By: Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-von Jaffa.
*Note: This article was published in "Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin". Number 55, July 2006. pp. 1-46.
Introduction:
Despite its small area, Palestine has a relatively rich fauna, due to its location at the crossroads of three continents, and because of the large variety of habitats and climates.
More than 110 species of mammals have roamed the ancient forests, mountains and deserts of the Holy Land. Their interaction with humans is documented in the cave drawings of early Neanderthal inhabitants, and in the writings of all Near Eastern civilizations and Religions (Torah, Bible and the Holy Qur’an). The expansion of human population and encroachment into fragile ecosystems in recent centuries has resulted in the extinction of several species: aurochs (wild ox), Syrian Onager (wild ass), roebuck (roe deer), fallow deer, red deer, Arabian oryx, Syrian brown bear, Asiatic cheetah and the Asiatic lion.
Today, the largest Palestinian land animals are Arabian mountain gazelles, wild boar, foxes, jungle cats, Sinai ibex and the rarely seen leopards, hyenas, jackals and wolves. In all, there are 116 different species of land animals in Palestine, compared with 140 in the whole of Europe, which is 300 times larger. This is an impressive figure for a small country, but the numbers of animals within each species is shrinking.
Since the 1960s, the Israeli Nature Reserves Authority has been reintroducing populations of animals which were native to the area in biblical times, under a program known as Hai-Bar. Breeding centers for Mediterranean animals (in the Carmel) and desert animals (at Yotvata in the Wadi Araba) have been set up, and five species were selected for the first stage: ostriches, roe deer, Asiatic wild asses, Persian fallow deer and the white oryx. All except the roe deer are globally endangered. The founder animals for each species came from both zoos and the wild, around the world. Successful reintroductions into the wild have already been implemented for the Asiatic wild ass (starting in 1982), the fallow deer (since 1996) and the white oryx (since 1997).
Most of the Wildlife in Palestine is legally protected by the Israeli Wild Animals Protection Law, enacted in l954. This law also protected all carnivores, except the Syrian jackal (Canis aureus syriacus), which was only later declared a protected species. The Wildlife in Palestine is also legally protected by the Palestinian Environment Law no. 7, enacted in 1999. The legal protection of carnivores in Palestine is reasonably well enforced. Cases of intentional killing of carnivores, mainly by shooting, are rare and carried out only by the Arabs and Druse, with whom the traditional animosity towards carnivores is still prevalent. There are, however, occasional cases of mortality caused by pesticides, mainly secondary poisoning from feeding on poisoned pest rodents. Mortality of carnivores caused by humans in Palestine is mainly through road accidents, which, however, do not appear to endanger any species, as shown by the hyaena (Hyaena hyaena). This species has a small population in Palestine (rough estimate: 150), and is very prone to road accidents, with about 20 animals being killed in this way every year. However, the population seems to be slowly increasing. One advantage of road deaths is that they provide documentation on the distribution of the carnivores concerned. For example, the recent spread of the stone marten (Martes foina) is well-documented by road deaths (Khalaf-von Jaffa, 2006).
Conservation efforts in occupied Palestine are needed to ensure the continued survival of the Arabian leopard, Arabian caracal, Palestine wild cat, Palestine jungle cat, Arabian wolf, Palestine fox, Afghan fox, Sinai ibex and the desert gazelles, and to prevent the continued habitat destruction that takes its toll on smaller mammals.
In this study I would like to list the Palestinian mammals living in the “Land of Milk and Honey” or the “Land of the Gazelle”.
Note: To read the full article, Pease visit the Mammalia Palaestina article (2 Parts & 1 References) under links:
Article Reference:
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2006). Mammalia Palaestina: The Mammals of Palestine / Die Säugetiere Palästinas. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 55, Twenty-fourth Year, July 2006, Jumada Al-Thania 1427. pp. 1-46. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. www.oocities.org/jaffacity/Mammalia_Palaestina1.html (Part 1) & www.oocities.org/jaffacity/Mammalia_Palaestina2.html (Part 2) &
www.oocities.org/jaffacity/Mammalia_Palaestina3.html (References).
Author & Webmaster: Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa. (2006).
