إدارة النظام البيئي في محمية ضانا الطبيعية

Abstract EN

Dana Natural Reserve (DNR) (308 square km) is located in the southern district of Tafila, restricted between (35° 21 -35° 33 E.

And 30° 33 -30° 45 N.).

Due to its location a wide variety of climate zones (it has mountain average heights of 1600 meters abs, and descends to the deserts of Wadi Araba -200 meters usl), DNR contains a remarkable diversity of landscapes that range from wooded highlands to rocky slopes, and from gravel plains to dunes of sand.

Dana reserve represents three out of four biogeographical regions in Jordan.

These regions are Mediterranean, Irano -Turanian and Tropical.

This variation allows huge variation and diversification in such a limited area.

This condensed variety of landforms and habitats, combined with dramatic changes in elevation, results in a vast biological diversity.

The total number of species recorded so far consists of 690 plants, 37 species of mammals, and 190 species of birds.

Dana area was well known in the previous history by Egyptians, Nabataeans, Romans and Islamic civilization, and recently Al- Ata'ata" tribes.Unfortunately, the area in the past and now faces the anthropogenic pressure (negative development, industrialization, cement factory, and degradation as soil erosion, over-grazing, deforestation, and mismanagement) affected wildlife, many of the species are now rare and some are threatened to extinction: animals like the sand cat, the Syrian wolf.

So far, 25 endangered or vulnerable animals have been found in the reserve.

The question that alerts us is how can we compact the deterioration of biodiversity? This research sheds light on the reasons which threaten and destroy the wildlife habitat; also, the research gives a remedy that may rescue this wildlife in Dana Natural Reserve.