THE NATURE RESERVES OF JORDAN
Page 2 - Azraq, Shaumari & Ajloun

Under the authority of the Jordanian Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) http://www.rscn.org.jo

Azraq

The Reserve of Azraq was established in 1978. It is located in the eastern desert and covers 12 square kilometers

To get there isn't easy. You just about have to have a car, at the time of writing this, no public transport goes anywhere near Azraq. There used to be a bus from Zarqa north of Amman, but my information is that this service no longer exists. If you head east out of Amman with a rental car you pass the other best known "Desert Castles" of Qasr Hraneh and Qasr Amra on the road going through Muwaggar and arrive at Azraq at the junction with the main Baghdad Highway. The Nature Reserve is close to Azraq al Janubi, and perhaps 3kms from the Castle of Azraq.

The oasis of Azraq is probably the best known of the older reserves. The word Azraq means "blue" in Arabic and before water pumping began in the 1980s the oasis provided "a sparkling blue jewel" in the desert. Underground water flowing down from Jebel Druze in Syria surfaced here and the slightly older guide books speak of it as a marsh that sheltered up to half a million migrating birds at any one time. In recent years this changed drastically as the towns of Irbid and later Amman drew heavily on the water here and by 1994 the marsh was all but destroyed. However more recently still an alternative source of water has been found in the aquifer of Dissieh and water is gradually being pumped back into the marsh.

A six million dollar restoration scheme was funded and implemented with help from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility, a member of the World Bank Group and over 160 species of birds have already returned to the wetland. Last year it was estimated that 347,000 birds were to be found in the marsh. The area now offers homes to water buffaloes, blue-necked ostriches, Nubian ibexes, and countless varieties of dragonflies.

Board walks and bird hides have been built to enable visitors to see and enjoy this green area in the heart of the desert.

There is a centre for visitors offering tourist information. There is also a rare archaeological site nearby : a dam dating from the Umayyad period. The lodge located outside the reserves near South Azraq contains a common room with a fireplace, and 5 private two -room bungalows. For booking and for all other information on Azraq and Shaumari reserves you should get in touch with the Azraq Lodge: Tel/Fax. +962.5.383.5017

The entrance fee for Azraq Reserve is 2JD or 3JD if you also want to visit Shaumari.

The RSCN organises tours as follows of Azraq and Shaumari Reserves, the price is 1JD per person if there are 10 people in the group, or 10JD for the group (to be shared between the visitors) for a group of less than 10 people. I quote from their brochure :

• Rare Birds of Jordan Expedition : 4 hours, 2 km hiking. Touring Azraq wetland Reserve and Shaumari Reserve. Binoculars are necessary. (Guided, maximum no. 20). Advised to visit in February, March, April, May, October, November.
  

• Arabian Night Safari Tour : 2 hours using 4x4 WD exploring the wilderness of the reserve by spotlighting animals and star watching. (Guided, maximum number 15 price 3JD/person)
  

• Treasure Hunt Tour : 10 hours tour. This tour is done at night in different places like Shaumari and Azraq Reserves in addition to a desert Castle. The aim is to find a hidden treasure - a hand decorated Ostrich Egg. Transportation between places is by 4WD. (Guided, maximum no. 15 and minimum 5)
  

• The Druze & Cheshan Traditional Tour : 4 hours breathtaking experiencing traditional food and exploring the local Druze life style and traditions. A traditional meal of one of the two tribes is prepared. (Guided, maximum no. 10).

Shaumari

The oryx were the first animals to be bred successfully at Shaumari

Shaumari Reserve was established in 1975, covers 22 square kilometers and is the oldest of the reserves. It was created in 1975 for breeding endangered species.

It isn't far from Azraq, out in the desert about 12 kms from Janubi. Although the publicity makes it sound romantic, it is in fact completely flat and rather dusty (see above photo). A visitors' centre tells the story of the reserve and a special shuttle takes up to 15 people to see the free-roaming herds. There is also a small picnic area and children's play ground.

The big success of Shaumari is the oryx. Their breeding programme got off to a slow start, but this was explained when somebody realised that there were no females in the breeding herd. Once this had been rectified things started moving, and last year there were over 200 animals. In fact this is starting to become something of a problem; the original idea was that they should be released into the wild, but the likely reaction of the local Bedouin has led to some hesitation over this. At the beginning of 2002 about 20 animals were transferred to a blind valley in Wadi Rum where they are under the surveillance of the Reserve rangers there. We'll see!

Other animals being bred successfully at Shaumari are the onager (the wild ass), the ostrich and the ibex or gazelle. Several countries have donated breeding stock and the breeding enclosures provide a small zoo for visitors making it a popular spot for children and school outings. There is an observation tower, making it possible to watch the animals without trudging through the desert dust. You can also "adopt" an oryx if you like!

