Wildlife of Jordan

Last updated
Desert vegetation in Wadi Rum, southern Jordan. Wadi Rum in Jordan.JPG
Desert vegetation in Wadi Rum, southern Jordan.

The wildlife of Jordan includes its flora and fauna and their natural habitats. Although much of the country is desert, it has several geographic regions, each with a diversity of plants and animals adapted to their own particular habitats. Fossil finds show that in Palaeolithic times, the region had Syrian brown bears, Asiatic lions, zebras, Asian elephants, and rhinoceroses, but these species are all now extinct in this region. [1]

Contents

More recently, in the twentieth century, the Arabian oryx became locally extinct through hunting, and several species of deer and gazelle were reduced to remnant populations. The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature was established in 1966 to preserve Jordan's natural resources, a number of protected areas have been set up, and conservation measures and captive breeding programs have been put in place, resulting in an increase in the numbers of these animals. In 1978, 11 Arabian oryx were brought in to Jordan from the US. They were taken care of at the  Shaumari Wildlife Reserve. Since then, not only has the oryx population reached to 200, but Jordan is supplying other countries with oryx. [2] Many other mammals are found in Jordan, over four hundred species of bird visit or live in the country and over two thousand plant species have been recorded here. A total of 220 bird species migrate to and from Jordan from, Europe, Asia and Africa. In addition, 150 species are native to Jordan.

Geography

The Dana Biosphere Reserve in south central Jordan. Dana Reserve 03.jpg
The Dana Biosphere Reserve in south central Jordan.

Apart from a very short stretch of coastline on the Gulf of Aqaba, Jordan is almost completely landlocked. It largely consists of an elevated plateau 700 to 1,200 m (2,300 to 3,900 ft) high, divided into ridges by valleys and gorges. The eastern part of the country is desert and merges into the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert. There are some oases here and some seasonal streams. The western part of the country is more mountainous with a natural vegetation of Mediterranean evergreen forest. The western border is the Jordan Rift Valley, where the Jordan River and the Dead Sea lie hundreds of feet below sea level and form the boundary between Jordan, to the east, and Israel and the Palestinian territories to the west. [3]

The northern part of the Jordan Valley is the most fertile region of the country. The Dead Sea receives the water from the Jordan River and from seasonal streams in the wadis, but has no outflow. It loses water by evaporation, is extremely saline, and supports no animal or plant life. [4] Further south, the country's western boundary is formed by the escarpment at the edge of the Great Rift Valley that continues southward to the Gulf of Aqaba. The climate is hot and dry in summer, and cool in winter, the time of year when all the precipitation occurs. [3]

Flora

Mahis in northwestern Jordan Mahis Ain Abu Jurban.jpg
Mahis in northwestern Jordan

Jordan has a range of biodiverse habitats and over two thousand species of plant have been recorded in the country; this includes about 150 plant families and 700 genera. Just three of these are gymnosperms; Aleppo pine, Mediterranean cypress and Phoenecian juniper. Somewhere between five and ten species of ferns have been recorded, as well as about 150 species of fungi and lichen. [5]

Many of the flowering plants bloom in the spring after the winter rains and the type of vegetation depends largely on the amount of precipitation. The mountainous regions in the northwest are clothed in natural forests of pine, deciduous oak, evergreen oak, pistachio and wild olive. [6] Further south and east, the vegetation becomes more scrubby and merges into a steppe-type vegetation, and the centre and east of the country are largely hamada, a hard desert plateau with little sand. [5]

Thorny burnet (Sarcopoterium spinosum) Sarcopoterium spinosum fruit RJP 02.jpg
Thorny burnet ( Sarcopoterium spinosum )

The slopes overlooking the rift valley are seared with wadis which run with water in the winter and support a lush growth of trees and bushes in otherwise inhospitable terrain. In the rift valley, the Fifa Nature Reserve includes saltpans and areas of semi-tropical vegetation. [7] Further south is the Qatar Nature Reserve, close to the Gulf of Aqaba, and this area is dry throughout the year and contains steppe-type vegetation with Acacia trees. [8]

