Peste des petits ruminants virus was suspected to be the cause of a disease outbreak in a zoological collection at Al Ain in the Arabian Gulf. Clinically the outbreak affected gazelles (Gazellinae), ibex and sheep (Caprinae) and gemsbok (Hippotraginae); subclinical involvement of Nilgai (Tragelaphinae) was suspected. A morbillivirus was isolated and using monoclonal antibodies and biological tests in cattle, sheep and goats the virus of peste des petits ruminants was identified.