Some Biblical Animal Species of the Desert— Hai Bar Yotvata

Tu B'shvat Environmental Program
Sima Lieberman

I was asked to prepare something for the discussion group this Shabbat, dealing with Israel and my experiences. After coming up with some information and materials that were far too technical, I have come up with the following, that I hope will interest a broad audience.

I have decided to discuss (not lecture, but open up some discussion) some of the animal species that were found in Israel in Biblical times, and efforts in Israel today on the restoration and conservation of those species. In particular, I've got some photos and information on animal species currently held at Hai Bar Yotvata, in the Negev. This isn't just meant for people going on the Israel trip this summer (we can't go, for example), but I would like to give everyone who may not be familiar with the incredible biodiversity of Israel, a little "flavor" of the amazing species in Israel today, as well as in Biblical times.

• Did you know that Israel once had ostriches?
  
  
• Did you know that the White oryx is the origin of the unicorn myth?
  
  
• Did you know that Israel is a worldwide leader in the recovery and reintroduction of endangered mammal species, such as the Scimitar-horned oryx and addax?

Following is some information about some species. We won't have time to talk about them all on Saturday, but people might be interested. I would be delighted to discuss them any other time as well.

In addition, some interesting sites, particularly for people interested in conservation and nature reserves/national parks in Israel, are:

• about bird conservation in Israel
  
  
• Hebrew only
  
  
• English site

Negev gazelle (Gazella dorcas)

Song of Songs 2:9, "My beloved is like a gazelle" (also 4:5, 7:4, 8:14)

• Very rare when Israel was established; now much more abundant
• Most extirpated in neighboring countries; the healthiest populations are in Israel.

Ibex (Capra ibex nubiana)

Psalms 104:18, "The high mountains are for the wild goats"

• A type of wild desert goat
• Original range: Syria, Israel, to the Arabian peninsula, Sudan, Eritrea
• Israel is the only country remaining with relatively secure populations

Onager, or Asiatic Wild Ass (Equus hemionus onager, or Equus onager)

Jeremiah 2:24, "A wild ass used to the wilderness"
Job 39:5, "Who has let the wild ass go free/ Who has loosened the bonds of the swift ass?"

• Countries where found: Afghanistan (may be extinct), India, Iran, Iraq (may be extinct), Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan (may be extinct), Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan.
• A now-extinct subspecies of onager (Syrian wild ass) ranged through Syria, Israel, Jordan, Arabian peninsula.
• Three onagers were brought to Hai Bar in 1968 from Iran; after breeding and release into the wild, offspring are breeding in the Ramon nature reserve.

Somali wild ass (Equus africanus somalicus)

Job 39:5, "Who has loosened the bonds of the swift ass?"

• Wild ancestor of the domestic donkey (the Asiatic wild ass was never domesticated)
• Former range throughout Africa, from the Sahara to Ethiopia, to Egypt (Sinai) and Israel (the Arava and the Negev).

White oryx (Oryx leucoryx)

Numbers 23:22, "He has as it were the strength of an oryx (incorrectly translated as unicorn; also incorrectly translated as buffalo or wild ox)."

• One of the rarest animals on earth
• Former range: Arabian peninsula, Israel, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Egypt (Sinai). Last wild oryx killed in 1972 in Oman.
• First reintroduction in Oman (1982). Reintroductions now in: Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Israel
• Total population: estimated 350 in the wild, 390 in captivity
• Considered by some to be the origin of the unicorn legend.

Addax (Addax nasomaculatus)

Deuteronomy 14:5, "...and the wild goat, they pygarg, and the wild ox, and the chamois."

• Uncertain if the addax is what was translated as the pygarg.
• Former range: Westernmost North Africa to Egypt; uncertain if ever ranged into Israel.
• On the verge of extinction wherever found. Found in the thousands in 1900.
• Israel has been very active in the international effort to save the species from extinction.

Ostrich (Struthio camelus camelus)

Lamentations 4:3, "... as the ostrich in the wilderness."

• The Middle East subspecies (or Syrian ostrich) is believed to have been driven to extinction by the 1920's. Even 100 years ago they were found in the wild in the Negev.
• This subspecies is smaller than the common African ostrich.
• The Northeast African subspecies, believed similar to the Syrian subspecies, was brought to Israel in 1973 for breeding, and will eventually be reintroduced into the Negev.

Wolf (Canis lupus)

• Two subspecies found in the Negev, and others found in the North of Israel (particularly the Galilee) and on the Golan (exceedingly rare)
• Extinct in the majority of the regions of its former distribution
• Israel has the healthiest populations of the desert wolf in the Middle East

Leopard (Panthera pardus)

• Most widespread member of the family Felidae (cats)
• Formerly throughout the Middle East, Near East, and Africa
• Found several years ago on the Golan and the Galilee, but now believed extirpated.

Caracal (Felis caracal)

• Name means Ablack ears" in Turkish
• Very wide range (not only deserts), but difficult to detect or track.
• Now found from India, throughout the Middle East and Africa, to S.Africa.
• Israel has the only stable caracal population in the Middle East.

Wild cat (Felis lybica)

• Widely distributed throughout Israel, except sand dunes
• Believed to be the wild ancestor of the domestic house cat (domesticated in Egypt 3,500 years ago).
• Some hybridization occurs with house cats.

Striped hyaena (Hyaena hyaena)

• Once widespread throughout Israel
• Due to poisoning and traffic accidents, now rare in the north and central parts of Israel; still found in the Negev

Some of the several desert raptors (birds of prey)

• Lappet faced vulture (only a few pairs remain in the Negev)
• Griffon vulture
• Egyptian vulture
• Eagles
• Eagle owl
• Lammergeir

Some desert reptiles (many a problem in illegal international trade)

• Horned viper
• Lesser cerastes viper (smallest poisonous snake in Israel)
• Field's horned viper (one of the largest poisonous snakes in Israel)
• Burton's carpet viper, Ein Gedi mole viper
• Black desert cobra (only cobra in Israel)
• Clifford's snake (non-venomous)
• Moila snake (hooded like the cobra, but not venomous)
• Blanford's ground gecko, Persian ground gecko
• Gray monitor lizard
• Negev dabb lizards, Egyptian dabb lizard, Ornate dabb lizard

A notable non-biblical species that Israel has been very active in the international effort to save the species from extinction:

Scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx damah)

• Range: throughout the Sahara, formerly in the tens of thousands but now reduced by hunting to a few hundred.
• Israel bred and led the introduction effort for a recent population "returned" to Senegal.