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Sands Of Samar
The Sands of Samar (), also called the Samar sands or Samar sand dunes, are an expanse of sand dunes in the Arava region of southern Israel. Once encompassing an area of seven square kilometers, agricultural development and sand mining have reduced the sands to 2.3 square kilometers. In recent years environmentalists and local residents have campaigned to preserve what remains of the dunes. Background The Sands of Samar are located near Kibbutz Samar in southern Israel, 30 kilometers north of Eilat. Once part of a larger network of dunes, zoning for date groves and other crops, as well as factory pollution and extensive sand mining to support construction projects in Eilat, have vastly reduced the presence of sand dunes in the area. Since Israel's 1994 peace treaty with Jordan, which placed neighboring dunes on the Jordanian side of the border, the Sands of Samar are the last remaining sand dunes on Israel's side of the Arava, constituting a unique and valuable habitat for de ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Arabah
The Arabah, Araba or Aravah ( he, הָעֲרָבָה, ''hāʿĂrāḇā''; ar, وادي عربة, ''Wādī ʿAraba''; lit. "desolate and dry area") is a loosely defined geographic area south of the Dead Sea basin, which forms part of the border between Israel to the west and Jordan to the east. The old meaning, which was in use up to the early 20th century, covered almost the entire length of what today is called the Jordan Rift Valley, running in a north–south orientation between the southern end of the Sea of Galilee and the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba of the Red Sea at Aqaba– Eilat. This included the Jordan River Valley between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea, the Dead Sea itself, and what today is commonly called the Arava Valley. The contemporary use of the term is restricted to this southern section alone. Geography The Arabah is in length, from the Gulf of Aqaba to the southern shore of the Dead Sea. Topographically, the region is divided into three ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stenodactylus Doriae
''Stenodactylus doriae'', commonly known as Doria's comb-fingered gecko and the Middle Eastern short-fingered gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is native to Western Asia. Etymology The specific name, ''doriae'', is in honor of Italian naturalist Giacomo Doria. Geographic range ''S. doriae'' occurs in Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.''Stenodactylus doriae''. The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org. Habitat The preferred natural of ''S. doriae'' is |
Beer Sheva
Beersheba or Beer Sheva, officially Be'er-Sheva ( he, בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע, ''Bəʾēr Ševaʿ'', ; ar, بئر السبع, Biʾr as-Sabʿ, Well of the Oath or Well of the Seven), is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the centre of the fourth-most populous metropolitan area in Israel, the eighth-most populous Israeli city with a population of , and the second-largest city in area (after Jerusalem), with a total area of 117,500 dunams. The Biblical site of Beersheba is Tel Be'er Sheva, lying some 4 km distant from the modern city, which was established at the start of the 20th century by the Ottoman Turks. The city was captured by the British-led Australian Light Horse in the Battle of Beersheba during World War I. The population of the town was completely changed in 1948–49. ''Bir Seb'a'' ( ar, بئر السبع), as it was then known, had been almost entirely Muslim and Christian, and wa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Israel Union For Environmental Defense
The Israel Union for Environmental Defense ( he, אדם טבע ודין, ''Adam Teva veDin'', lit. ''Man Nature and Law'') is an environmentalist group in Israel. Tel Aviv islands In November 2002 the Israeli Government appointed a six-member committee to explore the financial feasibility of creating two islands off the coast of Tel Aviv. One of the islands would be for an airport, similar to the Kobe airport in Japan, and the other island would have houses, commercial offices and tourism. Then IUED executive director Phil Warburg called the proposal a "technological fantasy that is highly improper ecause ofIsrael's economic and environmental constraints."Paradise Or Fantasy? The Jewish Week, 12 June 2002 See also * |
Haloxylon Persicum
''Haloxylon persicum'', the white saxaul, is a small tree belonging to the family Amaranthaceae. Its range is Western Asia, including the Palestine (region)#Flora distribution, Palestine region, Egypt, Sinai Peninsula, Sinai, South Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Oman, UAE, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, to Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, etc.), and China (Xinjiang etc.). Description The ''Haloxylon persicum'' has a stout rugged stem and light grey bark, growing up to 4.5–5 metres in height. It lacks large foliage-type leaves; in fact, its leaves have retrogressed as succulent branches. The plant is found in sandhills, deserts and sand ridges, where it often forms pure stands, with an average density up to 400-500 trees a hectare. The white saxaul is a hardy tree that can grow in nutritionally poor soil and can tolerate drought. The tree is in leaf all year, and flowers in May–June. Uses The plant's extensive root system is useful for stabilising sandy soils. The wood is durab ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vulpes Rueppelli
'' Vulpes '' is a genus of the sub-family Caninae. The members of this genus are colloquially referred to as true foxes, meaning they form a proper clade. The word "fox" occurs in the common names of all species of the genus, but also appears in the common names of other canid species. True foxes are distinguished from members of the genus ''Canis'', such as domesticated dogs, wolves, jackals and coyotes, by their smaller size (5–11 kg), longer, bushier tail, and flatter skull. They have black, triangular markings between their eyes and nose, and the tip of their tail is often a different color from the rest of their pelt. The typical lifespan for this genus is between two and four years, but can reach up to a decade. Extant species Within ''Vulpes'', 12 separate extant species and four fossil species are described: Early history The oldest known fossil species within ''Vulpes'' is ''V. riffautae'', dating back to the late Miocene of Chad, which is within the Neogen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cerastes Gasperettii
