kuwait environmental characteristics, conservation and
TRANSCRIPT
Kuwait Environmental characteristics,conservation and governance
Dr. Manaf BehbehaniDepartment of Marine Science, Faculty of Science,
Kuwait University
The total area of the State of Kuwait is 17,818 km2
with the mean distance from East to west of 170 kmand mean distance of 200 km from North to South.
The total border area of the State of Kuwait is 685 Km with the majority of 495 km being shared on land with Saudi Arabia and 195 km being shared with Iraq.
The total coastline area of the mainland is 325 km in addition to 175 km of island coastlands.
• The terrestrial environment covers about85% of Kuwait’s total area consistingmainly of desert.
• The flora and fauna diversity are greatlyinfluenced by seasonality, annual plantsand migratory birds.
FLORA DIVERSITY
A total of 285 plant species are recognized 179 annuals and 106perennials
Cistanche tubulosa
Rhanterium epapposum
Cyperus conglomeratus
Zygophyllum qatarense with Cynomorium sp.
Panicum turgidum community
Stipagrostis plumosa
Alsirhan.com@2004
Moltikiopsis ciliata
Arnebia decumbens
Photo by Modhi Aldosari
Heliotropium bacciferum
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Astragalus spinosis
Photo by Modhi Aldoseri
Astragalus spinosis
Lycium shawii
Gagae reticulat
Photo by Modhi Aldoseri
Carduus pycnocephalus
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Horwoodia dicksoniae
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Salvia lavnigera
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Anagallis arvensis
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Calendula arvensis
Echium rauwolfiidistribution limited to one area
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Tamarix aucheriana
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Gynandriris sisyrinchium
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Asphodelus tenuifolius
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Astragalus sieberi (rare)
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Peganum harmala (very rare)
BIRDS
• 408 bird species as of July 2016, most of which are migratory
• Only 18 species are permanent residents
The hoopoe Upupa epops
Asio capensis
Photo by Ammar Al-jraiwi
Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago
The cream-coloured courser Cursorius cursor
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Spanish sparrow Passer hispaniolensis
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Red-backed shrike Lanius collurio
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Little Crake Porzana parva
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Black Kite Milvus migrans
The crab plover Dromas ardeola
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arandinaceus
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
White Stork Ciconia ciconia
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Water Pipit Anthos spinoletta
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Common Stonechat Saxicola torquatus
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
The Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis undulata
Photo by Mussaad AlnajdiKentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus
Mammals
• 28 Species
• Many have are threatened
• Several have become extinct
Camelus dromedarius
The fennec fox Vulpes zerda
Red fox Vulpes vulpes
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
The wild cat Felis silvestris iraki
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Felis margarita harrisoni
Photo by Ahmad Al-Eesa
Felis margarita harrisoni
Photo by Ahmad Al-Eesa
The Ethiopian hedgehog Hemiechinus aethiopicus (Rare)
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
The Lebyan jird Meriones libycus syrius
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
The lesser jerboa Jaculus jaculus vocator
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Taphozous nudiventris magnus
Th desert lynx Caracal caracal
Extinct in the Kuwait Desert
The sand gazelle Gazella subgutturosa maricaHas disappeared from Kuwait Desert
The dorcas gazelle similar toGazella saudiya which is now
Officially declared extinct -IUCN
The honey badger Mellivora capensis
The mangoose Herpestes edwardsi
Reptile
• 40 reptiles (snakes, geckos and lizards)
The spiny-tail lizard Uromastyx aegyptia microlepis
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
The desert monitor Varanus griseus
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Fringe-toed lizard Acanthodactylus schmidti
Eryx jayakari
The black cobra Walterinnesia aegyptica
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
The toad Bufo viridis
INSECTS and SPIDERS and SCORPIONS
• 570 insect species most of which are butterflies and beetles.
• Several invasive species (no-honey bee)
Photo by Modhi Aldoseri
Photo by Mohammad Al-Omran
The painted lady butterfly Venessa cardui (very common)
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi
Ulva sp. Sea lettuce
Colpomenia sp. Sea pepper
Sargassum sp.
Sea cucumber
The newly found echiurid worm
Listriolobus sp.
Penaeus semisulcatus
Cerithidea cingulata
Mitrella blanda
Pyramidella dolabrata
Murex scolopax
Eurycarcinus orientalis
The blue crab Portunus pelagicus
The mole crab Emerita halthuisi
PROTECTED AREAS
Map by KISR
Natural Reserve
Suggested camping area
Drifting sand zone
The Demilitarized Zone
The Demilitarized Zone
● Width 15 klilometers
5 Kuwait side and 10 Iraq side
● Length about 250 Kilometers
Outside
Inside the protected area
Unprotected area
Demilitarized zone betweenKuwait and Iraq
Inside the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research Preserved Area
Photo by Modhi Aldoseri
Mixed vegetation inside a protected area February 5,2014
Governance
• Kuwait Municipality: Land allocation for
protected areas
Environment Public Authority (EPA):
Supervision and regulation
of Protected areas and
Protection of Biodiversity
Law No. 42 for the Year 2014
Governance
• Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fisheries:
protection of living resources on land
and at sea
Kuwait Coast Guard:
Control of illegal fisheries practices
Governance
• Environment Police
Recently established. Enforce the law 42
Regional Cooperation
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
Kuwait, Bahrian, Saudi Arabia, United Arab
Emirates, Oman
The Regional Organization for the
Protection of the Marine Environment
(ROPME)
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