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Location:
31o00ŽN, 38o50ŽE
Area:
13,775 km2 ; Altitude at sea level
Type:
Special Nature Reserve, Resource Use Reserve, Scientific
Research Center.
Year of establishment:
1987
Objective:
To protect the biological diversity and habitat of the
area Protection and reintroduction of endangered species
Research, education, tourism and recreation.
Management:
National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development
(NCWCD)
Geographical aspects:
A huge desert area of northern Saudi Arabia, close to
the border with Jordan and 80 km north-west of Sakakah.
Undulating black basalt boulder-fields with numerous
volcanic cones and frequent low hills, interspersed
with silt flats and some sabkhah. Wadis are generally
shallow. Rainfall is seasonal (every winter) but varies
greatly in amount between years. There is rarely any
surface water except for a permanent reservoir at Dawmat
al-Jandi near the southern edge of the reserve
Flora:
Except for a very few stunted palms, the vegetation
is devoid of trees, and is sparse except after good
winter/spring rains, although drainage features contain
a reasonable cover of small shrubs (Artemisia, Haloxylon,
Zilla)
Fauna:
The site holds the most diverse breeding community of
larks in the Middle East. This was one of the last places
in Saudi Arabia where Struthio camelus occurred Threatened
endemic mammals are Canis lupus, Felis margarita, Gazella
subgutturosa (rare) and possibly G.gazella. On the edge
of extinction G.doracas, Oryx leucoryx and Acinonyx
jubatus
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