CBD First National Report - Saudi Arabia (English version)

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Contents1. Executive Summary 42. Introduction2.1 National reporting and the scope of the report 72.2 What is biodiversity and how is it measured? 82.3 Importance of biodiversity to Saudi Arabia. 113. Background3.1 Legal framework 123.2 Current Status3.2.1 Geography of the Arabian Peninsula 163.2.2 Vegetation and flora 193.2.3 Fauna 233.2.4 Status of protected areas in Saudi Arabia 313.2.5 Agriculture and rangelands 333.2.6 Hunting and Falconry 343.2.7 Water resources and wetlands 353.2.8 Coastal and Marine Resources and Fisheries 363.2.9 Human population 393.3 Institutions dealing with issues related to the CBD 393.4 Research 403.5 Funding 413.6 Ongoing programmes 424. Strategy 445. Recommended measures 486. Actions 546.1 Article 7: Identification and monitoring of biological diversity 546.2 Article 8: In situ conservation 556.3 Article 9: Ex situ conservation 646.4 Article 10: Sustainable use of components of biological diversity 656.5 Article 11: Incentive measures 676.6 Article 12: Research and training 676.7 Article 13: Public education and awareness 686.8 Article 14: Impact assessment 696.9 Article 15: Access to genetic resources 696.10 Article 16: Access to and transfer of technology 696.11 Article 17: Exchange of information 696.12 Article 18: Technical and Scientific co-operation 706.13 Article 19: Handling of biotechnology and distribution of thebenefits 707. Partners 718. Schedule 729. Financial Resources, Article 20. 7310. Monitoring and evaluation 7411. Sharing of national experience 7512 Annexes 764
Chapter 1. Executive SummarySaudi Arabia became a signatory of the Convention on Biodiversity in 2001. This hashad consequences for the structure of this report. In particular, the First National Reportboth describes the status of biodiversity and also the measures that the Kingdom is takingto meet its obligations.Maintaining biodiversity through protection and sustainable use of resources isboth a responsibility and a necessity for any country. In Saudi Arabia, where manyterrestrial ecosystems have small numbers of species and little inbuilt redundancy, it isparticularly critical that no more species or functional groups of species are lost.Furthermore, the long history of human occupancy means that the country has a wealth oflocally adapted races of plants and breeds of domestic animals. Changes in farmingpractises, influx of breeds and cultivars from elsewhere and introduction of parasites andpathogens could result in loss of priceless genetic material.Appropriate legislation that is effectively implemented and enforced is a key element inmaintaining biodiversity. Saudi Arabia has, since the mid 1970s introduced andimplemented legislation that provides a sound basis for conservation and sustainable useof natural resources in a framework that allows the benefits to be shared by all citizens.The Report provides readers with an overview by briefly describing the major lawsdealing with biodiversity issues, the organisations responsible for their enforcement andthe consequences of breaking the laws.The current status of biodiversity in the Kingdom is presented in Chapter 3. In order toset the scene, a brief description of the geography of the Kingdom is given, followed bysections on each of the major components of biodiversity.Within its almost two million square kilometre land area, Saudi Arabia has a widediversity of terrestrial habitats, from mesic, cool, high mountains through arid desertsteppes to hot, semi-arid coastal plains. Despite this large area, the flora, of about 2,250species, is comparatively modest in number of species, but it is biogeographically veryinteresting in containing elements of three major elements. Although well-known at abroad taxonomic level, details of the distribution and population status of many species ispoorly documented. Consequently, local perceptions of the numbers of threatenedspecies do not match well with the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Thisunderlines one of the major concerns of the Global Taxonomy Initiative – moretaxonomists need to do much more work on the flora in order for meaningful progress tobe made on meeting the target of decreasing biodiversity loss by 2010. This isparticularly important, since the severe droughts, low and unpredictable rainfall evenunder normal conditions, increasing human pressures and poor grazing management aresevere threats to many plant species. As noted earlier, agro-biodiversity, especially inrelation to land races and wild relatives of important crop plants is being lost veryrapidly. To counter this, some important restoration projects in mountain woodlands andmangrove swamps have been very successful.Diversity of large animals and birds is also modest. Species, such as Arabianoryx, Nubian ibex, Dugong and Arabian leopard, for example, are restricted indistribution whereas many migratory birds cross the Arabian Peninsular. Many of thelarger mammals were either extirpated (oryx, Saudi gazelle) or exist as fragmented, smallpopulations (ibex, Mountain gazelle). As with plants, the invertebrate fauna is poorly5
Page 1 and 2: First Saudi ArabianNational Reporto
Page 3: ForewordHis Royal Highness Prince S
Page 7 and 8: In Chapter 7 a list of partner orga
Page 9 and 10: 2.2. What is biodiversity and how i
Page 11 and 12: locations may be widely different.
