Plans for a crocodile park in Dubai are to be realised after the city’s civic body confirmed plans for the AED22m (US$6m, €5.4m, £3.8m) development.

The Dubai Municipality say that the development, which was first touted in mid-2013, will take 14 months to complete, setting an opening date of November 2016 with a ground breaking for the eco-friendly project taking place in September.

Set to contain hundreds of crocodiles, the park will also act as a breeding centre, with the animals grouped as such that they will reproduce and socialise as they would in their natural environment. Nile crocodiles – the largest freshwater crocodiles in the world – will be one of the park’s main attractions.

As part of the experience, the park will grant educational institutions, both schools and universities, and research centres special excursions to the park, with seminars also planned to spread environmental awareness and to educate the public about crocodiles and natural sciences.

According to Obaid Ebrahim Al Marzouqi, head of Administrative Services at Dubai Municipality, the park will mainly target children, families and tourists. The 20,000sq m (215,000sq ft) development will be located near the family-oriented Mushrif Park, around 16km from the centre of Dubai and 10km away from Dubai International Airport. White Oryx Investments are understood to be the property’s developers.