Kuwait Environmental characteristics,conservation and governance

Dr. Manaf BehbehaniDepartment of Marine Science, Faculty of Science,

Kuwait University

The total area of the State of Kuwait is 17,818 km2

with the mean distance from East to west of 170 kmand mean distance of 200 km from North to South.

The total border area of the State of Kuwait is 685 Km with the majority of 495 km being shared on land with Saudi Arabia and 195 km being shared with Iraq.

The total coastline area of the mainland is 325 km in addition to 175 km of island coastlands.

• The terrestrial environment covers about85% of Kuwait’s total area consistingmainly of desert.

• The flora and fauna diversity are greatlyinfluenced by seasonality, annual plantsand migratory birds.

FLORA DIVERSITY

A total of 285 plant species are recognized 179 annuals and 106perennials

Cistanche tubulosa

Rhanterium epapposum

Cyperus conglomeratus

Zygophyllum qatarense with Cynomorium sp.

Panicum turgidum community

Stipagrostis plumosa

Alsirhan.com@2004

Moltikiopsis ciliata

Arnebia decumbens

Photo by Modhi Aldosari

Heliotropium bacciferum

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Astragalus spinosis

Photo by Modhi Aldoseri

Astragalus spinosis

Lycium shawii

Gagae reticulat

Photo by Modhi Aldoseri

Carduus pycnocephalus

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Horwoodia dicksoniae

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Salvia lavnigera

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Anagallis arvensis

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Calendula arvensis

Echium rauwolfiidistribution limited to one area

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Tamarix aucheriana

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Gynandriris sisyrinchium

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Asphodelus tenuifolius

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Astragalus sieberi (rare)

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Peganum harmala (very rare)

BIRDS

• 408 bird species as of July 2016, most of which are migratory

• Only 18 species are permanent residents

The hoopoe Upupa epops

Asio capensis

Photo by Ammar Al-jraiwi

Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago

The cream-coloured courser Cursorius cursor

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Spanish sparrow Passer hispaniolensis

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Red-backed shrike Lanius collurio

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Little Crake Porzana parva

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Black Kite Milvus migrans

The crab plover Dromas ardeola

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arandinaceus

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

White Stork Ciconia ciconia

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Water Pipit Anthos spinoletta

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Common Stonechat Saxicola torquatus

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

The Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis undulata

Photo by Mussaad AlnajdiKentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus

Mammals

• 28 Species

• Many have are threatened

• Several have become extinct

Camelus dromedarius

The fennec fox Vulpes zerda

Red fox Vulpes vulpes

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

The wild cat Felis silvestris iraki

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Felis margarita harrisoni

Photo by Ahmad Al-Eesa

Felis margarita harrisoni

Photo by Ahmad Al-Eesa

The Ethiopian hedgehog Hemiechinus aethiopicus (Rare)

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

The Lebyan jird Meriones libycus syrius

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

The lesser jerboa Jaculus jaculus vocator

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Taphozous nudiventris magnus

Th desert lynx Caracal caracal

Extinct in the Kuwait Desert

The sand gazelle Gazella subgutturosa maricaHas disappeared from Kuwait Desert

The dorcas gazelle similar toGazella saudiya which is now

Officially declared extinct -IUCN

The honey badger Mellivora capensis

The mangoose Herpestes edwardsi

Reptile

• 40 reptiles (snakes, geckos and lizards)

The spiny-tail lizard Uromastyx aegyptia microlepis

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

The desert monitor Varanus griseus

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Fringe-toed lizard Acanthodactylus schmidti

Eryx jayakari

The black cobra Walterinnesia aegyptica

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

The toad Bufo viridis

INSECTS and SPIDERS and SCORPIONS

• 570 insect species most of which are butterflies and beetles.

• Several invasive species (no-honey bee)

Photo by Modhi Aldoseri

Photo by Mohammad Al-Omran

The painted lady butterfly Venessa cardui (very common)

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Photo by Mussaad Alnajdi

Ulva sp. Sea lettuce

Colpomenia sp. Sea pepper

Sargassum sp.

Sea cucumber

The newly found echiurid worm

Listriolobus sp.

Penaeus semisulcatus

Cerithidea cingulata

Mitrella blanda

Pyramidella dolabrata

Murex scolopax

Eurycarcinus orientalis

The blue crab Portunus pelagicus

The mole crab Emerita halthuisi

PROTECTED AREAS

Map by KISR

Natural Reserve

Suggested camping area

Drifting sand zone

The Demilitarized Zone

The Demilitarized Zone

● Width 15 klilometers

5 Kuwait side and 10 Iraq side

● Length about 250 Kilometers

Outside

Inside the protected area

Unprotected area

Demilitarized zone betweenKuwait and Iraq

Inside the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research Preserved Area

Photo by Modhi Aldoseri

Mixed vegetation inside a protected area February 5,2014

Governance

• Kuwait Municipality: Land allocation for

protected areas

Environment Public Authority (EPA):

Supervision and regulation

of Protected areas and

Protection of Biodiversity

Law No. 42 for the Year 2014

Governance

• Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fisheries:

protection of living resources on land

and at sea

Kuwait Coast Guard:

Control of illegal fisheries practices

Governance

• Environment Police

Recently established. Enforce the law 42

Regional Cooperation

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)

Kuwait, Bahrian, Saudi Arabia, United Arab

Emirates, Oman

The Regional Organization for the

Protection of the Marine Environment

(ROPME)

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