Jordan - Dana Biosphere Reserve

The area of the reserve is approximately 300 sq kilometres. The Dana Reserve is a system of mountains and wadis, extending from the top of the eastern Rift Valley to desert lowlands of Wadi Araba, with an elevation drop of over 1600 meters through the reserve. The reserve embraces 3 major bio-geographical zones and four distinct vegetation zones. This condensed variety of landforms and habitats, combined with dramatic changes in elevation, results in a vast biological diversity. The total number of species recorded so far consists of 690 plants, of which 3 are new to science, and 449 animals. Many of these are now very rare and some threatened to extinction: animals like the sand cat, the Syrian wolf, the lesser kestrel and the spiny tailed lizard. So far, 25 endangered or vulnerable animals have been found in the reserve, making it an area of global importance.