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GCC Countries

Arabia, the area made up of the Arabian Peninsula, is located in the southwestern region of the Asian continent. Covering about 3 million square kilometres, the southeastern area of the peninsula is the Rub’al-Khali, the Empty Quarter, which is the world’s largest expanse of continuous sand. Politically, the Arabian Peninsula consists of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the Sultanate of Oman, and the Republic of Yemen. Together, these countries (excluding the Republic of Yemen) constitute the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Founded on 26 May 1981, the aim of this collective is to promote coordination between member states in all fields in order to achieve unity. In this summary the countries of the GCC will be introduced, except for the United Arab Emirates, which is the subject of a separate summary. Please refer to that page for in-depth information on the UAE.

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

MECCA, SAUDI ARABIA

GCC Countries

Occupying four-fifths of the Arabian Peninsula, Saudi Arabia is the largest country on the peninsula. Located in the southwestern corner of Asia, Saudi Arabia covers an area of about 2,240,000 square kilometres or 864,900 square miles (estimates vary) of which more than half is desert. The country is bordered by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba to the west, by the Republic of Yemen and the Sultanate of Oman to the south, the Arabian Gulf, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar to the east, and Jordan, Iraq and Kuwait to the north. The richest oil fields in the world are found in the eastern region. Riyadh, the capital and largest city, is located in the east central region of the country. Jeddah, the second largest city, is the country’s main port on the Red Sea. It is also the main port through which pilgrims enter to perform Umrah, Haj, or to visit the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

Saudi Arabia is a monarchy ruled by the Al Saud family. The Al Saud dynasty dates back to the mid-18th century with Mohammed bin Saud, who was the ruler of Diriyah in central Arabia. The late King Abdul’Aziz Al Saud founded the modern Saudi state, established 23 September 1932. The written constitution and bill of rights were introduced during the 1982-2005 reign of King Fahd bin Abdul’Aziz Al Saud. Since August 2005, Saudi Arabia has been ruled by King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud.

Oil is the most important industry in Saudi Arabia . The Kingdom has the world’s largest proven reserves and is the largest producer in OPEC, totalling one-third of output. Saudi Arabia has the capacity to produce 10 million barrels per day (bpd). Working toward diversifying its economy, the Kingdom is promoting heavy industry, such as petrochemicals, fertilizers, and steel. Traditionally fishing and agriculture were sources of revenue for the Kingdom and today Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s leading producers of dates and the fishing industry continues to grow.

Kingdom of Bahrain

BAHRAINI FORT

An archipelago of thirty-three islands, the largest island, Bahrain (from the Arabic word for “two seas”), is believed to have separated from the Arabian Peninsula around 6000 BC. Located in the Arabian Gulf, the islands are about twenty-four kilometres from the east coast of Saudi Arabia and twenty-eight kilometres from Qatar. The total area of the islands is about 678 square kilometres or 262 square miles (estimates vary). The capital, Manama, is located on the northeastern tip of the island of Bahrain. The main port, Mina Salman, and the major petroleum refining facilities and commercial centers are also located on the island. Causeways and bridges connect Bahrain to adjacent islands and to the mainland of Saudi Arabia. Al Muharraq, the second largest island, is linked to Bahrain by the oldest causeway, originally constructed in 1929. The country’s second largest city, Al Muharraq, and the international airport are located there.
Bahrain is an independent state with a traditional monarchy. On 14 February 2002, a new constitution was published and Bahrain declared itself a kingdom. The ruling family of Bahrain, the Al Khalifa, arrived in the islands in the mid-18th century after they first established a settlement in the peninsula of present-day Qatar. Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa is the King, and has ruled Bahrain since 6 March 1999.Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa is the prime minister. In February 2001, proposals for political reform put forward by the ruling family received almost unanimous support in a national referendum. The proposals are due to come into effect in 2004, and will mean that Bahrain becomes a constitutional monarchy with an elected lower chamber of parliament and an independent judiciary.
Oil was discovered in commercial quantities in Bahrain in June 1932. The first Gulf state to discover oil, it was also the first to reap the benefits that came with the revenues, in particular a marked improvement in the quality of education and health care. By Gulf standards, Bahrain ‘s oil reserves are quite small. To decrease its reliance on oil revenues, the government is striving to diversify Bahrain ‘s economy by attracting more commercial companies, particularly in the IT field.

