- Dana Nature Reserve in Tafilah, southern Jordan, is a beautiful painting made by nature, and a mirror that reflects the beauty and magic of the land, where towering mountains harmonize with deep valleys in a scene that captivates the eyes.
In Dana, every corner tells a story of the beauty of the authentic land, where more than 800 species of plants and hundreds of wild animals meet, in a balance that embodies the magic of wildlife.
Dana Biosphere Reserve was established in 1989. The reserve, managed by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, is the largest and first biosphere reserve in Jordan according to UNESCO’s classification in 1998. Dana is one of the most prominent nature reserves in the Arab world, due to its rich biodiversity, including an important genetic bank for various elements of wildlife, which has earned it wide fame worldwide in the fields of environmental research and studies. The importance of the reserve increases due to the presence of unique environmental diversity within its scope, as it includes several different environmental patterns, such as the mountainous environment in the Tafilah Mountains, the steppe environment, in addition to the desert environment extending towards Wadi Araba, which makes it an integrated model of natural diversity in Jordan. The reserve, which covers an area of 292 square kilometers, extends along the slopes of a number of mountains from the Qadisiyah area, which rises more than 1,500 meters above sea level, and descends to the plains and valleys of Wadi Araba, where the mountains of the reserve are interspersed with some valleys that are characterized by their picturesque nature, and its geological composition varies between limestone and granite. Dana Biosphere Reserve is considered the only reserve in Jordan that contains the three biogeographic regions: the Mediterranean region, the Irano-Turanian region, and the Sudanese region, and therefore it is the most diverse region in Jordan in terms of ecosystems and plant patterns such as the juniper pattern, the evergreen oak pattern, the sand dune plant pattern, the Sudanese plant pattern, and many others. The reserve is also distinguished by being the habitat of what remains of the natural perennial cypress forests. The presence of all these environments in one reserve has led to natural richness, as more than 891 plant species have been recorded in the reserve, representing a third of Jordan's plants. Three of these species that were recorded are new species, named after Dana Reserve, and contain 16 globally rare species, which nominated it to become one of the important areas for biodiversity globally, and 160 rare and threatened plant species at the national level.
Dana Reserve is also a center for the reproduction and nesting of many wild birds such as partridges, chinnar, and birds of prey, as 250 species of birds have been recorded, which constitutes 50 percent of the birds recorded in Jordan, some of which are threatened globally such as the Syrian harrier, and some of which are threatened locally such as the brown vulture. The reserve is also located within the bird migration routes and thousands of birds cross it annually, and it is declared an important area for birds by the International Council for the Protection of Birds.
It is noteworthy that more than 39 mammals and 44 reptiles have been recorded, and the reserve is considered a tributary center for many rare and threatened species in the southern regions of Jordan, including the Nubian mountain goat, the Afghan fox (king), the lynx, and the Afar gazelle. It is a threatened species at the national and global levels.
The reserve contains the last and oldest known natural cypress cluster in Jordan, and it also contains a large group of plant species, the number of which reached 891 species, including 93 rare species, four species that have not been recorded anywhere else in Jordan, 75 species confined to the Shobak area, 8 endemic species, 67 species of natural or nutritional importance, and recently 3 new species were found within the borders of the reserve.
The reserve is a habitat for a large number of wild animals, many of which are of global importance, including 11 species of mammals such as the lynx and the Afghan fox, and 5 species of reptiles such as the monitor lizard and the terrestrial turtle, in addition to 63 species of birds such as the spotted eagle, the imperial eagle, the locust hawk, and the Syrian serin. The reserve also contains the largest known cluster of the Syrian serin in the world.
The number of bird species recorded in the reserve is 215, of which 77 nesting species, making it one of the most important non-wet areas for bird conservation in the Middle East. The total number of wildlife species recorded in the reserve is 555, including 297 animal species and 258 invertebrate species. In 1994, the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature took pioneering steps in an attempt to preserve the precious biodiversity found in Dana, with funding from the Global Environment Fund, where it developed the first protected areas management plan in Jordan, and made the Dana Biosphere Reserve an integrated model for environmental conservation in addition to socio-economic development, where the plan set goals, strategies and priorities that ultimately seek to find a balance between protecting Dana’s natural wonders and meeting the needs of the local population.
This strategy is mostly based on the concept of zoning, identifying areas where activities can be carried out, which allows for both grazing and recreational activities. By following this approach, Dana Reserve has become the first tourist site in the field of environmentally responsible tourism. To date, the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature has received many international awards for its success in alleviating poverty for local communities and creating job opportunities, in addition to its efforts in nature conservation.
In Dana, there are many hiking trails, which are the best way to see the beautiful scenery and explore a lot about wildlife and nature, such as the Rummana Camp Trail, the Caves Trail, the Rummana Mountain Trail, the Dana Village Trail, the White Dome Trail, the Shaq al-Rish Trail, the Dana Valley Trail, the Dathna Valley Trail, the Ghuwayr Valley Trail, the Sunrise Trail, the Sunset Trail, the Feynan Plants Trail, the Copper Mines Trail, and the Archaeological Treasures Trail.
Dana Reserve includes many tourist destinations, such as the guest house located on the slopes of Dana Valley. The building is distinguished by its view of Dana Valley, in addition to its comfortable rooms, traditional Arabic cuisine, and distinguished service.
The guest house is also equipped with facilities for holding courses and conferences, making it an ideal place for rest and workshops, as the guest house receives visitors throughout the year. Among the important tourist destinations is the Feynan Ecolodge, which was built in 2005 by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature in the mountains of Dana Biosphere Reserve. It is the first of its kind in Jordan, and the candlelit lodge is uniquely located in the embrace of the picturesque Feynan Valley. According to National Geographic Traveler, Feynan Ecolodge is one of the top 25 ecolodges in the world, providing visitors with an escape to a magical corner of Jordan, rich in culture, ancient history and natural beauty. The lodge receives visitors year-round.