In the scrubby area the main woody species is Sarcopoterium spinosum and the steppe area is dominated by Ballota undulata and Salvia dominica , with Astragalus bethlemiticus and Marrubium libanoticum . The hamada region has a limited number of species. Stony areas are often dominated by Anabasis spp. while sandier areas have more Retama raetam . In wadi areas, gravelly washes or places subject to flash floods, there is a more diverse flora which includes Tamarix , Artemisia and Acacia , and pebbly areas typically have Salsola verticillata and Halogeton alopecuroides . [9] The national flower of Jordan is the black iris (Iris nigricans) which can be found growing near Madaba. [10]

Fauna

Arabian oryx Reem-Lavan002.jpg
Arabian oryx

Hunting is a traditional sport in Jordan, and in the 1930s, the Arabian oryx was hunted to extinction in the country. Three species of gazelle, the dorcas, goitered and mountain gazelles, were also hunted and greatly reduced in numbers. In 1973, legislation was enacted to control hunting, with a closed season being introduced and quotas being set. The Shaumari Wildlife Reserve, a fenced off area in the deserts of central Jordan, has since been used in a breeding and reintroduction programme for the Arabian oryx, [11] as well as other species such as the Somali ostrich, the Persian onager and gazelles. [12] Other animals that have been released into the wild are the Nubian ibex, wild boar, fallow deer and roe deer. [11]

Egyptian mongoose Herpestes ichneumon Egipetskii mangust, ili faraonova krysa, ili ikhnevmon.jpg
Egyptian mongoose
The critically endangered sociable lapwing SociablePlover.jpg
The critically endangered sociable lapwing

Carnivorous mammals in Jordan include the striped hyena, caracal, jungle cat, sand cat, African wildcat, Arabian wolf, golden jackal, fennec fox, Arabian red fox, Blanford's fox, Rüppell's fox, Egyptian mongoose, least weasel, caucasian badger, honey badger and European otter. [13] There are about twenty species of bat and a similar number of rodents including the Caucasian squirrel, Asian garden dormouse, Euphrates jerboa, Middle East blind mole-rat, and various voles, jirds, mice, rats, spiny mice, gerbils and hamsters. [13] Other mammals found in suitable habitat are the wild boar, European hare, cape hare, Indian crested porcupine, rock hyrax, European hedgehog, long-eared hedgehog and desert hedgehog. [13]

Approximately 426 species of bird have been recorded in Jordan. Many of these are rare or accidental arrivals, and others are migratory birds in passage between their breeding grounds and their wintering quarters. Others overwinter in Jordan and still others breed in the country. Some of them are globally threatened, and these include the white-headed duck, Atlantic petrel, northern bald ibis, Egyptian vulture, Griffon vulture, lappet-faced vulture, Pharaoh eagle-owl, barn owl, golden eagle, steppe eagle, greater spotted eagle, eastern imperial eagle, MacQueen's bustard, Siberian crane, sociable lapwing, saker falcon, marbled duck, aquatic warbler and Syrian serin. [14] Four large raptors, the short-toed snake eagle, long-legged buzzard, Barbary falcon and Bonelli's eagle, are found in the Mujib Biosphere Reserve, and the globally threatened lesser kestrel breeds there. Other bird species prevalent in Jordan include the hooded crow, Eurasian jay, hoopoe, common cuckoo, Tristram's starling, house crow and white-spectacled bulbul. [15]

Five species of turtle are known from Jordan and there are a variety of snakes, mostly colubrids and vipers, but with representatives of seven snake families. Other reptiles include geckos, skinks, agamid lizards, wall lizards, the desert monitor and the glass snake (a legless lizard). Amphibians are limited to a single species of newt, the southern banded newt, and four species of frogs and toads. [5]

The number of freshwater fish species is limited but there are 25 species of native and introduced fish in eight families in the Jordan River and various lakes and dams. The Jordan bream is a species of fish endemic to the rivers and lakes of the Jordan River basin. It has been introduced to several lakes and reservoirs in the region including the Azraq Wetland Reserve, although this oasis in the eastern desert is drying up because excessive quantities of groundwater are being extracted. [16] The critically endangered Azraq toothcarp is also hanging on to existence in this single location, with a population consisting of an estimated few thousand individuals. [17]

