 Animal
life in the days of our ancestors was quite different from
that in our times. Part of the animals have become totally
extinct and only some animals have managed to overcome the
many obstacles and survived. About a dozen animals have disappeared
from Israel's landscape. During the 1960's a project was
started to restore the vanished species. In 1968 the Hai-Bar
Yotvata reserve was set up with a view to reintroduce and
acclimatize the desert animals. An area of some 12 km' (3000
acres) where many acacia trees grow and with a relative abundance
of natural pasture was fenced.
Wild ass (onager), addax, white oryx, Scimitar oryx, African
wild ass, ostrich and also gazelle were brought into the
area.
A few herds of onagers have already been released in the
Ramon crater and in Nahal Pharan. The predator center of
the Hai-Bar is a live exhibition of predators, birds of prey,
reptiles, and desert rodents, some of which are endangered
species. The predators walk about in large enclosures and
you can observe them through acoustic glass partitions. In
October 1992 the Nature Reserves Authority opened an additional
site in the predator center - "Night-life in the desert" -
an exhibition hall introducing visitors to animal life in
the desert which takes place mostly at night.
During the day, night-time conditions prevail and at night
day-time conditions are simulated in the hall.
Location:
In the southern Arava, near Kibbutz Sammar, 37 km (23 miles)
north of Elat.
Access:
Turn east at Kibbutz Sammar Junction and drive 1.5 km (1
mile) to the Predator Center.
Tour:
Visitors may only visit the Hai-Bar as part of a guided
tour of approximately 2 hours conducted in Nature Reserves
Authority vehicles.
The tour leaves the Predator Center on Saturdy, Sunday,
Tuesday & Thursday every hour on the hour between 9:00
and 14:00 in the winter and between 9:00 and 13:00 in the
summer.
Repopulating
The Desert >> |
