Ein Neues Buch / A New Book : Felidae Arabica.


The Book : Felidae Arabica. A Zoological Journey in Palestine,
Arabia and Europe between 1980 - 2007.

Das Buch: Felidae Arabica. Eine Zoologische Reise in Palästina,
Arabien und Europa zwischen 1980-2007.

von: Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa.

Website of the Book:
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Felidae_Arabica.html

ISBN-10: 3-00-019568-8 / ISBN-13: 978-3-00-019568-6

Erschienen: 1. Auflage: Juli 2007.

Literaturangaben. - Parallelsacht. in arab. Schr. - Text teilw. dt.,
teilw. engl., teilw. arab. - Teilw. in arab. Schr.

Norman Ali Bassam Khalaf, 2007, ISBN-10: 3-00-019568-8 / ISBN-13:
978-3-00-019568-6, Gebunden Hardback. 1. Auflage: 300 Seiten. zahlr.
schwarz-weiss Abbildungen - Format: 30 x 21,5 cm, Gewicht: 850
gramm. Preis: 50,00 Euro.

Selbstverlag: Norman Ali Khalaf. Uhlandstrasse 6, D-66271 Rilchingen-
Hanweiler, Bundesrepublik Deutschland & P.O. Box 37038, Sharjah,
United Arab Emirates.

German / English Cover Foto: "Al-Sanuriyat Al-Arabiyah" / "Felidae
Arabica". Pottery & Foto by Norman Ali Bassam Khalaf-von Jaffa, 2007.

Arabic Cover Foto: The Arabian Leopard (Panthera pardus nimr) in Ein
Gedi, Palestine. Foto: Giora Ilani.

Cover Design / Umschlaggestaltung: Ola Khalaf. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates.

Printed and bounded in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.


Preface:

The Story behind "Felidae Arabica" :

The 41 species of the wild cat family "Felidae" are spread across
most of the globe excluding the continents of Antarctica and
Australia and some island groups.

Cats are adaptable animals and several species have their homes in
arid lands, where prey is sparse.
In the extensive region of Arabia only five species are known: the
Arabian Leopard, living in the high mountains of Arabia; the Arabian
Caracal or Desert Lynx; the Palestine Jungle Cat, which lives in
northern Arabia; the Arabian Wild Cat; and the little Arabian Sand
Cat, which survives in extreme desert conditions. The Arabian Lion
and the Arabian Cheetah disappeared forever from the Arabian
Peninsula.

My first published scientific article dates back to January 1980,
when I was still a student in the Zoology Department at Kuwait
University, State of Kuwait. The article was entitled "The
Colouration of Animals"; and my first felid article dates back to
April 1983, with the title "The Leopards in Palestine".

Since that time, I published many scientific articles in different
scientific magazines and bulletins, and I began publishing my own
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. In July 1983, "Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin" was created. It was the First
Palestinian Scientific Bulletin Worldwide. Until now 70 "Gazelle"
Issues were published; and many of my articles were about members of
the felid family.

Finally, and after more than 28 years in Zoological research and
studies, in many Arabic and European countries, and after publishing
many scientific articles in different scientific magazines and
bulletins, especially the "Gazelle Bulletin", and after publishing
many articles in the Gazelle Bulletin Web Site, since 2001 under
(www.gazelle.8m.net), and after publishing my first book (Gazelle:
The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. A Scientific Journey in
Palestine, Arabia and Europe between 1983–2004) in July 2004, and my
second book (Aquatica Arabica. An Aquatic Scientific Journey in
Palestine, Arabia and Europe between 1980–2005) in August 2005, and
my third book (Mammalia Arabica. A Zoological Journey in Palestine,
Arabia and Europe between 1980–2006) in July 2006, I finally decided
to publish a scientific book containing all my felid research and
articles.

It is hard to be optimistic about the future of Wild Cats in Arabia.
But recent years have shown the development of official and public
interest, and efforts to conserve them. The Cats are certainly among
the most beautiful wild animals. They have lived with humans for
thousands of years. The Prophet Mohammad (Peaca be upon Him) himself
is said to have loved cats, and there are Moslems who respect small
cats for that reason.

I hope that I can participate with this book to our knowledge
concerning "Felidae Arabica", and to help and to be part in
protecting the endangered Arabian Fauna.

Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-von Jaffa.
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. 5.7.2007.