Kuwait

KUWAIT TOWERS

Kuwait is located in the northeastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula. Bordered by Iraq on the north, northwest and by Saudi Arabia on the south, southwest, it fronts the Arabian Gulf to the east. A small state of 17,818 square kilometres (6,880 square miles), Kuwait includes nine gulf islands within its territory. In addition to being the country’s capital and centre for trade and commerce, Kuwait City is an important port for oil and the production of petroleum products. The nearby city of Al Jahrah is the centre of the country’s agricultural industry, which primarily produces fruits and vegetables. A prominent geographic feature is Kuwait Bay, which extends for 48 kilometres (30 miles) inland.
Kuwait is a constitutional monarchy governed by the Al Sabah family, the ruling family since 1756. The constitution, which was approved on 11 November 1962, authorizes the Al Sabah family council to select the emir, traditionally from the Al Sabah line. Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah is the current Emir of Kuwait.

Crude oil and refined products account for most of the country’s exports. The reserves of crude oil are estimated to be 10% of the world total, the third largest quantity in the world. Kuwait’s other main industries include desalination, food processing, and the manufacturing of building materials, which include plastics, cement, and metal pipes.

State of Qatar

QATAR

Qatar occupies a peninsula, which extends northward for about 180 kilometres (100 miles) into the Arabian Gulf from the Arabian Peninsula. The country is bordered to the south by Saudi Arabia for a stretch of 56 kilometres or 35 miles. The total area of Qatar is 11,437 square kilometres or 4,260 square miles. Doha, the capital city, is located on the east coast.
A traditional monarchy, the State of Qatar is ruled by the Al Thani family. The Al Thani family arrived in Qatar in the early part of the 18th century, originally settling in the northern region of the country, and moving to Doha in the mid-19th century. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has been emir since early 1995. Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifah Al Thani is the prime minister. In 1999 the country’s first elections were held, to elect a 29-member municipal council. Women were allowed to vote and stand for office in this election.
The State of Qatar produces less than 1% of the world’s oil output. Crude oil and liquefied natural gas account for about 80% of the country’s exports. The banking sector also plays an important role in Qatar’s economy.

Sultanate of Oman

MUSCAT,OMAN

Occupying the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, the Sultanate of Oman covers an area of about 212,457 square kilometres (82,030 square miles); however, estimates do vary considerably. Oman proper is bordered by Yemen to the southwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, the Gulf of Oman to the north, and by the Arabian Sea to the east and south. Included in its territory is Ruus al Jibal (“The Mountaintops”), which is located on the northern tip of the Musandam Peninsula (Ras Musandam). It borders the Strait of Hormuz, which is a waterway linking the Gulf of Oman with the Arabian Gulf, and separated from the rest of Oman by a strip of territory belonging to the United Arab Emirates. Thanks to its location at the mouth of the Gulf, Oman has long been seen as strategically important. At one time, its territory stretched down the East African coast and it competed against Portugal and Britain for influence in the Gulf. Muscat, the capital of Oman since 1741, is located on the Gulf of Oman coast. The country was known as Muscat and Oman until 1970.
Oman is a monarchy. The ruling family, the Al Said, first came to rule in 1744 after the expulsion of the Iranians from Muscat. Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said has ruled since 1970. The sultan also holds the posts of prime minister, minister of defence, minister of foreign affairs, and minister of finance. There is a Council of State for consultation purposes.
Oman ‘s principal natural resources are petroleum and natural gas. The proved petroleum reserves (4 billion barrels) are not substantial, and the government is aiming to transform Oman into a major natural gas exporter. Manufacturing is growing in importance. Major products include textiles, cement blocks, furniture, fertilizers, and fibreglass products.

Old Dubai

Where does the name Dubai come from? There are several theories as to how Dubai was named. One theory is that the word Dubai is a combination of the Farsi words for two and brothers, the latter referring to Deira and Bur Dubai. Others believe that ‘Dubai’ was so named by people who considered its souq a smaller version of a thriving market named ‘Daba’.A MAP OF DUBAI’S BACK WATER IN 1822 © Copyright Archive Editions 1990 Another possibility is that the name came from a word meaning money – people from Dubai were commonly believed to have money because it was a prosperous trading centre. It is worth mentioning that there is another town named Dubai in the Al Dahna’ region of Saudi Arabia, between Riyadh and Ad Dammam. 1833-1958 In the 18th century, Dubai was a small fishing and trading village inhabited by members of the Bani Yas. The Al Maktoum family settled in Dubai in 1833 when members of the Al Bu Falasah seceded from Abu Dhabi.

