Kuwait does not purport to be a tourist destination and it is unlikely
to adopt such a position in the foreseeable future. On first appearances
its physical geography seems to be quite limited, comprising as
it does a predominantly desert landscape. Closer inspection, however,
reveals a number of interesting features. First, there is the
desert itself which, as those who have spent time in search of
the country’s natural delights will attest, has some rewarding
environments with plants and animals that show fascinating adaptations
to Kuwait’s extreme temperatures. There are several distinct regional
or localized features such as Jal Az Zor escarpment and ridge;
Jahra marshes; Umm al-Rimam; Wadi Al Batin; Umm Niqa and the sand
dunes of southern Kuwait. One of the richest biotopes is Kuwait’s
marine environment, both its shores and its underwater life. Here
there are gems to be discovered that would satisfy even the most
sceptical of visitors who felt that such an intensively developed
country has little left to offer nature-lovers. And finally, beyond
its mainland coastline are Kuwait’s islands: Bubiyan, Failaka,
Mishan, Umm al-Nammel, Auhhah, Kubbar, Qaruh and Umm al-Maradim.
Gulf War Aftermath
Having suffered what was probably the most intense environmental
attack that any country has endured, there is an inevitable aftermath
to the Gulf War that nature-watchers in Kuwait should take into
account. First of all, national security measures require that
certain areas are off-limits to the general public. These are
usually well sign-posted but it makes sense to check with the
local authorities before undertaking off-road exploration. Formal
permits and authorized supervision are required to visit certain
especially sensitive areas, including all border or near-border
localities such as Bubiyan island. Secondly, whilst a massive
mine-clearing and ordnance removal has been undertaken in Kuwait,
and certain areas that were off-bounds have now been ‘made-safe’,
it obviously makes sense to be careful. Inevitably, accidents
have taken place and will probably do so for some time to come,
despite the best efforts of the government to remove all the hazardous
residue of Iraq’s 1990-91 invasion and occupation. The good news
is that, despite all the oil-flooding and toxic fumes, Kuwait’s
wildlife has proven to be far more resilient than many people
expected. As often occurs in military conflicts, a reduction in
human disturbance in many remote regions, has tended to favour
recovery by many plants and animals.
Desert in Bloom
The word ‘desert’ is somewhat of a misnomer for the arid steppe-lands
and low-lands of Kuwait’s landscape. Scientists refer to the region
as semi-desert and during winter-time there is a remarkable amount
of vegetation, sufficient to support the camel-herds of old as
well as a good variety of wildlife. Wild-flowers blossom in the
desert after rain has fallen, often displaying compressed life-cycles
whereby they emerge from the ground, bloom and produce seeds within
very short time-spans. There are several good places to observe
the desert in flower, the most famous of which is to the west
of Kuwait, along the banks of tributaries of Wadi Batin. But this
is by no means the only place to look and almost any area where
rain-water collects will produce its own crop of desert flowers.
Camels & Other Grazers
The most obvious example of Arabian ‘wildlife’ one is likely to
find in the Kuwaiti desert are camels. Although the camel has
been domesticated it is a truly natural Arabian species, uniquely
adapted to desert-life. This is in contrast to the goats and sheep
which are also kept in large numbers, and which remain directly
dependent upon the Bedouin for their survival. Unfortunately over-grazing
by goats and sheep is damaging to the desert’s natural plantlife
and it is partly due to the reduction in their numbers, and restriction
of their range, brought about by the Gulf War, that certain areas
have experienced such encouraging recovery. Whereas goats and
sheep devour virtually all of the greenery on each plant, camels
take only a portion of the plant before moving on and their feeding
stimulates, rather than depresses, vegetation growth. An Act passed
in 1989 bans grazing across a large portion of Kuwait, equivalent
to approximately half the total land area.
Lizards
Among Kuwait’s considerable reptilian fauna, the species most
likely to entrance nature-watchers, especially those who venture
forth in the early morning, is the spiny-tailed lizard or dhub.
It is well worth staking-out a dhub burrow in order to get closer
to these prehistoric-looking lizards. If cornered away from the
safe refuge of its burrow, the dhub stands tall, stretching its
legs to gain maximum height, pushing out its chest and hissing
in a quite frightening manner: enough to warn off all but the
most determined of predators. Whilst dhub has formed a traditional
part of the Bedouin’s diet, and was hitherto hunted in a sustainable
manner, unfortunately the hunting continued in Arabia without
the natural checks and balances of sustainable life-patterns.
Apart from mankind however, dhub have other enemies including
a member of their own family, the desert monitor or wurral. These
are less common and harder to find than the dhub since they rove
the desert in search of their prey which may include, apart from
their fellow lizards, snakes, birds or small mammals. In addition
to these two large lizards, the Kuwaiti desert has a good variety
of other reptiles, providing the dominant contribution to the
country-wide check-list of 38 species.
