 Opened in 1999 the Endangered Arabian Wildlife Centre is adjacent to the already renowned Desert Park Natural History Museum in Sharjah. After several years in the design and making, this state-of-the-art facility has enjoyed almost immediate success with a number of endangered species, such as the Arabian leopard (Panthera pardus), Blanford's fox (Vulpes cana), white-tailed mongoose (Ichneumia albicauda), sand cat (Felis margarita) and Gordon's wildcat (Felis sylvestris gordoni), the last-named being confined to the UAE and northern Oman.
Less glamorous species have not been neglected by the centre, with reptiles featuring prominently, as does the Omani blind cave fish (Garra barreimiae). Over 140 species of local fauna are held in the collections, all of which are subject to research and attempts to breed them.
The new centre, along with the Desert Park, falls under the jurisdiction of the Environment and Protected Areas Authority of the Office of the Ruler of Sharjah. A network of reserves representative of each of the habitat types recognised in Sharjah emirate will be created in due course and, in some instances, restocking will take place, this being undertaken using captive-bred animals.
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