Wildlife of Aqaba

Aqaba's gulf is rich with marine life, around 500 - 1000 species of fish inhabit the gulf, many of which are residents, like lion fish and octopus, while others are migratory, appearing mostly during the summer, such as the worlds fastest fish, the sailfish, as well as the worlds largest fish, the whale shark. The Gulf of Aqaba is known for its variety in biodiversity and is home to marine mammals and reptiles who also inhabit the gulf, which include species such as hawksbill sea turtles, green sea turtles, bottlenose dolphins and risso's dolphins. A number of predatory shark species inhabit Aqaba's gulf as well, however over fishing and pollution are a threat sharks of Aqaba are facing. Sharks of the Aqaba gulf are mostly deep water sharks which include tiger sharks, thresher sharks, oceanic whitetip and a small number of reef sharks. The shortfin mako shark is the most common shark caught by fishermen in Aqaba, which is also the world's fastest shark, locally known as "oasaf/قصف", whereas whale sharks have the most common sightings, locally known as "battan/بتان". Most shark species pose no threats to human beings, attacks are extremely rare and are usually a result of misidentification. Conservationists are working hard to protect Aqaba's shark population. [18] [19]

Divers commonly stumble upon yellowmouth moray eels, Napoleon wrasse, frogfish, Spanish dancer, groupers, barracuda, clownfish, eagle rays, bluespotted ribbontail rays, as well as other members of the sting ray family and many other colourful and exotic species. [20] [21]

The Gulf of Aqaba hosts more than 390 bird species including migratory birds such as the greater flamingo, great white pelican and the pink-backed pelican. [22]

Conservation

The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature was set up in 1966 to protect and manage the natural resources of Jordan. Under its auspices, the Dana Biosphere Reserve and the Mujib Biosphere Reserve have been set up, as well as about nine wildlife, forest, wetland and other nature reserves. [23]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arabian Desert</span> Desert located in Western Asia

The Arabian Desert is a vast desert wilderness in West Asia that occupies almost the entire Arabian Peninsula with an area of 2,330,000 square kilometers (900,000 sq mi). It stretches from Yemen to the Persian Gulf and Oman to Jordan and Iraq. It is the fifth largest desert in the world and the largest in Asia. At its center is Ar-Rub' al-Khali, one of the largest continuous bodies of sand in the world. It is an extension of the Sahara Desert.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shaumari Wildlife Reserve</span> Wildlife reserve in Zarqa Governorate, Jordan

The Shaumari Wildlife Reserve is a Jordanian nature reserve near the town of Azraq, approximately 100 km (62 mi) east of Amman.

Biodiversity in Israel and Palestine is about the fauna and flora in the geographical region of Israel and of the Palestinian National Authority. This geographical area within the historical region of Palestine extends from the Jordan River and Wadi Araba in the east, to the Mediterranean Sea and the Sinai desert in the west, to Lebanon in the north, and to the gulf of Aqaba, or Eilat in the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tourism in Jordan</span>

Jordan is a sovereign Arab state in the Middle East. The capital, Amman, is Jordan's most populous city as well as the country's economic, political and cultural centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Djibouti</span> Flora and fauna of Djibouti

The wildlife of Djibouti, consisting of its flora and fauna, is in a harsh landscape with forest accounting for less than one percent of its area. Most species are found in the northern part of the country in the Day Forest National Park at an average elevation of 1,500 metres (4,900 ft), including the massif Goda, with a peak of 1,783 metres (5,850 ft). It covers an area of 3.5 square kilometres (1.4 sq mi) of Juniperus procera forest, with many of the trees rising to 20 metres (66 ft) height. This forest area is the main habitat of the critically endangered and endemic Djibouti spurfowl, and another recently noted vertebrate, Platyceps afarensis. The area also contains many species of woody and herbaceous plants, including boxwood and olive trees, which account for sixty percent of the identified species in the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Egypt</span> Flora and fauna of Egypt

The wildlife of Egypt is composed of the flora and fauna of this country in northeastern Africa and southwestern Asia, and is substantial and varied. Apart from the fertile Nile Valley, which bisects the country from south to north, the majority of Egypt's landscape is desert, with a few scattered oases. It has long coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea, the Gulf of Suez, the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea. Each geographic region has a diversity of plants and animals each adapted to its own particular habitat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Niger</span> Flora and fauna of Niger