About the Author:

Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa is a
Palestinian/German Zoologist, Ecologist and Geologist. Born in
Saarbrücken, Saarland, Germany in 1962. Finished School in Kuwait.
Studied Zoology, Geology and Ecology for the Bachelor and the Master
degrees in the Universities of Kuwait and Durham (England). Done a
lot of work and research in the Universities of Kuwait, Durham and
Saarbrücken; and in the Zoos, Wild Parks and Field Studies in
Palestine, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Saudi Arabia,
Kuwait, Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Egypt, Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria,
Yugoslavia, Hungary, Holland, Belgium, Luxemburg, England, Scotland,
Jersey Island, France, Austria, Switzerland and Germany.

He is the author and publisher of "Gazelle : The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin" since 1983; and the author of four books:
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin (2004) & Aquatica
Arabica (2005) & Mammalia Arabica (2006) & Felidae Arabica (2007).

He discovered a new house mouse subspecies from the Gaza Strip,
Palestine, and gave it in June 2007, the new scientific trinomial
name "Mus musculus gazaensis Khalaf, 2007".

He is working now as a free scientific researcher and publisher in
the United Arab Emirates. He is married and has one daughter.


Contents of the book:

English and German Articles:

1. Preface & About the Author.
2. Activity Patterns and Sexual / (Reproductive) Behaviour of Snow
Leopards, Panthera uncia (Schreber, 1775), at Jersey Wildlife
Preservation Trust, Jersey Island.
3. The Siberian Tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) in Saarbrücken Zoo,
Germany.
4. The Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) in Saarbrücken Zoo, Germany.
5. The Leopards in Palestine. (in Arabic).
6. The Sinai Leopard (Panthera pardus jarvisi) in Palestine.
7. The Leopards of Palestine.
8. Der Arabische Leopard, Panthera pardus nimr.
9. Der Asiatische oder Persische Löwe (Panthera leo persica).
10. Felidae Palaestina: The Wild Cats of Palestine.
11. Der Asiatische oder Iranische Gepard (Acinonyx jubatus
venaticus).
12. Die Rohrkatze (Felis chaus).
13. The Asiatic or Persian Lion (Panthera leo persica) in Palestine.
(In: Mammalia Arabica).
14. The Asiatic or Persian Lion (Panthera leo persica, Meyer 1826)
in Palestine and the Arabian and Islamic Region.
15. The Chinese Leopard (Panthera pardus japonensis, Gray 1862) in
Neunkirchen Zoo, Neunkirchen, Saarland, Germany / Der Chinesische
Leopard (Panthera pardus japonensis, Gray 1862) im Neunkircher Zoo,
Neunkirchen, Saarland, Deutschland.
16. The First Sight Record of the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita
harrisoni, Hemmer, Grubb and Groves 1976) from the Gaza Strip,
Palestine.
17. The Presence of the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita harrisoni)
in the State of Qatar.
18. Die Sandkatze oder Wüstenkatze (Felis margarita, Loche 1858).
19. Der Karakal oder Wüstenluchs (Caracal caracal, von Schreber
1776).


Arabic Articles:

20. Um Rishat (Caracal or Desert Lynx). Arab-Wikipedia.
21. Qit Al-Adghal (Jungle Cat or Swamp Lynx). Arab-Wikipedia.
22. Fahed Arabi (Arabian Cheetah or Asiatic Cheetah). Arab-Wikipedia.
23. Nimer Arabi (The Arabian Leopard). Arab-Wikipedia.
24. Sanuriyat (Family Felidae). Arab-Wikipedia.
25. Haywanat Filistin (Fauna of Palestine). Arab-Wikipedia.
26. Qit Sahrawi (The Sand Cat or Desert Cat). Arab-Wikipedia.
27. A Recent Record of the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita
harrisoni, Hemmer, Grubb and Groves 1976) from the Kuwaiti Desert,
State of Kuwait.
28. Behavioural Observations on the Arabian Leopard (Panthera pardus
nimr, Hemprich & Ehrenberg 1833) in the Arabia's Wildlife Centre,
Desert Park, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
29. The Arabian Carnivores in the Arabia's Wildlife Centre, Sharjah
Desert Park, United Arab Emirates.
30. Notes on the Caracal Lynx (Caracal caracal).
31. The Leopards in Palestine.
32. The Colouration of Animals.
33. Muqadimet Al-Kitab (Arabic Preface).
34. Book Contents (Arabic Section).