DUBAI CREEK 

Although he was young, Sheikh Maktoum bin Buti ruled Dubai effectively and it grew into a flourishing coastal town. As the population grew, Dubai branched into three distinct areas: Deira was the largest and the main commercial centre. On the western bank, Bur Dubai and Shindagha were separated by a wide stretch of sand called Ghubaiba, which would flood during high tide. Shindagha, situated on a narrow strip of land separating the sea from the creek, was the smallest area and the main residential district. The ruling sheikhs traditionally lived here and the late Sheikh Saeed’s house is still standing. Shindagha was probably the site of the original Bani Yas village. Donkeys and camels provided transportation on land. Crossing the creek meant a long and arduous journey around the end of the creek or a ride in an abra, a small wooden boat that ferries passengers to this day. Abras were also used to transport people to ships.

THE SOUQ 

Deira’s souq, the town’s public market, was lined with narrow, covered passageways. With 350 shops of commodities from around the world, it was the largest market in the region. ‘Many of the craftsman in the suq had no shop, but worked on a vacant piece of ground as close as possible to their clients. They were known by name, and the cry would go round the suq, “Where is Hassan the mattress-maker?” until it reached him and he was able to make contact with the potential client. A mattress-maker’s creation was vulnerable to visits from passers-by, who might stop to pray on it or simply to rest and chat.’1 Prior to the introduction of electricity in 1952, kerosene lamps or candles were used for lighting and charcoal, imported from the interior of Oman, was used for cooking and making coffee. Sweet water came from wells around Dubai. 2 The majority of the inhabitants lived in barastis, huts constructed from palm fronds. Extended families dwelled in compounds amid the compounds of relatives. Houses were constructed of gypsum from the salt marshes at the end of the creek and coral stone.

EXAMPLES OF DUBAI’S TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE 

The town’s highest points were the windtowers of the coral stone houses, the watchtowers and Al Fahidi Fort. Windtowers were used for ventilation – a house would cool as water on the floor beneath the tower evaporated. Built in 1799, the Fort is Dubai’s oldest surviving structure and it has served as the seat of government, the ruler’s residence and as a jail. With a thriving port and market, Dubai’s residents enjoyed a higher standard of living than their neighbours in the region

Mall of the Emirates Dubai U.A.E

The Mall of the Emirates is a shopping mall in the Al Barsha district of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It was developed by Majid Al Futtaim Properties under the leadership of its CEO, Peter Walichnowski, who was also the developer of “Bluewater” near London, Europe’s most successful shopping mall. The mall was designed by the American architectural firm, F+A Architects. Prior to the opening of the Dubai Mall (the world’s largest mall), the Mall of the Emirates was the largest shopping mall in the Middle East.

It contains approximately 2,400,000 square feet (223,000 m²) of shops and the entire mall forms a total of approximately 6.5 million square feet. In a global perspective, the World’s second largest shopping mall, the South China Mall in Dongguan, China, contains approximately 7,100,000 square feet (660,000 m²) of shopping space in a complex that totals approximately 9,600,000 square feet (892,000 m²).^[1]

Recession and Employment in the Gulf

Economic Situaton:

With a global recession and the fall in oil prices, most Gulf countries are expected to have limited economic growth in 2009.

 Many companies in the region have responded with staff cuts and recruitment freezes, with professionals in investment, adminstraition  and marketing functions most affected. Demand for infrastructure and audit professionals has increased.

The UAE, and Dubai in particular, has been its share of vacancies fall. with some residents seeking opportunitis in othe Gulf states, However, it still has significant recruitment levels and remains the region”s most popular destination.

Limited pay increase is exoected inthe near term, due to falling inflation, reduced demand, rising global unemployment and strength of the US dollar.

Economic growth is expected to recover in 2010. with employment activity gaining momentum as a result, but inthe long run remaining dependent on the oil price

Dubai Metro

The Dubai Metro (In Arabic: مترو دبي) is a driverless, fully automated metro network which is under construction in the United Arab Emirates city of Dubai. The Red and Green Lines are under construction, and further lines are planned. These first two lines will run underground in the city centre and on elevated viaducts elsewhere.^[1] The Dubai Metro will be the longest fully automated rail system in the world when it opens in 9 September 2009.