Snakes
The sand boa is not uncommon in soft sand areas where it hides
in wait for its prey (usually a lizard) which it kills by literally
squeezing it to death! There are several other non-poisonous snakes
in Kuwait, such as the leaf-nosed snake which also occurs in sandy
areas, and the rat snake, more common in rocky areas. One of the
commonest of the poisonous species is the Arabian rear-fanged
snake which, as its name suggests, has its poison fangs situated
at the back of its mouth and is therefore unlikely to pose a threat
to nature-watchers, although it is obviously worth displaying
caution. Among the snakes on the ‘nice to have met you but excuse
me while I run a mile’ list are the horned viper and the black
desert cobra. The latter, in particular, has an extremely toxic
venom and should be treated with the utmost respect. Fortunately
it is a very rare species with only a few specimens recorded.
A measure of its lethal nature, however, is provided by the esteem
with which the species is held in Bedouin folk-lore where it is
believed that if the snake is killed, its spirit will return to
demolish its attacker!
Birds
Kuwait’s wildlife highlights are to be discovered among its birds
– both resident breeding species and migratory forms. The breeding
list for mainland Kuwait is relatively small, at around 16 species,
of which the Desert Larks are perhaps the most prominent. What
the country lacks in resident breeding species is more than compensated
for by its long list of temporary visitors. Since Kuwait lies
on a cross-roads for several important migratory routes the total
bird count for the country is significant at around 280 species.
The best time to bird-watch in Kuwait is at the peak of migration,
during springtime when the largest numbers make their ‘refuelling
stops’, feeding upon the relatively rich vegetation and associated
wildlife that developed over the winter months. The Lesser Kestrel
(Falco naumanni) is one of the globally threatened species that
can be seen passing over Kuwait city in April, but their numbers
have declined in recent years.
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AREAS OF INTEREST
Principal sites for bird-watching in Kuwait
Jal Az-Zor
Seen from across the shores of Kuwait Bay, the cliffs of Jal Az-Zor
ridge and escarpment are a prominent feature of the landscape,
acting like a magnet for many migratory falcons which perch along
the ridge in the early morning before hitching a ride skywards
on invisible thermal currents. The region, incorporating part
of the ridge and the adjacent coastal area consisting of sand
dunes, salt marshes and mud flats, has been incorporated into
a protected area known as Jal az-Zor National Park. The protective
fence was damaged during the Gulf War but it is understood that
steps are being taken to re-establish the protected area. Among
the highlights to be observed along the ridge are the Black Vulture
which is a passage migrant passing through Kuwait in March and
October; the Imperial Eagle which can be seen in March, October/November;
and the Lesser Kestrel already referred to above.
Dawhat Kazima
This is a shrimp-rich shallow bay bordered by mud-flats which
attract many coastal birds including Grey Herons, Avocets and
quite large flocks of waders on their migration. At least 66 species
have been seen here (Important Bird Areas of the Middle East).
The shore here is also the home of Kuwait’s endemic crab,Cleistostoma
kuwaitense.
Ad-Doha Nature Reserve/ Al-Jahra Picnic area
The small reed beds here attract large numbers of migratory birds
with at least 70 recorded species.
Sulaibikhat Bay
Large mud-flats with a fascinating associated fauna of mud-skippers
and crabs provide rewarding feeding-grounds for many wading birds
and waterfowl with more than 70 recorded species. Among the winter
visitors here are the Crab Plover and Avocet.
Al-Jahra Pools Nature Reserve
The reed-lined pools of the Al-Jahra wetland are one of the best
bird-watching sites in the whole of Kuwait with 220 recorded species.
The pools are the result of effluent flowing from Al-Jahra town.
It is described in Important Bird Areas of the Middle East as
an ‘important raptor migration bottleneck’. Among the raptors
to be seen during their spring and autumn passages are Buzzard;
Spotted Eagle; Steppe Eagle; Imperial Eagle; Marsh Harrier; Lesser
Kestrel and Black Vulture.
Coral Islets including Kubbar Island
Here are sites for nesting terns including the Lesser Crested;
Bridled; White-cheeked and Swift. Kubar is a favourite site for
weekend visitors. In the past both green and hawksbill turtles
nested among Kuwait’s coral-islands but human disturbance may
have been a factor in bringing this to an end.
Useful Addresses for Kuwait
Situated in the centre of Kuwait city, Kuwait’s Museum of Natural History has accumulated a mine of interesting information concerning
the country’s plants and animals. It is a useful starting point
for those interested in discovering more about the country’s wildlife.
The national authority with conservation as its main remit is
the Environment Protection Council (EPC). Tel: 4835483; 4833165
Research into issues involving conservation are undertaken by
relevant faculties at Kuwait University and by Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) P O Box 1638, Salmiya 22017 Kuwait.
The Public Authority for Agriculture Research & Fish Resources
plays an important role in several areas of wildlife management,
including providing the wardens for the Al-Jahra Pools Nature
Reserve.
Issues of regional marine conservation are also handled by the
Regional Organisation for Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME) which is headquartered in Kuwait. Contact ROPME, P O
Box 26388, Safat, Kuwait. Tel 5312140/1/2/3/4.
The Kuwait Ornithological Rarities Committee (KORC) was established in 1994. Contact Prof. Charles Pilcher,
Faculty of Medicine, P O Box 24923, Safat, Kuwait.