VIDEO: A pigeon seeks refuge from extreme heat at a mall in Dubai

In an attempt to escape the scorching heat, a pigeon decided to take shelter in one of Dubai’s malls.

It wandered through the corridors, searching for grains to satisfy its hunger, and passed by restaurant seats, inspecting food remnants as if shopping in its own unique way.

The pigeon approached one restaurant and was about to enter, but hesitated at the last moment... perhaps realizing it couldn’t afford the meal.

Last week, the United Arab Emirates breached its May temperature record hitting 51.6 degrees Celsius on Saturday, within touching distance of the highest ever temperature recorded in the country.

"The highest temperature recorded over the country today is 51.6C in Sweihan (Al Ain) at 13:45 UAE local time (0945 GMT)," the National Center of Meteorology said in a post on X, just 0.4C off the overall heat record in the Gulf country.

The meteorology office told AFP the highest ever temperature recorded in the UAE since documentation began in 2003 was reported at 52C on Abu Dhabi's Al Yasat Island in 2010.

The desert nation, a top global oil exporter, lies in one of the planet's hottest regions and one which is particularly vulnerable to climate change.

The temperature in Sweihan -- which lies 97km (60 miles) west of Abu Dhabi -- and of 50.4C a day earlier in the Emirati capital exceeded the previous record for May of 50.2 Celsius recorded in 2009, according to the meteorology office.