The trains and stations will be air conditioned with platform edge doors to make this possible

Construction

Planning of the Dubai Metro began under the directive of Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum who expected other projects to attract 15 million visitors to Dubai by 2010. The combination of a rapidly-growing population (expected to reach 3 million by 2017) and severe traffic congestion necessitated the building of an urban rail system to provide additional public transportation capacity, relieve motor traffic, and provide infrastructure for additional development.

In May 2005 a AED 12.45 billion design and build contract was awarded to the Dubai Rail Link (DURL) consortium made up of Japanese companies including Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Corporation, Obayashi Corporation, Kajima Corporation and Turkish firm Yapi Merkezi.^[2] The first phase (worth AED 15.5 billion/US$4.2 billion) covers 35 kilometres (22 mi) of the proposed network, including the Red Line between Al Rashidiya and the Jebel Ali Free Zone set for completion by September 2009 ^[3]and the Green Line from Al Qusais 2 to Al Jaddaf 1. This is to be completed by March 2010.^[4] A second phase contract was subsequently signed in July 2006 and includes extensions to the initial routes. The Red Line is now complete and is ready for opening on 9 September 2009.

Work officially commenced on the construction of the metro on March 21, 2006.^[5] A top RTA Rail Agency official said “The $4.2 billion Dubai Metro project would be completed on schedule despite global crisis.”^[6]

Dubai Metro network

When completed, Dubai Metro will have a total of 70 kilometres (43 mi) of lines, and 47 stations (including 9 underground stations).^[7] Two lines are under construction, and three more are planned.

List of stations

Dubai Metro’s Redline station at DUBAL

Dubai’s Redline station at Jebel Ali Free Zone

Dubai Metro are composed of at-grade (G), elevated Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3 (T1, T2 and T3, respectively), underground stations (U) and underground transfer station types (UT). Type 1 is the regular at-grade concourse station, Type 2 will be a regular elevated concourse station, and Type 3 will be an elevated special track station. Underground transfer stations will be both accommodating the Red and Green lines for easy transfers.

Besides these differences, there will also be 4 themes to be used in the interiors of all stations: earth, water, fire and air. Earth stations will have a tan-brown color effects; water will have blue-white color effects; fire will get orange-red color effects; and the air will have green color effects. ^{[11] [12]}

• Red Line: ^[11]
  • Rashidiya Station (T3)
  • Emirates Station (T2)
  • Airport Terminal 3 Station (will not be made by DURL)
  • Airport Terminal 2 Station (will not be made by DURL)
  • Al Garhoud Station (T2)
  • City Centre Station (U)
  • Al Rigga Station (U)
  • Union Square Station (UT, connecting with Green Line)
  • BurJuman Station (UT, connecting with Green Line)
  • Al Karama Station (T2)
  • Al Jaffiliya Station (now etisalat Station) (T1)
  • Trade Centre Station (T1)
  • Emirates Towers Station (T1)
  • Financial Center Station (T2)
  • Burj Dubai Station (T2)
  • Business Bay Station (T1)
  • Al Quoz Station (T1)
  • Burj Al Arab Station (T1)
  • Mall of the Emirates Station (T2)
  • Al Barsha Station (T1)
  • Tecom Station (T2) — future interchange to Palm Jumeirah Monorail
  • Nakheel Station (T3)
  • Dubai Marina Station (T2)
  • Jumeirah Lake Towers Station (T2)
  • Jumeirah Islands Station (T1)
  • Ibn Battuta Station (T1)
  • Dubal Station (T1)
  • Jebel Ali Industrial Station (T1)
  • Jafza / Limitless Station (G)

Main Depot for the trains will be at Rashidiya just before the Rashidiya Station, while an auxiliary depot is located at Jebel Ali Port.

 

• Green Line:^[12]
  • Al Qusais 2 Station (T3)
  • Al Qusais 1 Station (T2)
  • Airport Free Zone Station (T2)
  • Al Nahda Station (T2)
  • Stadium Station (T2)
  • Al Quiadah Station (T2)
  • Abu Hail Station (T2)
  • Abu Baker Al Siddique Station (T2)
  • Salahuddin Station (U)
  • Union Square Station (UT, connecting to Red Line)
  • Baniyas Square Station (U)
  • Palm Deira Station (U)
  • Al Ras Station (U)
  • Al Ghubaiba Station (U)
  • Saeediya Station (U)
  • BurJuman Station (UT, connecting to Red Line)
  • Oud Metha Station (T2)
  • Health Care City Station (T2)
  • Jeddaf 1 Station (T2)
  • Jeddaf 2 Station (T2)

The train depot is located at Al Qusaias just before the Al Qusais 2 Station.

