The Wings of the Sahara show made a significant impact on my life
Omar found his passion the moment he set his foot at Al Ain Zoo to train birds, which would later take part in the famous Wings of the Sahara Show.
He was already fond of fieldwork and was fascinated by birds of prey, which he discovered to be only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the wider world of bird training. He only knew of this as a hobby of some of his friends and training birds was not easy at first, especially for a show that welcomes thousands of spectators daily. As a bird trainer, he is tasked with the responsibility to control wild birds to avoid any unforeseen incidents, which requires intuitive speediness and ability to control the situation.
Omar joined the Zoo in 2015. He thought it was going to be an ordinary job like any other, until he discovered his passion and enjoyment of this exciting line of work. It sparked an interest in him that requires high levels of patience and consistency and being able to deal with different bird species, with their different temperaments and requirements.
Omar says: "My job is to train and care for these amazing birds but the task that was the hardest for me and made an incredible impact on my life was when I started to face a large audience and present the Wings of the Sahara show."
He added, "Al Ain Zoo played a pivotal role in my life and contributed to building my personality in so many ways. I am eternally grateful for the circumstances that brought me here, most especially for the development of my professional skills in this unique field. This also applies to countless other employees here at the Zoo, where I have seen many Emiratis youth employed in unique and rare roles that the Zoo has made available for us."