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. [1]
There are 21 species of mammals in Qatar. [2] Larger terrestrial mammals such as the Arabian oryx and Arabian gazelle are protected and are held in nature reserves. [3] The Arabian gazelle is the only native gazelle species to Qatar and is locally referred to as the rheem. [4]
Qatar's largest mammal is the dugong. Large numbers of dugong appear north of the peninsula's shores. [5] Qatari waters accommodate one of the largest concentrations of dugong in the world. [6] Two species of fox appear in the country. Sand cats also occur in the desert, and sometimes take over abandoned fox dens. Honey badgers (also known as ratel) appear primarily in the southwest of the peninsula. [7] Golden jackals, a species which was previously thought to have been extirpated in the 1950s, was re-discovered in 2008 in Ras Abrouq. [8] Two species of bat are found in the country: the trident bat and the desert long-eared bat. The former is more common. [9] Qatar has the highest density of camels in the Middle East. [10]
There are 215 common birds in Qatar. [11] The desert and the shoreline form an important resting site for a number of migratory bird species during autumn and spring. Coastal birds include gulls, terns, turnstones, sanderlings, Kentish plovers, herons and Socotra cormorants. [12] They are usually observed year round. Lark species, including hoopoes, crested larks and black-crowned sparrow-larks are commonly observed in the desert during the summer. [12] More commonly occurring species during the autumn and spring are swallows, swifts, house martins, warblers, redstarts, shrikes, wheatears, wagtails, harriers and falcons (including kestrels). [12] Four of the primary types of birds which can be observed in deserts during the winter are various types of waders and gulls, coots, and little grebes. [12] Rare birds such as the avocet and red-billed tropicbird breed on the peninsula. [7]
The Arabian ostrich went extinct in 1945. The North African ostrich was introduced in the later 20th century and is now concentrated in Ras Abrouq. [13]
Lizards are the most common reptile in Qatar. [14] There are more than 21 species of lizards, with the most common family being Gekkonidae (9 species). Other common families include Lacertidae (4 species), Agamidae (3 species), Scincidae (2 species), and Varanidae, Sphaerodactylidae, and Trogonophidae with one species each. [15] The horned desert viper, a venomous viper species, has been recorded in the country but is rarely sighted. [16]
There are at least 500 fish species in Qatar. [17] The northeastern coast has the highest density of fish. Fish caught in the aforementioned region include Carangidae, Pomadasidae, Lethrinidae and Lutjanidae. [18]
Goatfish, sharks, groupers, barracudas, threadfins, lizardfish and rabbitfish also occur in lower frequency. [18]
Penaeus is by far the most abundant genus of prawn in the peninsula. Other crustaceans, such as Metapenaeus elegans , Metapenaeus stebbingi , Metapenaeus stridulands , and slipper lobsters have been documented. [19]
There are more than two-hundred oyster beds in Qatari waters. The most significant oyster species is Pinctada margaritifera . [20] Five species of terrestrial snails, each belonging to a different genera, have been recorded in the country. Zootecus insularis is the most widespread. None of them are indigenous. [21] Mudflats and other intertidal habitats tend to contain the highest distribution of gastropods, polychaetes, bivalves and decapods. [3]
At least 170 species of insects belonging to 15 orders exist in Qatar. These include Thysanura, Ephemeroptera, Odonata, Orthoptera, Dermaptera, Embioptera, Isoptera, Dictyoptera, Anoplura, Hemiptera, Neuroptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera, Coleoptera and Hymenoptera. [22]
More than 300 species of wild plants are present in the peninsula. [23] Vegetation is extremely sparse in the hamada landscape due to the heavily weathered soil. A native species of tree, Vachellia tortilis (known locally as samr), grows in this habitat. [24] Its adaptive capabilities to the desert environment renders it one of the most common forms of vegetation in the country. [23] Zygophyllum qatarense and Lycium shawii are also adapted to grow in this landscape. [25]
Shallow depressions referred to as rodat constitute a more varied selection of plants since rainwater run off is more easily accumulated. Ziziphus nummularia favors deeper soil in this type of habitat, whereas the grass Cymbopogon parkeri is found in shallower soils. In the south of the peninsula, Panicum turgidum and Vachellia tortilis grow in the wind-blown soils. [25]
Qatar is committed to protecting endangered wildlife species, as highlighted by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME). One of the key initiatives includes the protection of hawksbill turtles, which are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This project, in collaboration with Qatar Petroleum and Qatar University, aims to safeguard the nesting sites of these turtles and has been in action since 2003. [26]
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has undertaken various programs and projects to preserve wildlife and biodiversity. Notable efforts include the lizard biodiversity conservation project, which has monitored 21 lizard species, and breeding programs for endangered animals such as the Arabian oryx, sand gazelle, ostrich, bustard, and wild rabbit. Additionally, Qatar has made significant strides in sea turtle protection along all its coasts since 2002 and has implemented a project to study and propagate mangrove plants along the coast, aiming to extend their presence to new areas. [27]
Qatar is a peninsula in the east of Arabia, bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia, in a strategic location near major petroleum and natural gas deposits. The State of Qatar occupies 11,571 km2 (4,468 sq mi) on a peninsula that extends approximately to 160 km (99 mi) north into the Persian Gulf from the Arabian Peninsula.