Palm Jumeirah

The Palm Jumeirah is an artificial island created using land reclamation by Nakheel, a company owned by the Dubai government. It is one of three islands called The Palm Islands which extend into the Persian Gulf, increasing Dubai’s shoreline by a total of 520 km. The Palm Jumeirah is the smallest and the original of three Palm Islands (Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali and Palm Deira) under development by Nakheel. It is located on the Jumeirah coastal area of the emirate of Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Palm Jumeirah is in the shape of a palm tree. It consists of a trunk, a crown with 17 fronds, and a surrounding crescent island that forms an 11 kilometre long breakwater. The island is 5 kilometres by 5 kilometres and its total area is larger than 800 football pitches^[1]. The crown is connected to the mainland by a 300-metre bridge and the crescent is connected to the top of the palm by a subsea tunnel^[1]. Over the next few years, as the tourism phases develop, The Palm Jumeirah is touted as soon to be one of the world’s premier resorts. The Palm Island is the self-declared ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’. The island will double the length of the Dubai coastline.^[2]

According to the developer’s publicity material^[3], the Jumeirah Palm island will feature themed boutique hotels, three types of villas (Signature Villas, Garden Homes and Canal Cove Town Homes), shoreline apartment buildings, beaches, marinas, restaurants, cafés and a variety of retail outlets. Over 30 beachfront hotels will be opened by the end of 2009^[1], including:

Oceana Resort & Spa on 1 May 2007

 

• The Trump International Hotel & Tower
• Atlantis, The Palm Opened in September 2008.
• The Taj Exotica Hotel & Resort
• Grandeur Residences
• Ottoman Palace. Hopefully late 2009 opening.
• Essque Palm Jumeirah – Part of the Tiara Residence project. The Residence has been handed over. The hotel will open in 2010.
• Oceana Resort & Spa
• The Fairmont Palm Residence
• The Fairmont Palm Hotel & Resort, Fairmont Hotels and Resorts
• The Dubai Estates Hotel & Park
• Hotel Missoni Dubai
• Radisson SAS Hotel Dubai, The Palm Jumeirah
• Kempinski Emerald Palace
• Kempinski Emerald Palace Residences

[edit] Construction

Construction began on the Palm Jumeirah island in June 2001 and the developers announced handover of the first residential units in 2006^[1]. The island has been created using 94 million cubic metres of sand and 7 million tons of rock. The Palm Jumeirah was created by pouring sand fill onto the 10.5 metre-deep seabed using dredgers. Above sea level, 3 metres of the reclamation were achieved by a dredging technique known as “rainbowing,” in which the sand fill was sprayed over the surface of the rising island. Calcareous sand was used for the reclamation. The island includes a curved breakwater using natural rock, intended to encourage the creation of a natural reef and provide habitats for sea life. The land form was reclaimed by the Dutch company Van Oord, who are world experts in land reclamation. Total cost reached US$12.3 billion and maintaining the island is a costly expenditure^{[citation needed]}. Approximately 40,000 workers, mostly from South Asia, have been involved in the construction of the island^{[citation needed]}.

In early October 2007, the Palm Jumeirah had already become the world’s largest man-made island.^[8] Also at this time, 75% of the properties were ready to hand over, with 500 families already residing on the island.^[8] By the end of 2009, 28 hotels will be open on the Crescent.^[8]

[edit] Controversy

The complexities of the construction have been blamed, in part, for the extended delays to the completion of the project, the date of which has been pushed back multiple times and is now nearly two years late. Further controversy was engendered when it was revealed that after launching the project, Nakheel increased the number of residential units on the island (with a concomitant reduction in the amount of physical space between individual properties) from the originally-announced 4500 (comprising 2000 villas and 2500 apartments) to an estimated 8000 without recompense to those investors who had purchased early in the expectation of greater separation between properties.^[9] This increase was attributed to Nakheel miscalculating the actual cost of construction and requiring the raising of additional capital, although Nakheel has never commented publicly on the matter.^{[citation needed]}

