Ibex Reserve

Howtha Bani Tamim

                           Ibex Reserve, a protected area, is situated in the Hilwa village, near Howtha Bani Tamim, about 180 km south of Riyadh City. It extends into a large area (1840 km²), between 23' 12º and 23' 35º N, and 46' 15º and 46' 50º E. It is a long and narrow wadi bounded on both sides by steep rocky walls, which are ideal for the protection of the Nubian Ibex, hyrax wild cats, mongoose and eagles. The area is part of the mighty Tuwaiq Escarpment seen in the middle, as a back-bone of central Najd Zone. The climate of Ibex protectorate is, generally, tropical, hot or extreme hot in summer, cold in winter. An average 20 mm rain is expected during winter-spring months, between December and April or a few intermittent to heavy rainfall in October-November. Three or possibly four major communities are present in the Ibex Reserve, such as Haloxylon salicornicum community, Acacia tortilis-Rhazya stricta community, Ziziphus nummularia-Acacia tortilis-Lycium shawii community and Rhanterium epapposum-Calotropis procera community, each of them is present in unique habitats or seen as overlapping each other.

Flora is relatively rich. Approximately 265 species in 49 families have been reported, of which Poaceae is the largest family followed by Asteraceae, Cruciferae and Leguminosae

Ochradenus arabicus, an endemic plant in Saudi Arabia

Designed and maintained by Dr. Jacob Thomas, Dept. of Botany & Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.