Sinai, Egypt Photograph by Gene Wampler   Palaearctic Deserts and Xeric Shrublands   251,500 square miles (651,300 square kilometers) -- about the size of California and Oregon combined Critical/Endangered

· Land of the Arabian Oryx
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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Land of the Arabian Oryx

To cover the full extent of this ecoregion, you'd have to make a long trek. You might begin near the coast of Oman, travel across its central plains to the Dhofar mountains, then cross into Yemen and across the deserts of Saudi Arabia and Jordan into Iraq. Much of this region consists of huge, flat expanses of sand, gravel, or lava plains. But it is hardly a dull place. In addition to having a rich human history, the Red Sea Nubo-Sindian Desert and Semi-Desert is home to endangered Arabian white oryx, rare plants, sand cats, and monitor lizards.

Special Features

While gravel plains may be the dominant landscape in this ecoregion, some of the scenery is nothing short of dazzling. In Jordan's Wadi Rum you can follow a maze of stunning sandstone cliffs. In Saudi Arabia you can cross black volcanic lava deserts called harrats. Throughout the region, you can see gullies called wadis carved into the land, as well as granite and sandstone mountains rising up out of the plains. Summers here are hot, winters are cold, and rainfall is extremely low except in the highest mountain regions. Much of the area has no grass cover, except perhaps after a good rain; instead, dwarf shrubs cover much of the land.

	Some people think that the mythological unicorn was based on the real-life Arabian white oryx.

Wild Side

Oman's central plains are home to the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary, a natural area with a diverse wildlife community that has become best known for the successful reintroduction of the Arabian white oryx. Herds of Arabian mountain gazelles live here, too, along with houbara bustards. Other denizens of this desert ecoregion are sand or rheem gazelles, dorcas gazelles, sand cats, chestnut-bellied sandgrouse, Lichenstein’s sandgrouse, Ruppell's foxes, grey monitor lizards, and spiny-tailed lizards. The mountains of northern Saudi Arabia contain intriguing plant species, including wild date palms, wild almonds, and wild tulips. And the mountains form part of the spring migration route of swifts, larks, wheatears, and raptors.

Cause for Concern

Domestic camels and goats are overgrazing the native vegetation in some parts of this ecoregion, threatening the welfare of wild grazing animals. Off-road driving is damaging vegetation as well. And poaching has reduced wildlife populations--even of the reintroduced white oryx in its protected sanctuary.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.