Return to Azraq

Abstract

The author found many changes when he returned to Azraq after an absence of 14 years. Although the concept of a major Desert National Park had been abandoned, two reserves, embracing semi-desert and wetland, had been created. The Shaumari Reserve is having some success in breeding desert species for re-establishment in the wild, notably the oryx. The Wetland Reserve, however, is in danger; its wildfowl populations appear to be declining and the central marsh may be shrinking. Remedial action is essential if the wetland is to retain its importance, both as a reserve for birds and as a tourist attraction.