Wadi rum: Saleh Al-Nuaimi, Director of the Wadi Rum Protected Area and Directorate under the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), said Monday that preserving biodiversity is a core objective of the natural reserve.
According to Jordan News Agency, Nuaimi told Petra in an interview that the wildlife sanctuary contains more than 24,000 rock inscriptions and 20,000 rock drawings dating back over 2,000 years, serving as archaeological evidence of human settlement in the area for over 12,000 years.
The rock inscriptions also indicate that Wadi Rum is a natural habitat for the Arabian oryx. A reintroduction project was launched in 2000 with 10 oryx brought from the Shaumari wildlife reserve, and later reinforced in 2008 with additional animals provided by the Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi to enhance genetic diversity and improve breeding sustainability.
Nuaimi explained that the Arabian oryx currently lives in a semi-natural release environment inside the reserve, with the herd now exceeding 72 animals. He noted that reproduction rates vary depending on factors such as rainfall, which affects vegetation growth, and the presence of predators, like the Arabian wolf, which targets young oryx.
He further stated that the reserve aims to develop an integrated eco-tourism project allowing visitors to observe the Arabian oryx in its natural habitat, while maintaining environmental and wildlife protection standards.
Wadi Rum Reserve was established in 1999 over an area of 720 square kilometers and was inscribed in 2011 on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a mixed natural and cultural site due to its historical and environmental value.