The wildlife of Niger is composed of its flora and fauna. The protected areas in the country total about 8.5 million hectares, which is 6.6 percent of the land area of the country, a figure which is expected to eventually reach the 11‑percent target fixed by the IUCN with the addition of more areas under the reserve category. Conservation of wildlife is ensured by laws and regulations enacted by the government of Niger, which has enforced a permanent ban on hunting so that animals such as lions, hippos and giraffes are safe in the wild.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Azraq Wetland Reserve</span> Wetland reserve in Jordan

The Azraq Wetland Reserve is a nature reserve located in the town of Azraq in the eastern desert of Jordan. An oasis for migratory birds, the reserve was established in 1978 and covers 12 square kilometres (4.6 sq mi). The natural springs dried up in 1992 and most migratory birds subsequently moved away from the area. Artificial springs are maintained today in order to keep the site a tourist destination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nature reserves in Jordan</span>

There are at least seven nature reserves in Jordan. In 1966, the organization that would later start Jordan's nature reserves, the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, was founded. RSCN's first efforts involved bringing back severely endangered species. In 1973, RSCN, was given the right to issue hunting licenses, giving RSCN an upper hand in preventing extinction. The first step was the founding of Jordan's first nature reserve, Shaumari Wildlife Reserve, in 1975. The primary purpose was to create means to breed endangered species, specifically: the Arabian oryx, gazelles, ostriches and Persian onagers in their natural environment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Mongolia</span> Flora and fauna of Mongolia

The wildlife of Mongolia consists of flora, fauna and funga found in the harsh habitats dictated by the diverse climatic conditions found throughout the country. In the north, there are salty marshes and fresh-water sources. The centre has desert steppes. In the south, there are semi deserts as well as the hot Gobi desert in the south, the fifth-largest desert in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Ukraine</span> Flora and fauna of Ukraine

The wildlife of Ukraine consists of its diverse fauna, flora and funga. The reported fauna consists of 45,000 species when including the areas of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. Ukraine's protected environments consist of 33 Ramsar sites covering an area of 7,446.51 square kilometres (2,875.11 sq mi). Biosphere nature reserves and three national parks are all part of the GEF projects portfolio of conservation of biodiversity in the Danube Delta. Their vegetation pattern is mixed forest area, forest-steppe area, steppe area, Ukrainian Carpathian Mountains and Crimean Mountains. Some of the protected areas that were reserves or parks are subsumed under the biosphere reserves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Qatar</span> Flora and fauna of Qatar

The wildlife of Qatar includes the peninsula's flora and fauna and their natural habitats. The country's terrestrial wildlife includes numerous small nocturnal mammals, a number of reptiles which mainly consist of lizard species, and arthropods. Aquatic animals primarily include fish, shrimp and pearl oysters. The desert and the shoreline form an important resting site for migratory bird species during autumn and spring. Urban and agricultural developments have led to an increase in bird species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fauna of Qatar</span> Native animals of Qatar

Qatar is a peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, bordering Saudi Arabia to the south and surrounded elsewhere by the Persian Gulf. A strait separates Qatar from the island kingdom of Bahrain.

The wildlife of Syria is the flora and fauna of Syria, a country at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. Besides its coastline, the country has a coastal plain, mountain ranges in the west, a semi-arid steppe area in the centre occupying most of the country, and a desert area in the east. Each of these zones has its own characteristic animals and plants.

The wildlife of Yemen is substantial and varied. Yemen is a large country in the southern half of the Arabian Peninsula with several geographic regions, each with a diversity of plants and animals adapted to their own particular habitats. As well as high mountains and deserts, there is a coastal plain and long coastline. The country has links with Europe and Asia, and the continent of Africa is close at hand. The flora and fauna have influences from all these regions and the country also serves as a staging post for migratory birds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Saudi Arabia</span> Flora and fauna of Saudi Arabia

The wildlife of Saudi Arabia is substantial and varied. Saudi Arabia is a very large country forming the biggest part of the Arabian Peninsula. It has several geographic regions, each with a diversity of plants and animals adapted to their own particular habitats. The country has several extensive mountain ranges, deserts, highlands, steppes, hills, wadis, volcanic areas, lakes and over 1300 islands. The Saudi Arabian coastline has a combined length of 2,640 km (1,640 mi) and consists of the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea to the west while a shorter eastern coastline can be found along the Persian Gulf.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Bahrain</span> Flora and fauna of Bahrain

