Specialists confirmed that the Dana Reserve, which sits on the southwestern outskirts of the Kingdom, is an important destination for migratory birds and is considered one of the most important sites for birds.

He said that flocks of birds migrate annually to Jordan to complete their natural cycle in the various migratory regions in the Kingdom, the most important of which is the Dana Biosphere Reserve, where birds in the reserve have an exceptional presence, which adds dignity to the reserve, which is considered one of the most important sites in the world for migratory birds. Director of the Dana Biosphere Reserve, Engineer Amer Al-Rufou’, told the Jordan News Agency (Petra) that the reserve recorded 217 species of birds, some of which are of special natural importance, and seven of them are of global importance, such as the kestrel that spawns in the reserve.

He added that there are 13 species of regional importance, such as the Syrian firebird, which breeds in the rocky slopes covered with trees and scattered shrubs and in open forests, explaining that the reserve is an important habitat for this bird, the only one that is hatched and endemic to its distribution areas in the Middle East. And he indicated that there are many types of birds of national importance, in addition to other types of birds of prey that nest in the reserve. These birds are considered among the species indicative of the health of the vital system, as they are at the top of the food chain, including the brown eagle, the eagle, the eagle. Snakes, Bonelli’s Eagle and Falop Hawk.

He explained that these birds are of global importance, as they are one of the endangered species. For his part, Director of the Birds Projects Management Unit at the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, Eng. Tariq Qaneer, said that a number of birds of local and regional importance have been recorded in Dana, whose presence is an indication of the integrity of the ecosystem and an attractive factor for bird watchers, such as the brown eagle and the eagle. Snakes, black eagles, sunset falcons, owl owls, abalaqs Abu Qalsuwa, tree khanshas, ​​Sinai rose sparrows, and Egyptian vultures, in addition to the Arabian free falcon, saffron, butler’s owl, yellow nightingale, red tailed abalaq, Minteri warbler, Arabian warbler, Arab chatterer, black or starling, and the pale rock sparrow. He pointed out that there are many rare birds in Dana, but one of the rarest of these birds is the Syrian firebird, since its nesting area is limited to an area of ​​17 square kilometers in the Al-Bura area, located on the southeast side of the reserve, and it is the only habitat for this bird to nest. In turn, the Director General of the Society, Yahya Khaled, explained that studies have proven the existence of a community of 500 to 700 pairs of Syrian Naar in Dana, and therefore the reserve is considered the best habitat for this species in the region of its presence in the Middle East.

He stated that the association had finished setting the outlines of the national program for bird watching tourism after identifying the paths and important areas for birds, which is considered the Dana Reserve one of the most important of these sites in Jordan, and that this type of tourism generates income for local communities and constitutes an added value for sustainable tourism in Jordan. . He said that the association has completed the preparation of the program and is working to market it with tourism companies and the Tourism Activation Authority, and a set of tracks have been worked out to give the tourist the choice, whether in terms of the target areas or the number of days of stay, and this national program is considered a pioneer at the level of the region.

It is noteworthy that the Dana Reserve is one of the most rich reserves in its natural value and biodiversity, according to the latest statistics conducted by the reserve.

More than 891 species of plants were recorded in the reserve, which represent a third of Jordan’s plants, three of which are new to the world and bear the name of the Dana Reserve, and contain 16 rare species at the global level, which nominated it to be one of the important areas for biodiversity at the global level, and 160 species were recorded. Rare and endangered plants at the national level.

The reserve is a center for the breeding and nesting of many wild birds, such as partridges, snarls and birds of prey, where 217 species of birds have been recorded, which constitutes 50 percent of the birds registered in Jordan.

The reserve is located within the migratory paths of birds and thousands cross it annually, and it has been declared an important area for birds by the World Council for the Protection of Birds. More than 38 mammals and 42 reptiles have been recorded, and the reserve is a tributary center for many rare and threatened species in the regions of southern Jordan, including the Nubian mountain goat, the Afghani (royal) fox, the lynx and the Afri deer, which are among the threatened species at the national and global level. –(Petra)