Jack Jackson Pictures by F. Jack Jackson |
Yemen, a country of extreme physical contrasts, has a lot to offer nature enthusiasts. High, rain-filled mountains (up to 3900 m) near to the Red Sea coast drop to the hot, flat Tihama plain. Scrub and gravel desert, interspersed with mountains and gorges of exposed rock, stretch to the north and east of the mountain range, abutting onto the rolling sand dunes of the Rub al-Khali. Here, the Marib area regularly sees flash floods from rain in the mountains; though these are now controlled by the new dam. Further east is the Wadi Hadramaut, a wide fertile water-course fed by run-off from the large barren plateau called the jol. The southern coast of Yemen, along the Gulf of Aden, is predominantly lava fields, interspersed with scrub areas, sand dunes and volcanic mountains. Traditional methods of land management, particularly terracing of mountainsides, have, by and large, allowed the bioheterogeneity to survive. Nevertheless, intensive hunting and the wide availability of firearms has brought pressure to bear on certain species. Animals found in Yemen include caracal, striped hyaena, foxes, hares, crested porcupines, mongoose, Indian monitors, agamid lizards, jerboa, gerbils, chameleons, scorpions, camel spiders and the occasional snake . Hamadryas baboons and rock hyrax are plentiful on the lower slopes and rock faces of the mountains facing the Red Sea. Gazelles, easily hunted by four-wheel-drive vehicles in open country, have declined in number, although a few still exist on escarpments. The leopard has also survived in remote areas. Many small plants of interest grow in Yemen. The Rub al-Khali desert blooms after rain, acacia trees and prickly pear cactus becoming a blaze of colour when in flower. The smaller euphorbias in scrub areas and the large candelabra euphorbias from the southern slopes of the Sumara Pass to Taiz are a fine sight when in flower, as is the white lily (Crinum yemense); but the plant that really stands out is the desert rose (Adenium obesum). Unfortunately trees are rare in northern Yemen because so many have been cut down and used for firewood. From the eco-tourism point of view, Yemen's main attraction is its birdlife, which is particularly abundant during the spring and autumn migrations. At these times thousands of raptors cross the Bab-al-Mandeb straits between Yemen and Africa, but there are also many species that use the junction of land and sea along the Red Sea coast as a flight path between Africa and Europe. Whilst running a boat in this area, I have witnessed hundreds of exhausted birds land for a rest, picked up others from the sea, and even had one fall asleep on my sunglasses, whilst I was wearing them! Places where there is water for most of the year also support plenty of birdlife. Particularly interesting are the regular sightings of Arabian Bustards in cereal fields near to Luhayah, though, for obvious reasons, conservationists would prefer to keep the exact location secret. Arabian Bustards have also been seen south of Zebid and near Aden. Yemen is a very attractive place for the commited eco-tourist to visit, not only because of its interesting geographical features, flora and fauna, but because the traditional lifestyle of its people has remained relatively untouched by the 20th century. Djebel Bura/Wadi Rima At any time of year, a drive along the beach between Mokha and Hokha will give you sightings of many dozens of species from waders, terns and gulls, to flamingos, ospreys, pelicans, the ubiquitous Black Kite and, with luck, a green turtle! Djebel Bura is directly east of Hodeida, but is normally reached by a dirt track from Suknah via Mansuriya. Above Souk Al-Sabt Al-Mahrab, is a small remnant of woodland containing rare plants, some 50 species of birds, hamadryas baboons, rock hyrax, striped hyaenas, honey badgers, mongooses and genet. Wadi Rima, descending from Djebel Rima, is southeast of Bait Al Faqih, but is best reached from Madinat Ash Shirq, which is on the new road from Ma'abar near Dhamar, on the Sana'a-Taiz road and Izzan on the Hodeida-Sana'a road. This area is more cultivated than Djebel Bura, but from 15 to 25 km south of Madinat Ash Shirq, in the areas between Souk Al Khamis and Baboon Hill, there have been sightings of all the species listed at Djebel Bura, as well as gazelles. Wadi Hafash Shahara Mountain Taiz Wadi Dhar Marib dam Haraz Mountains The main road from Manakha to Khamis Bani Saad drops steeply, twisting through several, narrow rock gorges, containing the Wadi Surdud. If you pass through these in the late afternoon, troops of hamadryas baboons will be jumping around over on the high cliffs. The lower part of the Wadi Surdud, either side of Khamis Bani Saad, has water all year round, supporting banana and papaya plantations, ideal places for bird-watching. Other interesting areas Socotra, in the Gulf of Aden, is now open to tourists. Because of its unique flora and fauna (see Arabian Wildlife, Vol 2, No 1), a proposal to designate Socotra as a Biosphere Reserve is being prepared by UNESCO and Yemen's Environmental Protection Council. Useful Addresses for Yemen Derek Harvey, Yemen Ornithological Society Coordinator, c/o Clyde Petroleum, P O Box 16133, Sana'a, Republic of Yemen. The Discovery Guide to Yemen, by Chris Bradley, published by Immel Publishing Ltd, 20 Berkeley St, London WIX 5 AE, which will be in the shops in the autumn, will be an indispensable guide for all visitors to Yemen. Local offices of Yemenia airline also provide an unofficial tourist information service. The following tour companies operating out of Sana'a vary considerably in the standard of service and quality of vehicles supplied: Universal Travel and Tourism, Saif Bin Dhi Yazen Street, P O Box 10473 Sana'a. Tel 00 9671 27502 YATA (Yemen Arab Tourism Agency), Airport Road, Street No 9, Sana'a (P O Box 1153),Tel: 9671 224236; fax 9671 251597. Efficient and willing. YATA run regular bird-watching tours, mostly for German agencies. Marib Travel and Tourism, Ali Abdul Moghni Street, PO Box 161, Sana'a. Tel 9671 272435 Al Mamoon Travel and Tourism Agency, Al Zubairy Street, P O Box 10127, Sana'a. Tel 9671 79261 Arabia Felix Tour and Travel Agency, Al Zubairy Street, P O Box 1566, Sana'a. Tel 9671 275007 Arabian Horizons, Al Qasr Street, P O Box 8665, Sana'a. Tel 9671 275414; fax 9671 275415 Bazara Travel and Tourism, Al Zubairy Street, P O Box 2616 Sana'a. Tel 9671 205865; fax 9671 209568 Yemen Tourist and Travel Agency, Al Qasr Street, P O Box 1108, San'a. Tel 9671 272914. General Tourism Corporation, P O Box 129 Sana'a. Tel 9671 73935 Yemen Tourism Company, 65 Hadda St, P O Box 1526. Tel 9761 240372; fax 9671 244222 |
| Subjects | Search Arabian Wildlife. Volume 2, Number 2 |
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