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The Unfenced Desert Towards a strategy for eco ... - Nwrc.gov.sa

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Key animals : <strong>The</strong> following mammals are likely to be present, or have been<br />

r<strong>eco</strong>rded in Al-Khufah: reem gazelle, wolf (Canis lupus), Rueppell's fox (Vulpes<br />

rueppelli), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), <strong>sa</strong>nd cat (Felis margarita), wild cat (F. silvestris), ,<br />

ratel (Mellivora capensis), Ethiopian hedgehog (Paraechinus aethiopicus), Wagner's<br />

gerbil (G. dasyurus), Sundervall's jird (Meriones crassus), Libyan jird (M. libycus),<br />

lesser jerboa (Jaculus jaculus). <strong>The</strong> area is a potential reintroduction site <strong>for</strong> Arabian<br />

oryx and ostrich.<br />

<strong>The</strong>re is no current bird list <strong>for</strong> Al-Khunfah.<br />

Probability of seeing top six key animals :<br />

Reem gazelle 2<br />

Sand cat 4<br />

Wild cat 4<br />

Arabian wolf 4<br />

Ratel 4<br />

Red/Ruppell’s fox 3<br />

Key sites : <strong>The</strong> large vegetated wadis, e.g. Wadi Nayyal in northern<br />

Ghurrub, are important grazing areas <strong>for</strong> the gazelles.<br />

Key seasons : Winter and spring is the breeding season <strong>for</strong> the gazelles.<br />

Cultural Features<br />

Traditional uses : Livestock grazing, particularly camels, and hunting of gazelle.<br />

Cultural importance : None known.<br />

Historical features : Some prehistoric sites, consisting of stone circles,<br />

petroglyphs, flint tools, and isolated gazelle traps.<br />

PA Infrastructure<br />

Border demarcation : A ditch a dike system has been constructed along the<br />

southern and parts of the western borders to deter illegal entry. In the north-east the<br />

reserve is delimited by the start of the deep dunes of the Great Nafud.<br />

Rangers/other staff : <strong>The</strong> reserve has a complement of between 25 and<br />

thirty rangers, including a head ranger and his deputy. <strong>The</strong>re are three mechanics<br />

and two cooks based at the main camp, and a cook at each of the other camps.<br />

104<br />

Responsibilities of rangers : NCWCD rangers primarily undertake patrols of the<br />

reserve's boundaries and interior, and s<strong>eco</strong>ndarily provide supervision of visiting<br />

groups, and assistance with broader monitoring and research programmes as<br />

required, including liaison with scientific staff and aerial patrols; maintenance of<br />

camps and reporting of incidental wildlife sightings;. NCWCD rangers are not officially<br />

empowered to arrest or detain offenders, nor to confiscate property.<br />

Ranger chain of command : Day-to-day management of rangers camp structures<br />

is carried out by the head ranger or his deputy, under authority of NCWCD head<br />

office staff in Riyadh.<br />

Camps and other buildings : <strong>The</strong>re are nine camps, at least one of which is<br />

partially mobile. <strong>The</strong> main camp(Bayan), in northern Ghurrub sector, is a large

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