Qatar

Asia

122

Documented species

Parks and reserves

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Qatar is a low, arid peninsula in the Persian Gulf, with a landscape of limestone plains, dunes and sabkhas, the salt depressions that flood intermittently. In the southeast, the Khor Al Adaid inland sea is an arm of the sea that pushes in between dunes to form a lagoon surrounded by sand, a phenomenon uncommon anywhere in the world. The north of the country is protected by the Al Reem reserve, with acacia and ghaf steppe where reintroduced Arabian oryx and gazelles graze. The east coast keeps grey mangrove stands at Al Thakira, a nursery for fish, crabs and herons, and seagrass meadows that support one of the largest dugong populations in the world. Its warm, shallow waters also concentrate one of the most remarkable aggregations of large fish on the planet.

The nature of Qatar

National animal: The Arabian oryx, the country's national animal

Did you know?

Every summer, off the north coast of Qatar, hundreds of whale sharks gather, the largest fish in the world, in one of the largest known concentrations of the species. They do not go there by chance: they come to feed on the eggs released by spawning tuna shoals, filtering the water with their mouths open near the surface, and they disperse when the spawning ends.

Biodiversity profile

Peninsula Arabiga (Oriente Medio)Dato no disponible con precision agregada en fuentes verificadas consultadas

Climate

•Desertico calido (BWh), inviernos templados y agradables, veranos muy calurosos y humedos

Main biomes

•Desierto plano de arena y grava
•Dunas costeras masivas cerca de Khawr al Udayd ("Mar Interior")
•Salinas costeras y comunidades de arbol ghaf en las "rawdahs"
•Sabka hipersalina
•Manglar del golfo Pérsico
•Pradera marina
•Duna costera
•Llanura caliza árida
•Mar interior
•Estepa de acacia

Marine and coastal ecosystems

•Manglares, praderas marinas y arrecifes costeros en el Golfo Perico
•Aprox. 900 especies marinas registradas junto a 1.000 especies terrestres

Flagship wildlife

•Orix arabigo (animal nacional)
•Gacela de arena
•Tortuga carey (anidacion protegida en el proyecto de conservacion de tortugas de Qatar)
•Cormoran de Socotra
•Tiburón ballena
•Dugongo
•Órix de Arabia
•Gacela árabe
•Flamenco común
•Halcón sacre
•Zorro del desierto
•Garza real

Notable endemic species

•371 especies de plantas con flor registradas en el inventario nacional de biodiversidad de Qatar; aprox. 26 especies catalogadas en algun nivel de riesgo

Notable threatened species

•Tortuga carey (En Peligro Critico, foco de programas activos de conservacion)
•78% de las especies terrestres de Qatar catalogadas como raras segun el inventario nacional de biodiversidad

Notable protected areas

•Zona de Khawr al Udayd ("Mar Interior", dunas y bahia protegida)
•Reserva Natural de Al Reem
•Khor Al Adaid
•Manglares de Al Thakira
•Isla de Al Safliya
•Reserva de Al Mashabiya
•Zona marina de Al Shaheen

Main conservation threats

•Desertificacion agravada por sobrepastoreo, riego con agua salina y avance de zonas de arena
•Industrializacion y urbanizacion rapida
•Especies invasoras (el gobierno ha capturado miles de mainas invasoras como parte de su estrategia de control)

Notable natural phenomena

•Colonia reproductora del cormoran de Socotra, especie de distribucion global restringida al golfo Perico y el Mar Arabigo

Conservation

The country has reintroduced the Arabian oryx, its national symbol, in several enclosed reserves. Port and industrial expansion and dredging are putting pressure on the seagrass meadows the dugong depends on.

Where and when to watch wildlife

The northern waters between May and September for whale sharks. Al Thakira year-round for mangroves and coastal birds. Al Reem in winter for oryx and gazelles.

Sources: zawya.com - People urged to protect Qatar's biodiversity | CBD - Qatar National Biodiversity Strategy | BioDB.com - Qatar

Desert Grassland Ocean