ECO-JORDAN

There is an opportunity to be in touch with all the wonders of Nature in Jordan in nature reserves and many other protected areas. Two organizations, the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) and the Royal Ecological Diving Society, are the leaders in preserving the animal, plant and natural beauty of Jordan.

Incentive clients interested in assisting in their efforts may become members or make contributions to the organizations. The Jordan Tourism Board can assist in these arrangements.

*picture of a bird

*picture of a gazelles

*picture of men riding on camel back

Carefully orchestrated visits can be made to many of the nature reserves:

The Mujib Wildlife Reserve

It is located near the east coast of the Dead Sea in the Wadi Mujib gorge, beginning at over 1300 feet below sea level and climbing to almost 3000 feet above sea level in some places. The diversity of Wadi Mujib is still being explored, but over 300 species of plants, myriad species of birds and many animals, including the horned Ibex and the carnivorous Caracal cat are found there. The reserve has two main hiking trails.

The Dana Nature Reserve

Located near Tafila, the 120-square-mile Dana Nature Reserve extends from the top of the Jordan Rift Valley to the desert lowlands of Wadi Araba. Visitors will be struck by the beauty of the mountains and cliffs, the mystery of the ancient ruins of Feinan and the diversity of the landscape. Dana supports a variety of rare plants, 17 species of mammals and 190 species of rare birds. There is a complex made up of a small guesthouse, a nature shop and a visitor center to assist guests.

The Shaumari Nature Reserve and Azraq Wetland Reserve

Located east of Amman are two more areas managed by the RSCN. The Shaumari Reserve was created by the RSCN as a breeding center for endangered or locally extinct wildlife. Today, following breeding programs, it is home to oryx, ostriches, gazelles and onagers, some of the rarest species of animals in the Middle East. The last wild oryx in the world was killed in Oman in 1972. In 1978the RSCN brought 11 oryx from a USA survival herd and relocated them in Shaumari. The herd has increased to over 200 and Jordan now supplies oryx to other countries that are conducting reintroduction programs.