Current view: Text account
Site description (1994 baseline):
Site location and context
High-relief, rocky, sandstone mountains (700-1,450 m) overlooking Wadi Araba, on the western edge of the Sharrah Mountains, with high cliffs, caves and numerous gorges and dry wadis which flow down to Wadi Araba during storms. Rain falls mainly in winter (100-300 mm; average 180 mm p.a.), when there can be snow; there are two springs. Vegetation-types include
Artemisia steppe on rocky plateaus, typical Saharo-Arabian desert wadi-spread with
Acacia and
Calotropis, lush growth at springs and remnants of formerly more extensive Mediterranean
Quercus-
Juniperus woodland on mountain slopes; more than 200 plant species have been recorded. Petra is a world-famous antiquities site, and tourism is the major land-use in the National Park; however nomadic pastoralists also graze livestock in the wider area.
See box for key species. An unusually diverse assemblage of at least 50 breeding or probably breeding species of highly mixed biogeographical origins, including
Circaetus gallicus (possibly),
Aquila chrysaetos (possibly),
Buteo rufinus,
Hieraaetus fasciatus,
Falco pelegrinoides,
Alectoris chukar,
Anthus similis (pre-1983),
Oenanthe lugens,
Scotocerca inquieta,
Nectarinia osea,
Lanius nubicus,
Petronia petronia,
Emberiza caesia (possibly) and
Emberiza striolata. There is an important raptor migration in spring, especially by
Pernis apivorus (650, May),
Milvus migrans (200, April) and
Buteo buteo (2,000+, April);
Sylvia curruca (90, April) and
Sylvia atricapilla (100, April) are also very common spring migrants.
Non-bird biodiversity: Flora: Iris petrana (endemic), Verbascum transjordanicum (endemic), Cupressus sempervirens (experiencing cutting pressure).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Over-exploitation by tourism of the core antiquities area (6,500 ha) within the National Park is potentially a threat, through over-disturbance of wildlife and damage to desert by vehicles. Other, similar areas of habitat are inaccessible and will presumably remain more pristine. Up until 1987 populations of birds of prey and gamebirds were in a reduced state due to (formerly?) heavy hunting. Bedouin flocks exert very heavy grazing pressure on the vegetation.
Data-sheet compiled by Ian J. Andrews.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Petra (Jordan). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/petra-iba-jordan on 23/11/2024.