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.
Oryx is a genus consisting of four large antelope species called oryxes. Their pelage is pale with contrasting dark markings in the face and on the legs, and their long horns are almost straight. The exception is the scimitar oryx, which lacks dark markings on the legs, only has faint dark markings on the head, has an ochre neck, and has horns that are clearly decurved.
Ṣīr Banī Yās is a natural island located 170 km (110 mi) southwest of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. It lies 9 km (5.6 mi) offshore from Jebel Dhanna, which serves as a crossing point to other islands such as Dalma. Sir Bani Yas is 17.5 km (10.9 mi) from north to south and 9 km (5.6 mi) from east to west, making it the largest natural island in the United Arab Emirates. Located just off the shore of the western region of Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas was originally home to Arabia's largest wildlife reserve. Spanning over 87 km2 (34 sq mi), the reserve was established in 1977 by Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Due to decades of conservation work and ecological investment, it is now home to thousands of large free-roaming animals and several million trees and plants. A bird sanctuary as well as a wildlife reserve, Sir Bani Yas showcases nature through activities such as adventure safaris, kayaking, mountain biking, archery, hiking and snorkeling.
The wildlife of Iraq includes its flora and fauna and their natural habitats. Iraq has multiple biomes from mountainous region in the north to the wet marshlands along the Euphrates river. The western part of the country is mainly desert and some semi-arid regions. As of 2001, seven of Iraq's mammal species and 12 of its bird species were endangered. The endangered species include the northern bald ibis and Persian fallow deer. The Syrian wild ass is extinct, and the Saudi Arabian dorcas gazelle was declared extinct in 2008.
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.
The wildlife of Algeria is composed of its flora and fauna. Mountains, chotts, wetlands, and grassy desert-like regions all support a wide range of wildlife. The most commonly seen animals include the wild boars, jackals, and gazelles, although it is not uncommon to spot fennecs and jerboas. Leopards and cheetahs are seldom seen.
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.
Mauritania's wildlife has two main influences as the country lies in two biogeographic realms. The north sits in the Palearctic which extends south from the Sahara to roughly 19° north latitude and the south is in the Afrotropic realm. Additionally, Mauritania is an important wintering area for numerous birds which migrate from the Palearctic.
The wildlife of Sudan is composed of its flora and fauna. A variety of climate types in Sudan results in a wide range of habitats and the range of wildlife is diverse. Some 287 species of mammal have been recorded in the country and some 634 species of bird.
The Arabian Peninsula coastal fog desert, also known as the Southwestern Arabian coastal xeric scrub, is desert ecoregion on the southern coasts of the Arabian Peninsula, which experiences thick fogs where visibility may be reduced to 10 metres (33 ft). It is classed as an Afrotropical fog desert
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 flora of Qatar includes more than 300 species of wild plants. Qatar occupies a small desert peninsula that is around 80 km from east to west and 160 km from north to south. The climate is hot and humid with sporadic rain. Majority of the country is flat with an annual rainfall average of less than 3 inches. Arnebia hispidissim blooms yellow flowers annually in sandy soil. Glossonema edule has edible fruits with brownish-yellow flowers.
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.
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.
The wildlife of the United Arab Emirates is the flora and fauna of the country on the eastern side of the Arabian Peninsula and the southern end of the Persian Gulf. The country offers a variety of habitats for wildlife including the coast, offshore islands, mangrove areas, mudflats, salt pans, sand and gravel plains, sand dunes, mountain slopes, wadis and rocky summits. Because the terrain is so varied, it supports a greater number of species of plants and animals than might be expected in a small country.
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.
The wildlife of Kuwait consists of the flora and fauna of Kuwait and their natural habitats. Kuwait is a country in the Middle East at the head of the Persian Gulf, located between Iraq and Saudi Arabia.