Nature of Saudi Arabia - national parks and reserves for active recreation

The climate of Saudi Arabia is harsh and arid. The air temperature rises to 50 degrees in many regions in summer. The animal world is quite diverse at the same time. The Red Sea off the coast of the country is full of a variety of forms of marine life. There are about 2000 species of corals alone. They are in excellent condition. Numerous nature reserves and protected areas have been created to preserve unique ecosystems.

The Ibex Reserve Protected Area has been established south of Riyadh. Many desert animals live here. Some species are threatened with extinction due to hunting and lack of water. Wildcats, Cape damans, mongooses, and eagles are found on the territory.

Jabal Aja Protected Area is a nature reserve in northern Saudi Arabia. The red Granite Mountains with rich flora and fauna occupy most of the territory. The height of the mountains varies from 900 to 1550 meters above sea level. It rains here in winter. This caused the richness of the plant world. Several endemic plants and in total about 350 species of plants grow in the protected area. The territory is also important for the protection of the birds. Many species of birds come here for the winter. For example, this is a demoiselle crane. There is also a griffon vulture, an Egyptian vulture, and a desert owl among the inhabitants of the reserve. Wolf, sand cat and a Nubian ibex also live in the park. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Mahazat as-Said is a park in Central Saudi Arabia. This is one of the few places where populations of white Oryx and black-tailed gazelle have been restored. The place is home to several species of gazelles, wolves, hyenas, and cheetahs.

Salwa Canal is a protected part of the Gulf of Bahrain. This is an important area for nesting birds. A species of Phalacrocorax that is endemic to Saudi Arabia breeds here. In addition to them, there is a Caspian tern, lesser crested tern, bridled tern, and black-necked grebe in the park.

Uruq Bani Ma'arid is a nature reserve in the south of the country. Sandy deserts, wadis (dry riverbeds), rocky cliffs, and gravel plains occupy the main part of its territory. The territory is divided into three zones: protected, pastures, and a zone where hunting is allowed. The site was also chosen to restore the population of the white Oryx and several gazelle species that traditionally inhabited the area. The animals were initially kept in a fenced area. They were released into the wild after the population recovered. This is the only Oryx population living in the wild today. Rueppell's foxes, Cape hares, desert hedgehogs, Cheeseman's gerbils, small five-toed jerboa, and desert monitor are also found in the park. 16 species of birds live permanently in the park. Another 106 species migrate. The climate is dry and arid here. More than 160 species of plants, including endemics, grow in the park.

Wadi Turabah Nature is located 150 kilometers south of Ta’if in the Mecca region. Granite rocks up to 1000 meters above sea level and wadis make up most of the territory. The rocks are overgrown with juniper. Ficus and Ziziphus jujuba grow near the wadi. Hamadryas baboon and large predators such as wolves, foxes, and caracals are found on the territory. Endemic fish are found in rivers. Many species of birds live in the reserve. These are the Philby's partridge, Arabian partridge, the Arabian woodpecker, Tristram's starling, Verreaux's eagle, and others. Black storks winter in the reserve. This is the only place where hamerkops nest.

Saudi Arabia is committed to preserving the unique marine fauna of corals and barrier reefs. Several nature reserves have been created for this purpose. These are Yanbu' Coastal Conservation Area, Shi'b Green Reef Complex, Safaniya/Manifa Bay Complex, North Outer Farasan Bank Reefs and Islands, and others. There are 2000 species of corals in coastal waters. Black coral is the most valuable of them. Several species of sharks, including silky shark, white shark, reef shark, hammerhead shark, and others live in the Red Sea.

Asir is the oldest National Park. It was founded in 1980. Its territory stretches from the Red Sea coast to the mountains in the east. Fairly high mountains (the highest point is 3133 meters), interspersed with gorges and cliffs occupy part of the territory. The amount of precipitation sufficient for plant growth falls here. Rare species of animals live on the territory. This is Arabian oryx and Nubian ibex. The government is taking significant measures to preserve them. This is a popular holiday destination, despite the fact that the tourist infrastructure is almost absent here. King Abdul Aziz Palace is one of the attractions. There is an exposition of the ethnographic museum in it.

Saiysad National Park is located north of Ta’if. Heavy rains occur on the territory during the cold season. It is not recommended to visit the park at this time. The park is very beautiful thanks to the many plants that grow here. The river that forms picturesque thresholds flows through the territory.