:''Common names: Arabian horned viper, desert horned viper,Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G (2003). ''True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers''. Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing Company. 359 pp. . Middle Eastern horned viper.Mehrtens JM (1987). ''Living Snakes of the World in Color''. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. .'' ''Cerastes gasperettii'', commonly known as the Arabian horned viper, is a venomous snake, venomous Viperinae, viper species found especially in the Arabian Peninsula and north to Israel, Iraq, and Iran. It is very similar in appearance to ''Cerastes cerastes, C. cerastes'', but the geographic ranges of these two species do not overlap.Spawls S, :fr:William Roy Branch, Branch B (1995) ''The Dangerous Snakes of Africa''. Dubai: Ralph Curtis Books. Oriental Press. 192 pp. . No subspecies of ''C. gasperettii'' are recognized. Etymology The Specific name (zoology), specific name, ''gasperettii'', is in honor of John Gasperetti, an Unite ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stenodactylus
''Stenodactylus'' is a genus of Middle-Eastern and North-African geckos, commonly known as short-fingered geckos. Classification of genus ''Stenodactylus'' *Iranian short-fingered gecko, '' Stenodactylus affinis'' *Middle Eastern short-fingered gecko, ''Stenodactylus doriae'' *Jordan short-fingered gecko, '' Stenodactylus grandiceps'' *Southern short-fingered gecko, '' Stenodactylus leptocosymbotes'' *'' Stenodactylus mauritanicus'' *Anderson's short-fingered gecko, '' Stenodactylus petrii'' *Slevin's short-fingered gecko, ''Stenodactylus slevini ''Stenodactylus slevini'', also known commonly as Slevin's sand gecko or Slevin's short-fingered gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is native to Western Asia. Etymology The specific name, ''slevini'', is in h ...'' *'' Stenodactylus stenurus'' *Lichtenstein's short-fingered gecko, '' Stenodactylus sthenodactylus'' *Yemen short-fingered gecko, '' Stenodactylus yemenensis'' References ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gerbillus Gerbillus
The lesser Egyptian gerbil (''Gerbillus gerbillus'') is a small species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is native to North Africa and the Sinai Peninsula, where it lives in sandy habitats. It is a common species, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern". Description This is a small gerbil growing to a head-and-body length of about with a tail of about . The dorsal fur is soft and sleek and a sandy colour, each hair having a grey base and orangish shaft, and a dark tip in some individuals. The ears are large and densely furred and there are white rings around the large eyes and small white patches behind the ears. The flanks are paler than the back, with a white central part to the individual hairs. There is a white patch on the rump just above the tail, and the underparts are white and sharply delineated from the flanks. The feet are long and covered with white hairs of variable length. The tail is s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Local Extinction
Local extinction, also known as extirpation, refers to a species (or other taxon) of plant or animal that ceases to exist in a chosen geographic area of study, though it still exists elsewhere. Local extinctions are contrasted with global extinctions. Local extinctions mark a change in the ecology of an area. In recent times, local extinction has sometimes been followed by a replacement of the species taken from other locations; wolf reintroduction is an example of this. The term "local extinction" is highly vernacular. The more proper biological term is ''extirpation''. Discussion Glaciation can lead to local extinction. This was the case during the Pleistocene glaciation event in North America. During this period, most of the native North American species of earthworm were killed in places covered by glaciation. This left them open for colonization by European earthworms brought over in soil from Europe. Species naturally become extirpated from islands over time. The number ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sand Cat
The sand cat (''Felis margarita'') is a small wild cat that inhabits sandy and stony deserts far from water sources. With its sandy to light grey fur, it is well camouflaged in a desert environment. Its head-and-body length ranges from with a long tail. Its short ears are set low on the sides of the head, aiding detection of prey moving underground. The long hair covering the soles of its paws insulates its pads against the extremely hot and cold temperatures in deserts. The first sand cat known to science was discovered in the Algerian Sahara and described in 1858. To date, it has been recorded in several disjunct locations in Western Sahara, Morocco, Algeria, Niger, Chad, Egypt, the Arabian Peninsula and the Middle East. In Central Asia, it was first recorded in the Karakum Desert in 1925. The large gap between these two regions of its global range was partially closed in 1948, when a sand cat skin was found in an oasis of the Rub' al Khali in Oman. It is discontinuously d ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society (NGS), headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational organizations in the world. Founded in 1888, its interests include geography, archaeology, and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical conservation, and the study of world culture and history. The National Geographic Society's logo is a yellow portrait frame—rectangular in shape—which appears on the margins surrounding the front covers of its magazines and as its television channel logo. Through National Geographic Partners (a joint venture with The Walt Disney Company), the Society operates the magazine, TV channels, a website, worldwide events, and other media operations. Overview The National Geographic Society was founded on 13 January 1888 "to increase and diffuse geographic knowledge". It is governed by a board of trustees whose 33 members include distinguished educators, business executives, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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