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For those who are not at home in its landscapes, the Negev may present itself as a monotonous wasteland devoid of life; but the person who tours its expanses will discover that it is rich in scenery: high mountain peaks and deep canyons, Hamada plains standing out darkly against white sand dunes, springs and water hollows each landscape with its own distinct biological system. Here, as many as 1200 plant species are to be found. Of these, 76 are endemic and do not occur anywhere else in the world; they include Iris edumensis, Tulipa polychroma and Rheum palaestinum.
For those who are not at home in its landscapes, the Negev may present itself as a monotonous wasteland devoid of life; but the person who tours its expanses will discover that it is rich in scenery: high mountain peaks and deep canyons, Hamada plains standing out darkly against white sand dunes, springs and water hollows each landscape with its own distinct biological system. Here, as many as 1200 plant species are to be found. Of these, 76 are endemic and do not occur anywhere else in the world; they include Iris edumensis, Tulipa polychroma and Rheum palaestinum.
The Negev also harbours an abundance of wildlife: 45 reptile species, 55 species of resident birds (not to mention the hundreds of species migrating over the area), 40 mammal species, including carnivores such as the leopard, the wolf and the caracal. Lately, the big herbivores gazelle and ibex have been joined by the onagers which, reintroduced after being extinct in the country for hundreds of years and having undergone a period of acclimatization in the Hay-Bar Yotvata Biblical Wildlife Reserve, were set free in the depths of Makhtesh Ramon. Only in the wide spaces of the Negev can there be a guaranteed future not only for each of these species by itself but for all of them together as a whole biological ecosystem. This, because despite all the efforts of the Nature Reserves Authority, the chances of hyenas, wolves, and in particular leopards coexisting with the dense, contiguous settlements in Northern Israel are rather slim.
The only places of which it is possible to speak in terms of a guaranteed future for Israel's carnivores and herbivores, are the big nature reserves of the Negev. There, it is possible not only to safeguard their existence but to arrive at a situation where we can observe them at leisure and learn something about their biology.
This rich world of nature, in concert with the abundant archaeological relics, is a treasure which attracts researchers, nature lovers, hikers and tourists. All we have to do is protect the marvels of nature in the Negev, both for our own sake and for that of future generations.
The Ramon Nature Reserve
Extending over 250,000 acres and comprising Makhtesh Ramon and the high Negev mountains, this is Israel's biggest nature reserve. The Makhtesh is a unique geological phenomenon peculiar to the Israel and Sinai deserts. The largest is Makhtesh Ramon, where nature has exposed a series of singular geological phenomena and created a rich habitat of plant and wildlife. Here, we can find an abundance of archaeological sites strongholds, caravansaries, ancient roads, and relics of ancient agriculture from the times of the kings of Judea and the Nabateans.
The En-Zin Nature Reserve
This reserve typifies the desert oases of the Negev: an abundant spring one of a series of springs rising in Nahal Zin - numerous palm trees, Euphrates poplars and lush river-bank vegetation. En-Zin is inhabited by many animals.
The springs and desert oases are a focal artery in the life of the animals cf the Negev. Any impairment, appropriation or pollution of these water resources would mean a deathblow to the wild animals which drink from, and live on them.
The Shezef Nature Reserve
Located in the Northern Arava, the reserve is characterized by a dense growth of large jujube and acacia trees producing the effect of an African savannah. This concentration of vegetation has gathered about it a diversified bio-system from the different species of carnivores and herbivores down to the smallest of reptiles and insects. A large herd of Arabian gazelles used to roam this region in the past, and nests of Lappet-faced vultures could be found there. Both these species have been wiped out from its landscapes. Now that the area has been declared a nature reserve and surrounded by a fence, the Nature Reserves Authority is making every effort to restore these and other animals to it.
To The Negev
During Israel's 40th year of independence, special emphasis is to be given to the importance of the Negev. The public is invited to come and visit the area and take part in the "To the Negev" festivities which are to be held between July 5th and 13th , 1938. They will include many cultural events, hikes and symposia, and will enable participants to get to know the Negev in all its natural beauty.
