for children and two dedicated areas for exercise and seating.
Al Sheehaniya which joined Unesco Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) recently received large number of trees and green areas.
Camels were spotted crossing road near Al Sheehaniya Camel Racetrack, The Peninsula observed during a recent visit. Since camels are part of Arab culture, they are major attraction for many people especially expatriates who want to take a glimpse of camels when they get a chance to do so.
The camel racing sport in Qatar was revolutionised by developing of Al Sheehaniya Racetrack to be in the forefront of all the racing tracks in the GGC region and the world being the biggest racetrack, according to a report on the website of the Camel Racing Organizing Committee (CROC).
It is equipped with the latest technology and accessible road networks that allow the sport’s lovers and followers to see the races while remaining in their cars.
In addition, an important step in the history of this authentic and heritage sport, the CROC managed to provide the racetrack with lighting to allow organizing races at night.
According to CROC website, the fourth local camels’ race will be held in Al Sheehaniya Racetrack on October 21 in two shifts in the morning and evening.
Director of Al Sheehaniya Municipality, Jaber Hasan Al Jaber said that over 2,000 Sidr trees were planted on roadside accross Al Sheehaniya Municipality recently following the initiative of the Ministry of Municipality and Environment to cultivate one million trees.
Speaking in an event via videoconference to announce Al Sheehaniya’s joining in GNLC, Al Jaber said special parks were built for wild trees like Al Sidr, Al Qurt and Al Samar.
He said that the Al Sheehaniya Municipality launched campaigns to educate people about the importance of environment protection like increasing green areas, preserving green land (locally called Rawd) and focusing on renewable energy. Al Jaber said that awareness campaigns also highlighted the importance of protecting animals especially those rare species like Arabian Oryx and camel ‘Hagen’.
He said that Al Sheehaniya Municipality hosts seminars and uses social media to convey the message of sustainability to the community.
Al Sheehaniya Reserve, a sanctuary for hundreds of Arabian oryx and gazelles, is playing key role creating awareness on the importance of protecting rare species of wild animals for biodiversity purpose. The Reserve attracts larger number of visitors – citizens, expatriates and and school students.
The State of Qatar represented by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment has exerted great efforts to protect the Arabian oryx from extinction by building reserves at a number of places across the country including Al Sheehaniya Reserve, Ashiraj Reserve and Al Mashabiya Reserve.
The three-decade old Al Dosari Zoo and Game Reserve located in Al Khurayb at Al Sheehaniya Municipality is hugely popular in Qatar among residents and the expansion will address the need of creating more space for growing number of visitors. Apart from residents, it receives many VIPs and high ranking officials from all over the world.
The zoo and game reserve has an animal safari park, a zoo, an amusement park, exhibition centre, heritage and maritime museums, theatre and a small market.