Doubts have also been expressed about the quality of the construction and finishing of the properties on the island and the real ability of the infrastructure on both the Palm and the mainland to cope with the stresses of the sheer number of people leaving from and returning to the development every day once complete.^[9]

Furthermore, there are numerous concerns about the environmental impact of the Palm. As originally constructed, the breakwater was a continuous barrier, but it was realised that by preventing natural tidal movement, the seawater within the Palm was becoming stagnant. The problem was corrected by adding an additional gap in the barrier. ^[10] As explained in the National Geographic Channel‘s documentary Impossible Islands, part of its MegaStructures series, the breakwater was subsequently modified to create gaps on either side, allowing tidal movement to oxygenate the water within and prevent it stagnating, albeit less efficiently than would be the case if the breakwater did not exist.^[10][11] This same episode addressed the issue of marine life as well, but stated that the breakwater has actually encouraged marine life and that new marine species are moving into the area.

In a 2009 article describing the collapsing Dubai economy, The New York Times reported that “lurid rumors” were spreading that the Palm was sinking “and when you turn the faucets in the hotels built atop it, only cockroaches come out.

Atlantis Palm Jumeirah Fireworks in Dubai

ATLANTIS DUBAI PALM INAUGURATION CEREMONY

Mall sharks get entertained in Dubai

peering into a giant tank where more than 40 sharks are minding their own business - you might take a second to wonder before jumping in to join them – will they eat me?

Quiz: Test your knowledge of the deep
Watch video of aquarium action
Read in-depth report on Dubai Aquarium

Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo has just launched its shark dive in the world’s biggest suspended tank, at Dubai Mall.

“Suspended” because there is another floor below it so 10 million litres of water are held up by columns that distribute the load into the building’s foundations.

But the answer is no, the sharks -sand tigers, grey reef, tawny nurse, leopard, blacktip or zebra sharks – will not eat you because they get fed everyday at 4pm.

Their predatory instincts have been conditioned out of them through regular feeds and training.

“People would not believe that you can train sharks,” said Paul Hamilton, head curator of Dubai Aquarium, “but you can train them to feed on a particular type of food at a particular time of day.”

It took about two months to train the sand tiger sharks, considered the top of the food chain of this recreated aquatic habitat, to associate only certain fish as food.

“So now, if I take herring or squid into the tank I would get zero response from sharks. We did that by creating zero-success. Sharks never get any opportunity to eat herring or squid so the scent doesn’t create feeding motivation,” said Hamilton.

“They eat mackerel, tuna and milkfish so we make sure there is zero success with those fish for other species – as soon as the sharks smell it they know it’s their food. Once you get a routine set up and trust built up, the animals know that they get fed at certain times and they lose all predation.”

The stingrays eat at 2pm. A clicker used by the divers alerts them that it’s dinner time. Half of the tank’s entire food intake is distributed by the public through broadcast feeding, or thrown pellets from a viewing platform in the Underwater Zoo.

“You are limited by what can coexist. Some fish are too easy targets. There is some science in species selection and what goes together&A lot of larger animals do have to be targeted [at feed times] because when we throw food to the sharks we don’t know who gets what,” said Hamilton.

The sharks are microchipped which helps to identify them if markings do not give them away first. Divers “stick-feed” by holding out a stick with food on the end to particular sharks.

“You do have to be quite calculated in your approach to feed the animals because they form their hierarchies – I eat first, you eat last. With schooling fish it can’t be done. They know how to work these things out because that’s how they do it in the wild.”

The first sign of an unwell shark or fish is the lack of motivation to feed. Hamilton’s team is made up mainly of marine biologists, supported by a veterinary clinic, outsourced and brought in when needed.

“We can segregate fish but if we are ever concerned about an individual, we would take it out and quarantine it. We do it all the time. It’s part of managing a tank this size.”

Jim Reilly, exhibit supervisor, oversees food preparation on a daily basis. Fish are gutted and prepared every morning after having been removed from the freezer well in advance.

It is a truly cosmopolitan diet with mackerel from the UK, krill from Japan and herring from Scandinavia. Talapia and clams come from the UAE.

“We source locally where we can, but generally the food comes in globally. The sharks get mackerel which doesn’t occur where they come from, but they love it. We put vitamins and antioxidants in their food to make sure they are getting everything they need.”