The wildlife of Bahrain is the flora and fauna of the archipelago of Bahrain. Apart from a strip of the north and west of the main island, where crops such as potatoes are grown with irrigation, the land is arid. With a very hot dry summer, a mild winter, and brackish groundwater, the plants need adaptations in order to survive. Nevertheless, 196 species of higher plant have been recorded here, as well as about seventeen species of terrestrial mammals, many birds and reptiles, and many migratory birds visit the islands in autumn and spring.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Oman</span> Flora and fauna of Oman

The wildlife of Oman is the flora and fauna of this country in the southeastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, with coasts on the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. The climate is hot and dry, apart from the southeastern coast, and the country offers a variety of habitats for wildlife including mountains, valleys, deserts, coastal plains and sea coasts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Middle East steppe</span> Ecoregion of Jordan, Syria and Iraq

The Middle East steppe ecoregion stretches in an arc from southern Jordan across Syria and Iraq to the western border of Iran. The upper plains of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers dominate most of the ecoregion. The terrain is mostly open shrub steppe. The climate is arid. Evidence is that this region was once more of a forest-steppe, but centuries of overgrazing and gathering firewood have reduced tree and grass cover to small areas and along the riverine corridors. Despite the degraded condition of the steppe environment, the ecoregion is important for water birds as the rivers and reservoirs provide habitat in the arid region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mesopotamian shrub desert</span> Desert ecoregion in West Asia

The Mesopotamian shrub desert is a deserts and xeric shrublands ecoregion in Western Asia. It extends across portions of Israel, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and Iran.

References

  1. Mayhew, B., Lonely Planet: Jordan. 6th Edition, 2006
  2. "Shaumari Wildlife Reserve". Wild Jordan. Retrieved 2019-04-15.
  3. 1 2 Philip's (1994). Atlas of the World. Reed International. p. 91. ISBN   0-540-05831-9.
  4. "Geography". Jordan: Geography and Environment. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 Cordova, Carlos E. (2007). Millennial Landscape Change in Jordan: Geoarchaeology and Cultural Ecology. University of Arizona Press. pp. 47–55. ISBN   978-0-8165-2554-6.
  6. "Wildlife and vegetation". Jordan: Geography and Environment. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  7. "Fifa Nature Reserve". Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  8. "Qatar Nature Reserve". Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  9. Cordova, Carlos E. (2007). Millennial Landscape Change in Jordan: Geoarchaeology and Cultural Ecology. University of Arizona Press. p. 105. ISBN   978-0-8165-2554-6.
  10. Musselman, Lytton John (27 April 2007). "Checklist of Plants of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan". Plant Site. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  11. 1 2 Mallon, David P.; Kingswood, Steven Charles (2001). Antelopes: North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. IUCN. pp. 103–104. ISBN   978-2-8317-0594-1.
  12. "Shaumari Wildlife Reserve". Jordan Tourism Board.
  13. 1 2 3 Mazin B. Qumsiyeh (1996). Mammals of the Holy Land . Texas Tech University Press. p.  332. ISBN   978-0-89672-364-1.
  14. Lepage, Denis. "Checklist of birds of Jordan". Bird Checklists of the World. Avibase. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  15. "Mujib Biosphere Reserve". Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  16. Freyhof, J. (2014). "Acanthobrama lissneri". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2014: e.T60802A19008348. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T60802A19008348.en .
  17. Freyhof, J.; Harrison, I.J. (2014). "Aphanius sirhani". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2014: e.T60411A16580970. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T60411A16580970.en .
  18. ??. Lonely Planet. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  19. "Top types of sharks in the Red Sea". zubludiving. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  20. "Marine Life Aqaba". Dive Magazine. Graeme Gourlay. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  21. Eid / Al Tawaha, Ehab / Mohammad. "A Guide to harmful and toxic creatures in the gulf of Aqaba" (PDF). jreds.org. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  22. RSCN, Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature. "Aqaba Bird Observatory". Aqaba Special Economic Zone. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  23. "Protected areas". Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 19 December 2015.