Some of the wildlife here are the Cape hare, red fox, gerbil and even the striped hyena and the wild cat. The entrance fee is 2JD for Shaumari alone, or 3JD for both Azraq and Shaumari.

Ajloun Reserve

There is a breeding programme here for the roe deer

The Ajloun Reserve was established in 1988 and covers 13 square kms. It is located in the Ajloun Highlands around the long Ain Zubia Valley and is a Mediterranean hill landscape mainly with open woodland of oak and pistachio trees. It was established in 1988 in another area where a captive-breeding program for the roe deer was begun and was later moved 12 kilometers northwest. Hikers, campers and picnickers are welcomed. These woodlands are like the original forest which once covered most of northern Jordan and there is a remarkably similar area close to Petra, at Hisha in the hills near to Shobuk, which is also popular with local picnickers on Fridays.

The area has a long history of human settlements, due to its Mediterranean climate, dense forests, and fertile soil. This rich history is reflected in the many archaeological ruins scattered in the woodlands and surrounding villages. In the village of Tubna, you will find a Zeidanian mosque and meeting hall dating back to 1750 A.D.

In Zubia Village you will find an area known as "the monastery", which contains the remains of an old Byzantine church. You will also find houses and stables dating back several hundred years. Today, there are more than ten villages surrounding the Ajloun Reserve. Approximately 75% of the young people in the villages work for the army. Other villagers are involved in farming crops such as grapes, figs, and olives. The villages surrounding Ajloun are famous for their olives!

Many woodland animals inhabit the reserve, including badgers, foxes and a few fierce wild boars; and also many typical birds like the great tit, gold finch, turtle dove, hooded crow and jay. In spring it is a profusion of wild flowers, with drifts of colourful anemones and wild rock roses. The whole of the reserve was fenced to provide a safe release site for the locally extinct roe deer but the proximity of several villages and pockets of private land have prevented this release taking place. Wood cutting, illegal grazing and hunting continue to cause problems for management and RSCN has been seeking to establish an alternative woodland reserve in the area.

Two trails have been laid out :

• Scenic Viewpoint Trail: this 1-2 hours, 2 km short trail leads from the campsite to the summit of a nearby hill overlooking the reserve. The area surrounding the trail is rich in wildflowers in the springtime. The summit is covered with many rocks, and you can scramble around to find the best view. It's an excellent spot for a picnic. Not far from the campsite you will find an old stone wine press. The return trip goes through an oak forest, past a gate, down a dirt path, and back up to the visitor's centre. Price for the guided tour 6JD/person - maximum 15 people.
  

• Moderate Trails: Rockrose trail: 8km trail, taking 4-5 hours, passing across heavily wooded valleys and ridges, inside and outside the nature reserve forming a round trip loop from the campsite. This highly scenic trail passes through villages and olive orchards and offers beautiful panoramic views. It leads away from the campsite along the rim of a scenic wadi Orjan to large three clearings with scattered rocks. The trail continues around to the other side of the hill and back up to the visitor's centre. There are steep scrambles en-route that demand a reasonable level of fitness. (open from the 15th of March until the 15th of November). Price for the guided tour 15JD/person - maximum 15 people.

Sleeping in Ajloun Reserve

Ajloun Forest Lodge : The Ajloun Campsite is on the edge of the forest in the Ajloun Nature Reserve in the north of Jordan. It occupies a large grassy clearing, enclosed by oak, pistachio and strawberry trees and offers beautiful views of the reserve and beyond. On clear days, you can see the west bank and the snow- capping Jebel Sheikh in Lebanon. There are 10 four- person tented lodges available with small terraces and beds inside. Shared showers and toilets are available, nearby, along side the reserve centre, which offers a small restaurant, interpretation room, training room and the reserve management offices. The campsite is open mid March to mid November. Ajloun Campsite contains 10 tents (40 persons per night). Check in after 3:00 PM. Check out before 12:00 Noon.

The charges for sleeping go down from 20JD for 1 person to 15JD/person for 5 people or more.

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I remind you of the names of the present Nature Reserves in Jordan (with the exception of Wadi Rum which is a special case).

• The Mujib Reserve, the deep gorge that flows from the Jordanian highland to the Dead Sea.
• The Dana Nature Reserve: a system of Wadis and mountains with spectacular wildlife.
• The Azraq Wetlands Reserve, a marsh and lake area that attracts migrating birds from Asia and Africa.
• The Shaumari Reserve with its herds of gazelles, oryx, ostriches, and other indigenous animal species.
• The Ajloun Reserve in north West Jordan

See also the photo gallery page on Wildlife in Jordan

"JORDANJUBILEE" is now available as a book, which is much more convenient for reference if you are travelling around. You can buy it online if you wish by clicking on our securized site, or it is on sale in a number of places in Jordan

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Revised January 2006