About 46 mammals, 11 birds, four reptiles, six freshwater fish, two marine invertebrate and four marine vertebrate species are considered threatened in Jordan, according to the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN). Research has revealed that about 250 species of flora are rare in Jordan, and about 150 species are nationally threatened.
Although Jordan is a small country of about 90,000 km2, its location at the junction of three continents - Asia, Africa and Europe, its diverse climate and rich geological make-up make it is home to an astonishing 800 species of flora and fauna.
On the other hand, Jordan is amongst the world's ten countries that suffer most from water shortages. The water per capita share of a Jordanian is estimated at 176 cubic metres/year. The World Health Organization (WHO) considers the water scarcity level to be 1000 cubic metres/year.
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However, to preserve the country’s natural wealth, seven wildlife reserves have been established over the last 30 years. These include the Shumari Reserve, the first wildlife reserve in Jordan set up in 1972; the 320 km2 Dana Reserve, known for its biological diversity and archaeological sites; and the Azraq oasis, which is home to the only true endemic vertebrate in Jordan – the Aphanius sirhani. Not more than six centimeters in size, Aphanius sirhani is Jordan’s only endemic fish.
“Named after Wadi Sirhan that extends from Saudi Arabia to Jordan in Azraq oasis, that stretches from the Jordan Plateau to the Syrian desert, the Aphanius sirhani plays an important role in maintaining ecological balance by regulating surface water content,” said Nashat A. Hamidan, a full-time member of the RSCN who is pioneering the project to save this unique species.
The Aphanius sirhani was identified in 1983 by Villwock, Scholl & Krupp, and was declared as an endangered species due to the extraction of water from the Azraq oasis in 1983. In 1995 the species was thought to be extinct but this wasn’t recorded until the year of 2000.
Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United National Development Programme (UNDP), rehabilitation of the wildlife of the Azraq oasis began immediately managed by Jordan-based RSCN.
Water extraction from the oasis and the presence of alien species, like the blue and red belly Tilapia, common carp and catfish, led to a steep decline in the numbers of the Aphanius sirhani until the fish was thought to be extinct. A rescue mission lead by RSCN started in 2000 to save the wild population remains of the species.
In 2001, RSCN received a grant of US$9,000 from Ford Motor Company’s Conservation & Environmental Grants. The fish stock was collected from the wild and kept in special artificial pools. But to maintain and increase the numbers of the endangered fish, new natural habitats had to be created.
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In 2004, RSCN received another Ford Grant of US$10,000 to further support the group’s valuable work. “Over the past few years, efforts to save the Aphanuis sirhani fish have made considerable headway. So far we have bred more than 3,000 Aphanius sirhani in artificial pools, and we have already completed one habitat for these fish to thrive in,” continued Hamidan, who has a masters degree in the study of the biology and ecology of Aphanius sirhani.
Through his study, he understood the adaptation strategy the species use to survive under harsh environmental conditions, which helped in guiding project activities.
Now entering stage two of the programme, Hamidan and RSCN, with the help of the Ford Grants, will create more natural habitats to continuing the breeding process and safeguard protected areas in the wild.
“Two new habitats are expected to be complete by the end of the year. The total area of the habitats created is expected to be 59,725 square metres, increasing the area of open water of the Azraq oasis by five per cent,” he explained.