Page 13 and 14: 3.1.2 Descriptions of Legislation3.
Page 15 and 16: Provisionsa) Fishing and diving pra
Page 17 and 18: 3.1.2.10 THE ENVIRONMENTAL CODEObje
Page 19 and 20: communities living in the Gulf have
Page 21 and 22: The flora of Saudi Arabia is modera
Page 23 and 24: THREATS TO TERRESTRIAL FLORAThe fol
Page 25 and 26: Four species became extinct within
Page 27 and 28: Endemic Birds of ArabiaThere are el
Page 29 and 30: SnakesThe single Typhlopid is Rare.
Page 31 and 32: Class CrustaceaAbout 500-600 aquati
Page 33 and 34: AQUATIC BIODIVERSITYFishNine specie
Page 35 and 36: 3.2.5 AGRICULTURE AND RANGELANDSAgr
Page 37 and 38: Underground Water Resources:There a
Page 39 and 40: Seagrass species within different a
Page 41 and 42: BirdsThe Red Sea and Arabian Gulf c
Page 43 and 44: MINISTRY OF AGRICULTUREThe Ministry
Page 45 and 46: IN SITU CONSERVATION OUTSIDE PROTEC
Page 47 and 48: Chapter 4. StrategyIntroductionDesp
Page 49 and 50: The National Co-ordinator will mana
Page 51 and 52: Chapter 5. Recommended MeasuresIn t
Page 53 and 54: 5.5 Desert RangelandsThe serious co
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of actions that can and should be t
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Chapter 6. ActionsThe Kingdom is al
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• Fill gaps in the existing Prote
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The protection of these key biologi
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hunting and/or fishing, gathering o
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• Introduce environmental impact
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6.3 Article 9: Ex situ conservation
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traditional water harvesting techni
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iodiversity to humans. Similarly, a
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in the regions, such as environment
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Chapter 7. PartnersIn order to cons
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Chapter 9. Financial Resources (Art
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Chapter 11. Sharing National Experi
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Selected BibliographyGeneralBraithw
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Deflers, A. (1889): Voyage ac Yemen
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Abd El-Mohsen, A. F. & Bokhary H. A
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Zahran, M. A. (1983): Introduction
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Ministry of Agriculture and Water,
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Summary by FamiliesEndangered Plant
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Summary by Families: continuedFamil
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List of Saudi Arabian MammalsOrder
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Fam. ViverridaeGenetta felinaFam. H
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Fam. Ciconiidae - StorksCiconia nig
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Fam. Rallidae - Rails and CrakesRal
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Larus icchthyaetusLarus melanocepha
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Coracius benghalensisFam. Upupidae
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Turdus viscivorusFam. Sylviidae - W
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Fam. Estrildidiae - Waxbills and Al
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Acanthodactylus opheodurusAcanthoda
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Lepidochelys olivacea?Family Dermoc
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opportunities for conservation thro
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Ceropegia aristolochioides Decne. s
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EbenaceaeDiospyros mespiliformis Ho
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Myrtus communis L. (1,4)Nyctaginace
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Valerianella muricata (Stev.) Baxt.
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Insects (Class: Insecta)1. Dragonfl
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REPTILESAll of the marine and fresh
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Ostrich Struthio camelus camelus (1
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Arabian mountain gazelle (idmi) Gaz
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CBD First National Report - Saudi Arabia (English version)

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