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Home 
Wildlife
Visitors to Wadi Rum usually see very few animals because most desert
creatures are nocturnal, to avoid the daytime sun, and many of the
larger ones are now reduced to very low numbers. However, if you
take the time to look carefully, you are likely to encounter a number
of interesting birds, insects and reptiles - and some desert plants
- as described below. More detailed information of the wildlife
and ecology can be accessed through the library.
 Trees
are rare in Rum and restricted to three types: Acacias, False Figs
and Tamarisks. The Acacias, with their flat tops and spiny, sparse
branches, are the most typically desert-looking
tree. The plants you will see most often are the short, woody shrubs
scattered across the desert, which consist of four main species:
White Saxaul, Jointed Anabasis, Hammada salicornica and . These provide
an important food source for Bedouin goats and camels, especially
in the summer months, when the smaller succulent desert plants have
all dried up
 The
sparse desert scrub harbors a surprising variety of small birds,
of which the most common is the buff colored Desert Lark. Other
common but more distinctive birds are the black and white Mourning
Wheatear and the White Crowned Black Wheatear, whose name gives
away its striking color pattern. You are also likely to see African
Rock Martins wheeling across the scrub and along the cliffs during
the summer months, as well as passing flocks of Tristram's Grackle,
showing their orange wing flashes. In early spring and autumn, Rum
becomes an important flyway for birds migrating between Africa and
Eastern Europe, especially for birds of prey, like Steppe Buzzards,
Honey Buzzards and Steppe Eagles. It is possible to see hundreds
of these birds on a single day
 Reptiles
are widespread in Rum, but do not exist in high numbers. This may
be considered fortunate by some visitors, since there are ten species
of snake, of which two are very poisonous vipers: Cerastes gasperttii
and Echis coloratus. The Cerastes is has the classic 'side-winder'
movement and leaves indented 'S' shaped tracks in the sand. It should
be stressed, however, that bites from these snakes (or any snakes)
are extremely rare; the vast majority of visitors never see them.
The reptiles most likely to be seen are lizards, and especially
Geckos and Agamas. The Blue Agama is relatively large, growing up
to 35cm and can be seen basking on rocks or hiding in crevices.
Males in breeding condition develop an exotic blue head and upper
body, which is very conspicuous.
Down on the sand, one common small creature is a black beetle with
very long legs called a Blaps beetle. It is frequently seen crossing
areas of open sand during the daytime, where it tiptoes to keep
its body off the hot ground. Other kinds of invertebrates (insects,
spiders and their allies) have different strategies for keeping
cool, such as making burrows and hiding under stones. One group
of renowned animals that can be found frequently under stones in
Rum are scorpions. A total of eight kinds have been recorded so
far, from large brown ones to small yellow ones. It is the small,
yellow ones that give the most painful sting, although like snakes,
few visitors see them and very few ever get stung.
Small, furry mammals are also common in Rum, especially the mouse-like
gerbils, with their long back legs, but they are active only at
night and few visitors get a chance to see them. Their burrows,
however, are easy to spot and they make distinctive tracks across
the sand.
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