After seven years in the making, the Sharjah Safari park opens its doors to visitors and animal lovers worldwide over an area of 800-hectares, with more than 50,000 animals from Africa and Europe. Located at the al-Bridi Nature Reserve in Sharjah City, the park hosts 12 themed environments, each representing a region in Africa, where visitors can experience the life and terrain of the animals and birds that inhabit them. "It almost feels like a piece of Africa in Sharjah," says chairperson of the Sharjah Environment and Protected Areas Authority Hana Al Suwaidi. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES