Flora and Fauna in Palestine.

By: Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa.


Note: This article was published in "Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin". ISSN 0178-6288. Number 91, July 2009, Rajab 1430. pp.1-31.


Website: http://flora-fauna-palestine.webs.com/



A Stunning Variety:

Packed into Palestine's small area are snow-covered mountains, parched deserts,
fertile fields, lush woodlands and long stretches of sand dunes. No less than
four different geographical zones are included in Palestine, and the country's
climate ranges from semi-arid to temperate to subtropical.
All of this makes Palestine home to a stunning variety of plants and animals.
Some 47,000 living species have been identified in Palestine, with another 4,000
assumed to exist. There are 116 species of mammals native to Palestine, 511
kinds of birds, 97 types of reptiles and nine types of amphibians. Some 2,780
types of plants grow countrywide, from Alpine flowers on northern mountain
slopes to bright red coral peonies and desert papyrus reeds in the south.


Flora in Palestine:

"A land of wheat and barley and vines and fig-trees and pomegranates, a land of
olive oil and honey." (The Bible).
Much has since been added to this Biblical description of what grows in
Palestine. Bananas, oranges and other citrus fruits dominate the coastal plain.
Deciduous fruit trees grow all over the country, but particularly well in the
cool hills. Dates, bananas, avocado, guava and mango flourish in the hot Jordan
valley. The basic grains rub shoulders with vegetables and tobacco, cotton,
groundnuts and sugar beets.
Palestine's landscape of flowers and plants changes abruptly with its different
geographical regions. Natural woodlands of Palestine oaks (Quercus calliprinos)
cover the upper Galilee, Mount Carmel and other hilly regions. In spring,
rockrose (Helianthemum nummularium) and thorny broom (Calycotome infesta) turn
the hillsides pink, white and yellow. There are hyacinth, crocus and narcissus
in the mountains as early as December, followed by anemones, tulips, cyclamen,
iris and daisies. Honeysuckle creeps over the bushes, and large plane trees
provide shade along the freshwater streams of Al Jaleel (Galilee).

The country's woodlands and forests were ravaged during centuries of warfare and
neglect, but much has been done to reforest the countryside. Today, there are
over 200 million trees in Palestine - forests of pine, tamarisk, carob and
eucalyptus. Wildflowers and medicinal plants grow in profusion. Fruit trees
bloom from January to April. In the south, acacia trees and the prickly Indian
fig cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) suck moisture from the desert. In Al Naqab
(Negev) highlands, massive Atlantic pistachios (Pistacia atlantica) strike a
dramatic note among the dry riverbeds, and date palms (Phoenix dactylifera) grow
wherever there is sufficient underground water.
Many of the country's cultivated flowers - among them, the iris, madonna lily
(Lilium candidum), tulip and hyacinth - have relatives among wild flowers. Soon
after the first winter rains fall in October/November, a green carpet grows,
covering the country until the next dry season. Pink and white cyclamen and red,
white and purple anemones bloom from December to March, followed by the blue
lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) and yellow corn marigold (Chrysanthemum segetum).
Many native plants, such as the crocus and squill, are geophytes, storing
nourishment in their bulbs and tubers and blooming at the end of the summer.
Picking wildflowers used to be a popular pastime, with some even sold
commercially. In the mid-1960s, however, the Nature Reserves Authorities in
Palestine and Israel, with the help of the Palestine Wildlife Society and the
Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, published a list of protected
wildflowers and launched a vigorous education campaign. The public was urged:
"Don't pick! Don't uproot! Don't buy! And don't sell!" The effort saved
Palestine's wildflowers, and four decades later it is considered the most
successful nature protection campaign conducted in the country.

Botanists today divide the country's flora into seven distinct groups:
• Mediterranean
• Irano-Turanian, which is also found on the Asian steppes of the Syrian desert,
in Iran, Anatolia and the Gobi Desert
• Saharo-Arabian, which is also found in the Sahara, Sinai and Arabian deserts
• Sudano-Zambesian, typical of Africa's subtropical savannas
• Euro-Siberian
• Plants that grow in more than one of these regions
• Species from the Americas, Australia and South Africa that have started
growing in Palestine without human assistance.
Four major features have shaped this floral diversity: the country's location
and topography; its rock and soil formations; its climate; and the impact of
man. The human influence has been so powerful that it has actually changed some
landscapes: during the countless years that man has roamed this area, he has
collected and cultivated plants for food, cleared land for agriculture,
domesticated grazing animals, selected and deified holy trees, and brought new
plants into the country.
The Israeli occupation forces destroyed and uprooted countless Palestinian
trees, plants and farmlands. Israel is destroying Palestinian territories
through deforestation and the expropriation and erosion of agricultural lands,
as well as by seizing lands, harvests and livestock.
Today Palestine has 19 principal plant communities. They are:
1. Maquis (areas containing small trees and shrubs) and Forests: Located in the
mountains of Judea, the Carmel and Galilee, these were the main woodlands. In
most of the area today, the wild trees have been replaced by cultivated plants
and domesticated trees, such as the olive and almond, or have been reforested
with the Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis). Where cultivated land is abandoned, low
herbaceous Mediterranean semi-shrubs grow.
2. Oak Woodlands: On the volcanic rock of the occupied Golan Heights, maquis
dominated by the common oak (Quercus robur) grows in areas higher than 500
meters above sea level. Botanists believe that the woodland ranges here have
decreased substantially during the past century.
3. Winter Deciduous (Montane) Forests: On Mount Hermon, between 1,300 and 1,800
meters above sea level, winter deciduous trees and shrubs that can withstand the
cold and wind flourish.
4. Mount Tabor Oak (Quercus ithaburensis) Woodlands: This Mediterranean tree
grows in Palestine's drier and warmer coastal areas, although much of these
woodlands have been converted into olive groves.
5. Carob and Terebinth Woodlands: These forests cover the limestone hills at the
foot of the central mountain range.
6. Lotus and Herbaceous Vegetation: These shrubs are scattered over the hilly
south-eastern Galilee, making it look like a park without trees.
7. Savanna Mediterranean: In areas too warm and too dry for Mediterranean trees,
the quasi-tropical jujube and spiny trees of Sudanese origin grow.
8. Semi-Steppe: Where Palestine's Mediterranean region meets the desert, the
vegetation changes to semi-shrubs.
9. Cushion-Plants: Mount Hermon plants that grow beyond 1,900 meters above sea
level must survive three to five months covered by snow each year and another
four to five months of drought. The dominant vegetation here is small, spiny,
rounded, dense shrubs known as cushion-plants.
10. Steppe: Semi-shrubs cover the slopes and hills of areas of the country that
receive 80 to 250 mm. of rain a year. This vegetation formation is often
referred to as steppe.
11. Atlantic Terebinth Steppe: On rocky terrain higher than 800 meters, the
Atlantic terebinth (Pistacia atlantica) grows.
12. Desert: Steppe vegetation gradually gives way to Saharo-Arabian plant
species as the climate becomes drier.
13. Sand: Each of Palestine's three sandy areas has a different climate and sand
of different origin. Each, therefore, has different kinds of vegetation.
14. Oases: The warmest parts of Palestine are the Araba (Arava), the Dead Sea
and the Jordan valley. Run-off and underground water accumulate here, enabling
trees of Sudanese origin to grow in the oases, and salt-resistant date palms
(Phoenix dactylifera) to flourish around desert springs.
15. Desert Savanna: In the Rift Valley, rainfall gradually increases northward
from an annual 30 mm. around Aila (Eilat) to 150 mm. north of Areeha (Jericho).
Sudanese trees with long roots take advantage of the high water table in this
area of poor rainfall; making parts of it resemble the East African savannas.
16. Araba (Arava) Woodland: The deep sands of the Wadi Araba (Arava Valley) are
covered with sparse woodland of trees growing up to 4 meters in height.
17. Swamps and Reed Thickets: Water-logged soils on river banks support dense
vegetation.
18. Wet Saline: Salty water moistens the soil throughout the year along the
Jordan, the Dead Sea, the Wadi Araba (Arava valley) and on the Mediterranean
shore near Akka (Akko).
19. In areas of intense human activity: Vegetation in such areas is easily
differentiated.

Plants Unique to Palestine:

Among about 165 vascular plant species known solely from Palestine are the
Palestine Iris Iris Palaestina, the Dark-purple Iris Iris atropurpurea, the
Mount Gilboa Iris Iris haynei, the Sharon Plain Sedge Cyperus sharonensis, the
Palestine Bedstraw Galium philistaeum, the Israel Orchid Anacamptis israelitica,
the Tel Aviv Stork's Bill Erodium telavivense, a sorrel Rumex aeroplaniformis,
the Jaffa Groundsel Senecio joppensis, the Har Ramon Buffonia Bufonia
ramonensis, the Naqab Alkanet Hormuzakia negevensis, the Danin Fennel Ferula
daninii, the Naqab Onion Allium negevense, and Allium tardiflorum. Mosheovia is
sometimes considered an endemic genus distinct from the widespread Scrophularia.

Palestine and Israel are included in the Mediterranean Basin biodiversity
hotspot. Important terrestrial ecoregions include the Eastern Mediterranean
Conifer-sclerophyllous-broadleaf Forests (WWF) and the Southern Anatolian
Montane Conifer and Deciduous Forests (WWF).


Fauna in Palestine:

As in many Western countries, a growing population and increasing industrial
development in Palestine and Israel are destroying natural habitats, propelling
biodiversity into a decline. Palestine and Israel have responded by pronouncing
a fifth of the land area as nature reserves.
The history of animal life in Palestine stretches back some 60 million years,
when the sea covering the area finally retreated. It was during the Pleistocene
era, however, a million years ago, that an influx of creatures especially
decisive for the development of animal life in this part of the world arrived.
Animals which are now characteristic of the East African savannas moved into the
area: hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), rhinoceros, warthog (Phacochoerus
africanus), striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) and various species of gazelle. They
were later joined by animals migrating from western and central Asia - wild
horses (Equus ferus), wild asses, wolves (Canis lupus) and badgers.
Changes in climate, destruction of forests and hunting have resulted in the
extermination of many of these species. The introduction of firearms at the end
of the 19th century along with the tradition of hunting, for example, resulted
in the rapid disappearance of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), fallow deer (Dama
dama), Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx), Syrian onagers (Equus hemionus), Syrian
bears (Ursus arctos syriacus), cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), ostriches (Struthio
camelus) and Nile crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus). Hunting is still permitted
in Palestine and Israel, although the Palestinian Environment Law no. 7 of 1999,
and the Israeli Wildlife Protection Law of 1955 restricts the hunting season and
hunting areas, as well as prohibiting certain methods of hunting (traps,
explosives, poisoning). Hare, wild boar (Sus scrofa), partridge and some duck
species may be hunted, but in limited numbers and only with a permit.

Mammals:

Today, the largest Mammals are Palestinian mountain gazelles or Edmi (Gazella
gazella gazella), Palestine wild boar (Sus scrofa libycus), foxes like the
Palestinian red fox (Vulpes vulpes palaestina), Palestinian jungle cats (Felis
chaus furax), Nubian ibex (Capra ibex nubiana) and the rarely seen Arabian
leopard or Nimr (Panthera pardus nimr), Arabian caracal lynx (Felis caracal
schmitzi), Syrian striped hyenas (Hyaena hyaena syriaca), Palestinian golden
jackals (Canis aureus palaestina Khalaf, 2008), Arabian wolves (Canis lupus
arabs), Persian honey badgers or ratel (Mellivora capensis wilsoni), Persian
common badgers (Meles meles canescens) and Persian common river otters (Lutra
lutra seistanica).

Palestine is home to a large variety of smaller mammals; from bats (over 30
species), hedgehogs, the Syrian hare (Lepus capensis syriacus), the Syrian rock
hyrax or coney (Procavia capensis syriaca), the Syrian squirrel (Sciurus
anomalus syriacus), the Indian crested porcupine (Hystrix indica), Palestine's
largest rodent; to the exotic sounding Palestine short-tailed bandicoot rat
(Nesokia indica bacheri), Cairo spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus), the Palestine
golden spiny mouse (Acomys russatus harrisoni Atallah, 1970), the Gaza or
Palestine house mouse (Mus musculus gazaensis Khalaf, 2007), desert jerboas like
the Palestine or Jaffa lesser jerboa (Jaculus jaculus schlueteri), gerbils,
jirds like the Palestine or Naqab (Negev) jird (Meriones sacramenti), the
Palestine fat sand rat (Psammomys obesus terraesanctae), to the more mundane
sounding brown rats (Rattus norvegicus), Palestine or Jaffa mole rat (Spalax
microphthalmus ehrenbergi), dormice, Syrian grey hamsters (Cricetulus
migratorius cinerascens), Syrian or golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus), the
Günther's social vole (Microtus socialis guentheri), the Palestine lesser
white-toothed shrew (Crocidura suaveolens portali) and the nutria or coypu
(Myocastor coypus).

In all, there are 116 different species of Mammals in Palestine, compared with
140 in the whole of Europe, which is 300 times larger. This is an impressive
figure for a small country, but the numbers of animals within each species is
shrinking.
Since the 1960s, the Israeli Nature Reserves Authority has been reintroducing
populations of animals which were native to the area in biblical times, under a
program known as Hai-Bar. Breeding centers for Mediterranean animals (in the
Carmel) and desert animals (at Yotvata in the Wadi Araba) have been set up, and
five species selected for the first stage: ostriches, roe deer, Asiatic wild
asses (Equus hemionus), Persian fallow deer (Dama dama mesopotamica) and white
oryx (Oryx leucoryx). All except the roe deer are globally endangered. The
founder animals for each species came from both zoos and the wild, around the
world. Successful reintroductions into the wild have already been implemented
for the Asiatic wild ass (starting in 1982), the fallow deer (since 1996) and
the white oryx (since 1997).

Birds:

Palestine's location on the migration route from Europe and Western Asia to
Africa is responsible for the very large number of bird species in the country.
The volume of avian travelers is so massive, in fact that their migration routes
are carefully monitored, and aircraft are forbidden to fly in these paths.
Honey buzzards (Pernis apivorus) and pelicans are among the larger migrants that
fill the skies in March and October. Coots and starlings spend winters here
feasting on food provided by Palestine's fish farms and farmland. The Palestine
Sunbird or Northern Orange-tufted Sunbird (Cinnyris oseus), bulbul
(Pycnonotidae) and songbirds such as sylvia warblers and goldcrests (Regulus
regulus) nest here year round. A number of raptor species - among them imperial
eagles (Aquila heliaca) and spotted eagles (Aquila clanga), falcons, hawks,
sparrowhawks, kestrels and long-legged buzzards (Buteo rufinus) - make their
home in Palestine.

Raptors of today are, however, only a fraction of the large population that
lived in the country as recently as the 19th century. Hunting, poisoning and
drastically fewer animal carcasses left lying in open fields have all taken
their toll, and it is now planned to bolster endangered raptor species and
reintroduce those that are extinct. Griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus), lappet-faced
or Nubian vultures (Torgos tracheliotos), lanner falcons (Falco biarmicus),
white-tailed sea eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla), Egyptian vultures (Neophron
percnopterus) and lesser kestrels (Falco naumanni) are being bred in captivity;
feeding stations are provided in the wild, and their nesting sites are
protected.

Reptiles:

There are 97 different native reptile species. They include two chameleon
subspecies, the Mediterranean chameleon (chamaeleo chamaeleon recticrista),
found in central and northern Palestine, and the Sinai chameleon chamaeleo
chamaeleon musae, found in southern desert regions. Many lizards like the
Lebanon lizard (lacerta laevis), the roughtail rock agama (laudakia stellio
stellio), desert monitors (Varanus griseus), Egyptian dabb or mastigure or
spiny-tailed lizard (uromastyx aegyptius), skinks, geckos like the Mediterranean
gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus) are all living in Palestine.
Palestine is home to a broad selection of turtles representing several different
orders: pond turtles, land turtles, softshell turtles, sea turtles and
leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea).
Palestine has two species of land tortoises: the Mediterranean spur-thighed
tortoise (Testudo graeca ibera), the most common turtle in Palestine and the
much rarer Egyptian tortoise (Testudo kleinmanni), a desert species. The
temperate Mediterranean tortoise was one of the first creatures in Palestine to
be declared a protected species because its popularity as a pet, and in some
Mediterranean countries, as a delicacy. In fact in many parts of its range it is
now extinct or endangered. In Palestine though you can still come across the
tortoise in many areas, local parks and gardens, especially during the spring.
Another easily seen turtle is the Caspian turtle or Striped-neck terrapin
(Mauremys caspica), which is found in ponds, drainage ditches, lakes, sewage
ditches and wetland areas. While the highly endangered African softshell turtle
(Trionyx triunguis) is on the verge of extinction in this country, due to the
pollution of Palestine's coastal rivers, the Caspian turtle thrives in polluted
water, with particularly high concentrations found in sewage runoff and sewage
treatment pools. While Caspian turtles can be found all over central and
northern Palestine, the Hula nature reserve in northern Palestine is a
particularly good place to see them, as wooden boardwalks allow you to walk over
the marsh and lake and see the turtles up close. They enjoy sunning themselves
on rocks and logs by the water, often stacked on top of each other in piles as
many as seven turtles high.
Marine turtles are much less easy to spot, and sadly, are highly endangered. As
in many Mediterranean countries, the development of Palestine's coastal cities
and beaches has dealt a harsh blow to sea turtles, which lay their eggs on
Palestine's beaches. Conservation efforts are underway in Palestine and Israel
to protect this species, with protected beaches on both the Mediterranean and
Red Sea coast (Aila or Eilat).
There are about 40 species of snake in Palestine from tiny, pink, worm-like
blind worm snakes (Leptotyphlops macrorhynchus) which live underground to
impressive specimens such as the desert dwelling Persian horned viper
(Pseudocerastes persicus), one of the few poisonous Palestinian species.
The great majority of Palestine's snakes are harmless to humans, performing a
public service by eating rodents and invertebrates.

Many biblical verses appear to describe types of snake found in Palestine to
this day. Snakes mentioned by name include desert species such as the black
desert cobra (Walterinnesia aegyptia), Persian horned viper and the Palestine
saw-scaled viper (Echis coloratus), as well as the Palestinian viper (Vipera
palaestinae) found in temperate parts of the country.

Amphibians:

Nine amphibian species have been recorded in Palestine: One newt species, one
salamander species and seven species of frogs and toads.
Amphibians in Palestine belong to two orders; (i) Caudata; (ii) Salientia or
Anura; six families: (i) Salamandridae; (ii) Bufonidae; (iii) Hylidae, (iv)
Ranidae, (v) Pelobatidae, (vi) Discoglossidae; and seven genera, five of which
are important wetland species.

The most commonly seen in Palestine is the European Green Toad (Bufo viridis).
The other species are: The Syrian or Eastern Spadefoot Toad (Pelobates
syriacus), the Anatolian or Savigny's Tree Frog (Hyla savignyi), the newly
discovered Jerusalem or Judean Hills tree frog (Hyla heinzsteinitzi), the Marsh
or Lake Frog (Rana ridibunda), the Edible or Water Frog (Rana esculenta), and
the extinct Palestinian or Hula Painted Frog (Discoglossus nigriventer)
(Khalaf-von Jaffa, February 2007). The two other amphibians are: The endangered
Near Eastern Fire Salamander (Salamandra maculosa infraimmaculata) and the rare
Southern Banded Newt or Triton (Triturus vittatus) (Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa,
December 2008).

Invertebrates:

Because invertebrates were decimated by human activity less than higher classes
were, they are the best example of the country's position as a meeting ground
for creatures of extremely divergent geographic origin. The number of insects,
spiders, crustaceans and other invertebrates reaches an estimated 30,000
species, and there is an incredible variety of forms and colours. In addition to
countrywide species, many are restricted to limited areas. Richest in
invertebrate fauna are regions which abound in warmth, water and vegetation,
such as the Hula Valley, the valleys around the Sea of Tiberias, and some of the
northern parts of the Coastal Plain. The use of insecticides and biological
warfare against crop pests or plagues succeeds in reducing the attacked species
greatly, but only rarely makes it disappear. The introduction of new farming
crops also brings the appearance of new pests, previously unknown; cotton
growing, since the beginning of the 1950s, caused the spreading of the Egyptian
cotton bollworm (Earias insulana). The introduction of groundnuts brought other
species; citrus growers must wage constant war against the Mediterranean fruit
fly or medfly (Ceratitis capitata). Of creatures harmful to man, best known are
scorpions, among them the common black scorpion (Nebo hierichonticus) and the
more dangerous yellow scorpion (Buthus quinquestriatus). The bite of a large
spider, the black widow (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus), may cause considerable
trouble (Khalaf, 2001, in "Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin"
Website).

Animals Unique to Palestine:

Mammals found only in this region include four chromosomal species of the
Palestine blind mole rat (Spalax ehrenbergi) and the Naqab or Negev Shrew
(Crocidura ramona). Other unique Palestinian species include the newly
discovered Palestine Golden Jackal (Canis aureus palaestina Khalaf, 2008), the
Gaza or Palestine House Mouse (Mus musculus gazaensis Khalaf, 2007), the
Palestine Sunbird (Cinnyris oseus) and the Palestine or Yellow-vented or
White-eyed Bulbul (Pycnonotus xanthopygos). The Be'er Al-Sabae' (Be'er Sheva)
Fringe-fingered Lizard Acanthodactylus beershebensis is a critically endangered
endemic reptile. Endemic amphibians include the recently discovered Jerusalem
or Judean Hills tree frog Hyla heinzsteinitzi and the extinct Palestinian or
Hula Painted Frog Discoglossus nigriventer, last collected in 1955.

Freshwater fish species unique to the area include the Tiberias or Kinneret
Bleak Acanthobrama terraesanctae, the Al-Auja (Yarqon) or Tel Aviv Bleak
Acanthobrama telavivensis, the extinct Hula bleak Acanthobrama hulensis, and the
possibly extinct Long-jaw Tristram Tilapia Tristramella sacra. The Ben-Tuvia's
Goby Didogobius bentuvii is apparently known only from the type collected in the
Mediterranean off the mouth of the Rubin River.

The most distinctive endemic invertebrate is the Ayalon Cave blind scorpion
Akrav israchanani known only from Ayalon Cave and the sole member of the family
Akravidae. Endemic insects include the Naqab jewel beetle Xantheremia
freidbergi, the northern Palestine longhorned beetle Agapanthia orbachi, the
Israeli leaf beetle Gonioctena israelita, and the Palestinian grasshopper
Sphingonotus angulatus. Other endemic invertebrates include the Ayalon Cave
blind prawn Typhlocaris ayyaloni, the Palestinian jumping spider Salticus
amitaii, the Israeli scorpion Birulatus israelensis, the Jerusalem or Judean
Hills centipede Cryptops pori, and the Jaffa marine amphipod (Ampelisca
jaffaensis Bellan-Santini & Kaim-Malka, 1977) from Jaffa, Palestine (Khalaf-von
Jaffa, July 2005).


Aila's Coral Reef:

The coral reef of Aila (Eilat) is regarded as a national treasure, and its
corals, sponges and shellfish have been protected since 1956. The reef ecosystem
is one of the most diverse in the world: 1,270 different species of fish,
belonging to 157 families, make their home there, along with hundreds of species
of coral and 1,120 species of mollusk. The region's rich fauna attracts frequent
visits of large vertebrates, such as whale sharks (Rhincodon typus), dugongs
(Dugong dugon), and dolphins, and the beach area is a nesting site for hawksbill
sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricate). The waters above the coral reef are a
popular feeding ground and a vital resting place for some 280 species of birds
that overfly this area in fall and spring, en route to Africa from Europe in the
fall and vice versa in the spring.


Safeguarding Palestine's Flora and Fauna:

Israel ratified the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in August
1995; and the Palestinian Authority is also committed to the Convention.
Long committed to protecting the flora and fauna, national parks and nature
reserves, Palestine and Israel have formulated specific targets. These include:
• developing a comprehensive plan for preserving biodiversity
• establishing a network of protected areas for preserving ecosystems and
species
• rehabilitating damaged ecosystems
• advancing public awareness and promoting knowledge and expertise through
formal and informal education
• Coordinating national action with international and regional plans.



Classification of Living Species in Palestine:

Taxon Number of Species Species assumed to exist

Prokaryota 5,100
thereof: Archea 100

Eubacteria 5,000

Protoctista 1,800 900
Algae 2,000 100
Fungi 800

TOTAL LOWER KINGDOMS 9,700 1000

Bryophyta 260 30
Lichens 235 ?
Ferns - wild 25 ?
Ferns - cultivated 70 ?
Spermatophya - wild 2,780 110
Spermatophyta - cultivated 2,750 ?

TOTAL PLANTAE 6,120 140

Sponges 160 10-20
Cnidarians 870 30-50
Comb-jellies 25 ?
Worms - flat, round, annelids 1,280 100
Total mollusks 2,200 30-50
thereof: Inland and terrestrial mollusks 229

Mediterranean mollusks 850

Red Sea mollusks 1,120

Bryozoans 65 ?
Arthropoda (except insects) 3,400 500
Arthropoda (insects) 20,500 2000
Echinoderms 160 ?

Total Invertebrates 28,660 2,720

Sea squirts 100 ?
Hemichordates 30 ?
Fish 1,728 150-200
thereof: Freshwater fish - wild 36

Freshwater fish - cultivated 12

Mediterranean fish 410

Red Sea fish 1,270

Amphibians 9
Reptiles 97 1-3
Birds 511 40-50
Mammals 116 1-2

Total Vertebrates 2,591 255

TOTAL ANIMALIA 31,251 2,975

TOTAL SPECIES 47,071 4,115
The estimated number of species assumed to exist is based on unidentified
material already collected but not yet described, as well as species that should
be found in Israel, according to taxonomists specializing in the different
groups of flora and fauna.



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Animals and Plants Unique to Israel and Palestine.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5036618.stm
Be'er Al-Sabae' (Be'er Sheva) Fringe-fingered Lizard Acanthodactylus
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www.geocities.com/jelbaum/smallmammals.html
Elliman, Wendy. Flora and Fauna in Israel. Based on reports submitted by Dr.
Reuven Ortal, Nature Reserves Authority. Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/2000_2009/2001/9/Flora%20and%20Fauna%20in%20Israel
Fauna in Israel. www.israelinphotos.com/gallery21.htm
Flickr. Palestine Golden Jackal (Canis aureus palaestina Khalaf, 2008). Photo.
www.flickr.com/photos/ilanphoto/3262583818/
Flora of Israel Online. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Senecio joppensis
Dinsm. http://flora.huji.ac.il/browse.asp?lang=en&action=specie&specie=SENJOP
Flora of Israel Online. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Galium philistaeum
Boiss. http://flora.huji.ac.il/browse.asp?action=specie&specie=GALPHI
Flowers in Israel. www.flowersinisrael.com/index.html
Gaza or Palestine House Mouse (Mus musculus gazaensis Khalaf, 2007). Photo.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/mus_musculus_gazaensis_khalaf_2007_gaza_palestine_ho\
\
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use_mouse.jpg
Grasshopper Sphingonotus angulatus.
http://albums.timg.co.il/userFolders/9/113868/11386820069720339.jpg
Honey Plants of Palestine.
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/19539462EHchrYJJQZ
Hyla heinzsteinitzi.
http://amphibiaweb.org/cgi-bin/amphib_query?query_src=aw_maps_geo-mide&table=amp\
\
\
hib&special=one_record&where-genus=Hyla&where-species=heinzsteinitzi
Insects of Israel. www.zsm.mwn.de/lep/e/israel.htm
Israel Insect World. www.nature-of-oz.com/
Israel: new invertebrate animal species found in cave.
http://dearkitty.blogsome.com/2006/05/30/israel-new-invertebrate-animal-species-\
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found-in-cave/
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (1980). Tabie't Al-Talawon fi Al-Haywanat (The
Colouration of Animals). Al-Biology Bulletin. Number 1. January 1980, Safar 1401
AH. Biological Society, Kuwait University, State of Kuwait. pp. 4-5. (in
Arabic).
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (1981). Fawa'ed Alasmak. (The Benefits of Fishes).
Al-Biology Magazine, Biological Society, Kuwait University, State of Kuwait.
Number 1. Sunday 07.06.1981, 05. Sha'ban 1401 AH. pp. 54-55. (in Arabic).
Khalaf, Norman (1982). A'maar Al-Haywanat (Animal Ages). Al-Biology Bulletin.
Number 18, Third Year, First Semester, Saturday 06.11.1982. Biological Society,
Kuwait University, State of Kuwait. pp. 7. (in Arabic).
Khalaf, Norman (Translator) (1982). Al-Miah Al-Mulawatha Tohaded Al-Asmak
Bi'ilinqiraad (Water Pollution threatens the Fish Fauna with Extinction).
Al-Biology Bulletin. Number 18, Third Year, First Semester, Saturday 6.11.1982.
Biological Society, Kuwait University, State of Kuwait. pp. 7. (Translation from
German into Arabic).
Khalaf, Norman (1983). Haywan Al-Ghurair / Al-Gharir fi Falestin wa Shibeh
Al-Jazeera Al-Arabia (The Badger in Palestine and the Arabian Peninsula).
Al-Khalisah Bulletin. The National Palestinian Assemblage. Kuwait University,
State of Kuwait. First Year. Number 2. February 1983. pp. 12 -13. (in Arabic).
Khalaf, Norman (1983). Ta'qib `Ala Maqal `Ilmi: Haywan Al-Ghurair / Al-Gharir (A
Scientific Comment: The Badger). Al-Khalisah Bulletin. The National Palestinian
Assemblage. Kuwait University, State of Kuwait. First Year. Number 3. April
1983. pp. 20. (in Arabic).
Khalaf, Norman (1983). Al-Numour Fi Falestin (Leopards in Palestine).
Al-Khalisah Bulletin. The National Palestinian Assemblage. Kuwait University,
State of Kuwait. First Year. Number 3. April 1983. pp. 18 -19. (in Arabic).
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (1983). Order Lagomorpha in Palestine. Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. First Year. Number 1. July 1983. pp. 1-9. Al
Salimiah, State of Kuwait. (in Arabic).
Khalaf, Norman Ali (1983). The Pine Bunting in Palestine. Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. First Year. Number 1. July 1983. pp. 10-13. Al
Salimiah, State of Kuwait. (in Arabic).
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (1983). The Honey Badger (Mellivora capensis) in the
Arabian Peninsula. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. First Year.
Number 2. August 1983. pp. 1-30. Hanweiler, Saarland, Federal Republic of
Germany. (in Arabic).
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (1983). The Brown Bear in Palestine and the rest of
the Arabian Peninsula. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. First Year.
Number 3. November 1983. pp. 1-6. Al Salimiah, State of Kuwait. (in Arabic).
Khalaf, Norman Ali (Translator) (1983). Al-Tasjeel Al-Hay Al-Awal li-Samaket
Kozat Al-Snobar (Monocentris japonicus, Houttuyn) min Al-Bahr Al-Ahmar [The
Pinecone Fish (Monocentris japonicus, Houttuyn), A First Live Record from the
Red Sea] by: Chaim Kropach. Bulletin of the Biological Studies Club, Kuwait
University, State of Kuwait. First Year, Number 4, 07.12.1983. pp. 6-8. (in
Arabic).
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (1984). The Fennec: The Desert Fox (Fennecus zerda).
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Second Year. Number 4. April 1984.
pp. 1-12. Al Salimiah, State of Kuwait. (in Arabic).
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (1984). The Long-eared Hedgehog (Hemiechinus auritus)
in the Arabian Peninsula. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Second
Year. Number 5. May 1984. pp. 1-18. Hanweiler, Saarland, Federal Republic of
Germany. (in Arabic).
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (1984). The Palestine Bulbul. Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Second Year. Number 5. May 1984. pp. 19-20. Hanweiler,
Saarland, Federal Republic of Germany. (in Arabic).
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (1984-1985). The Weasel Project: Scientific Research
on captive weasels (Mustela nivalis, Linnaeus 1766) in the Department of
Zoology, University of Durham, Durham, England, during the Academic Year
1984-1985. Supervisor: Dr. Nigel Dunstone. Unpublished scientific research and
data & scientific diary. Research Notebook. pp. 1-52.
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (1985). The Arabian Ostrich. Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Department of Zoology, University of Durham, Durham, United
Kingdom. Volume 3. Number 6. April 1985. pp. 1-7. (in Arabic).
Khalaf, Norman Ali B.(1986). The Schooling of Fishes. Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Number 9. Fourth Year. Ramadan 1406. May 1986. Durham,
United Kingdom. pp. 1-13.
Khalaf, N.A.B. (1986). The Schooling of Sumatra Barbs (Barbus tetrazona
tetrazona) and Minnows (Phoxinus phoxinus). Dissertation, Master of Science in
Ecology, Departments of Zoology and Botany, University of Durham, England. pps.
59 + iv.
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (1987). The Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) in Saarbrücken
Zoo, Germany. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin.
Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Federal Republic of Germany. Fifth Year. Number 11, Jamadi
Alaula 1407 AH, January 1987 AD. pp. 1-10.
Khalaf, Norman (1987). Al-Numour Fi Falestin (Leopards in Palestine). Gazelle:
The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Federal Republic of
Germany. Fifth Year. Number 11, Jamadi Alaula 1407 AH, January 1987 AD. pp.
12-13. (in Arabic).
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (1987). The Sinai Leopard (Panthera pardus jarvisi) in
Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Rilchingen-Hanweiler,
Federal Republic of Germany. Fifth Year. Number 12. Jamadi Alakhera 1407 AH,
February 1987 AD. pp.1-9.
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (1987). A Trip to Kuwait Zoo, State of Kuwait.
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Federal
Republic of Germany. Fifth Year, Number 13, Ramadan 1407 AH, April 1987 AD. pp.
1-5. (in Arabic).
Khalaf-von Palästina, Norman Ali Bassam (1988). The Arabian Oryx (Oryx leucoryx)
in Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin.
Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Federal Republic of Germany. Number 17, Sixth Year,
Ramadan 1408 AH, Mai 1988 AD. pp. 1-8.
Khalaf-von Palästina, Norman Ali Bassam (1988). The Honey Badger in Kuwait Zoo,
State of Kuwait. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin.
Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Federal Republic of Germany. Number 18, Sixth Year, Rabie'
Alakher 1409 AH, November 1988 AD. pp. 1-2. (in Arabic).
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (1989). Notes on the Caracal Lynx Caracal caracal.
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Federal
Republic of Germany. Number 19, Seventh Year, December 1989. pp. 1-2. (in
Arabic).
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam (1990). The Wolf (Canis lupus) in Palestine.
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Bonn- Bad Godesberg, Federal
Republic of Germany. Number 20, Eighth Year, December 1990. pp. 1-11.
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam (1991). A Trip to Zoo Budapest, Hungary.
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Federal
Republic of Germany. Number 21, Ninth Year, January 1991. pp. 1-4.
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam (1991). The Otter (Lutra lutra) in
Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Bonn-Bad Godesberg,
Federal Republic of Germany. Number 22, Ninth Year, February 1991. pp. 1-4.
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam (1992). Die Dinosaurier Ausstellung im
Museum Alexander Koenig in Bonn, Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Federal Republic of
Germany. Number 27, Tenth Year, April 1992. pp. 1-8.
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam (1992). An Introduction to the Animal Life
in Palestine. Gazelle. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Bonn-Bad
Godesberg, Federal Republic of Germany. Number 30, Tenth Year, October 1992. pp.
1-7. (in Arabic).
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali B. (1993). Al-Mushkilatan Al-Ma'eyah wa Al-Bi'eyah
fi Al-Dafah Al-Gharbiyah wa Qita' Ghaza Al-Muhtalain (Ka-Juzu' min Al-Sharq
Al-Awsat) [The Water and the Ecological Problems in the Occupied West Bank and
Gaza Strip (As Part of the Middle East)]. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. Number 31. Eleventh Year. December 1993. Bonn, Federal Republic of
Germany. pp. 1- 29. (in Arabic).
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam (1994). An Introduction to the Animal Life
in Palestine. Shqae'q Al-Nouma'n (Anemone coronaria). A Quarterly Magazine
Issued by the Program EAI (Education for Awareness and for Involvement).
Environmental Education / Children for Nature Protection. In Cooperation with
Dept. of General and Higher Education. P.L.O., Palestine. Number 4. Huzairan
(June) 1994. pp. 16-21. (in Arabic).
Acquaintance Card: Majallet Al-Ghazzal (Gazelle Magazine): The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Bonn, Germany. Shqae'q Al-Nouma'n (Anemone coronaria). A
Quarterly Magazine Issued by the Program EAI (Education for Awareness and for
Involvement). Environmental Education / Children for Nature Protection. In
Cooperation with Dept. of General and Higher Education. P.L.O., Palestine.
Number 4. Huzairan (June) 1994. pp. 51-52. (in Arabic).
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali B.(1995). Alasmak fi Filistin (Die Fische von
Palästina / The Fishes of Palestine). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. Number 33. Thirteenth Year. December 1995. Bonn, Germany. pp.1-35. (in
Arabic).
Khalaf, Ali (1997). Fennec. Magazin der Akademie. Editor: Ali Khalaf. Nummer 1.
Zu Elkeda 1417 H, März 1997. König Fahad Akademie – Bonn, Bonn-Bad Godesberg,
Deutschland. (in Englisch).
Khalaf, Norman Ali (2001). Foxes of Palestine.
www.geocities.com/ali_porsche2000/fox.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (2001). A Palestinian Zoologist: Dr. Sana Issa
Atallah. In: Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin Home Page.
Environmental Affairs 2 and Dinosaurs. http://gazelle.8m.net/custom3.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (2001). Indigenous Animals. Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin Website. www.gazelle.8m.net/photo4.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Khalaf (2001). Invertebrate Land Animals. Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin Website. www.gazelle.8m.net/custom.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (2001). The Extinct and Endangered Animals in
Palestine. In: Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin Home Page. Extinct
and Endangered Animals and Reintroduction. http://gazelle.8m.net/photo3.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (2001). Threatened Mammals. In: Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin Home Page. Extinct and Endangered Animals and
Reintroduction. http://gazelle.8m.net/photo3.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (2001). The Syrian Bear. In: Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin Homepage. Extinct and Endangered Animals and Reintroduction.
http://gazelle.8m.net/photo3.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (2001). The Mesopotamian or Persian Fallow Deer. In:
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin Homepage. Extinct and Endangered
Animals and Reintroduction. http://gazelle.8m.net/photo3.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (2001). Wild Cats in Palestine. In: Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin Homepage. / Gazelle: Das Palaestinensische
Biologische Bulletin Webseite. (ISSN 0178-6288).
http://gazelle.8m.net/contact.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (2001). Leopards in Palestine. In: Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin Homepage. http://gazelle.8m.net/whats_new.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (2001). The Asiatic or Persian Lion (Panthera leo
persica) in Palestine. In: Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin
Homepage. http://gazelle.8m.net/photo3.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (2001). The Mustelids of Palestine. In: Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin Homepage. Mammals in Palestine and the Book
"Mammalia Arabica". http://gazelle.8m.net/catalog.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (2001). The Common Weasel. In: Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin Homepage. Extinct and Endangered Animals and
Reintroduction. http://gazelle.8m.net/photo3.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (Gründer) (seit Juli 2001). Dinosaurier Club Yahoo
Group. http://de.groups.yahoo.com/group/Dinosaurier_Club/
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2004). Gazelle: Das Palästinensische Biologische
Bulletin. Eine Wissenschaftliche Reise in Palästina, Arabien und Europa zwischen
1983 – 2004. / Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. A Scientific
Journey in Palestine, Arabia and Europe between 1983 – 2004. Erste Auflage
(First Edition), Juli 2004: 452 Seiten. Zweite erweiterte Auflage (Second
Extended Edition), August 2004: 460 Seiten. Norman Ali Khalaf, Bonn-Bad
Godesberg, Germany. www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Gazelle_Bulletin.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2004). The Reptiles in the Arabia's Wildlife
Centre in the Sharjah Desert Park, United Arab Emirates. Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 34, 22nd Year, August 2004. Sharjah,
United Arab Emirates. pp. 1-8.
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2004). Die Wal Sonderausstellung "Delphinidae
Delphionidae" und "Kleinwale in Nord- und Ostsee" im Museum Alexander Koenig in
Bonn, Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin.
Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Federal Republic of Germany. Number 35, Twenty-second Year,
September 2004. pp. 1.
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). The Story of Prophet Yunus (Jonah) and the
Whale. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. Number 38, Twenty-third Year, February 2005. pp. 9-13.
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). The Story of Prophet Musa (Moses) and the
Fish. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. Number 38, Twenty-third Year, February 2005. pp. 14-15.
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). Moses Perch (Lutjanus russelli, Bleeker
1849). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. Number 38, Twenty-third Year, February 2005. pp. 15.
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). The Fish of Musa (Samak Musa). Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Number 38,
Twenty-third Year, February 2005. pp. 16.
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). Samak Al-Luchs (Al-Hamoor) or the
Orange-Spotted Grouper (Epinephelus coioides) in Palestine (Mediterranean Sea)
and the United Arab Emirates (Arabian Gulf). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Number 39, Twenty-third Year, March
2005. pp. 1-6.
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). Jaffa (Yaffa): The History of an Old
Palestinian Arab City on the Mediterranean Sea. Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Number 39, Twenty-third
Year, March 2005. pp. 7-8.
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). The Andromeda Sea Monster of Jaffa.
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Number 39, Twenty-third Year, March 2005. pp. 8.
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). The Jewfish (Epinephelus itajara) / Der
Riesenzackenbarsch oder Judenfisch (Epinephelus itajara). Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Number 39,
Twenty-third Year, March 2005. pp. 9-12.
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). The Arabian Freshwater Fishes in the
Arabia's Wildlife Centre, Sharjah Desert Park, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 40, Twenty-third Year,
April 2005. pp. 1-9. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Arabian_Freshwater_Fish.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). The Leopards of Palestine. Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Number 41,
Twenty-third Year, May 2005. pp. 1-9.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Palestine_Leopard.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). Der Arabische Leopard, Panthera pardus
nimr. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. Number 42. Twenty-third Year. June 2005. pp. 1-8.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Arabischer_Leopard.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). The Jaffa Amphipod (Ampelisca jaffaensis,
Bellan-Santini & Kaim-Malka, 1977) from Jaffa, Palestine. Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 43. Twenty Third Year. July 2005.
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. pp. 1-5.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Jaffa_Amphipod.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). Aquatica Arabica. An Aquatic Scientific
Journey in Palestine, Arabia and Europe between 1980 - 2005 / Aquatica Arabica.
Eine Aquatische Wissenschaftliche Reise in Palästina, Arabien und Europa
zwischen 1980 - 2005. Erste Auflage (First Edition), August 2005: 376 Seiten.
Norman Ali Khalaf, Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Bundesrepublik Deutschland & Sharjah,
United Arab Emirates. www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Aquatica_Arabica.html
Khalaf, N.A.B. (2005). The Schooling of Sumatra Barbs (Barbus tetrazona
tetrazona) and Minnows (Phoxinus phoxinus). [M.Sc. Dissertation in Ecology,
Departments of Zoology and Botany, University of Durham, England. September
1986. pps. 59 + iv]. In: Aquatica Arabica. An Aquatic Scientific Journey in
Palestine, Arabia and Europe between 1980 - 2005. Erste Auflage, August 2005.
Norman Ali Khalaf, Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Bundesrepublik Deutschland & Sharjah,
United Arab Emirates. pp. 28-93.
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). The Mammals in Dubai Zoo, Dubai City,
United Arab Emirates. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological bulletin. Number 45,
Twenty-third Year, September 2005, Sha'ban 1426. pp. 1-14. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. (in Arabic).
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). The Rafah Zoo in the Rafah Refugee Camp,
Gaza Strip, Palestine : A Story of Destruction by the Israeli Occupation Army.
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 46, Twenty-third Year,
October 2005, Ramadan 1426 AH. pp. 1-11. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (in
Arabic).
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam (2005). The Qalqilia Zoo and the Natural
History Museum in the City of Qalqilia, West Bank, Occupied Palestine. Gazelle:
The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 47, Twenty-third Year, November
2005, Shawal 1426 AH. pp. 1-10. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (in Arabic).
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam (Member of PALESTA) (2005). Palestinian
Scientists and Technologists Abroad (PALESTA). Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Number 47, Twenty-third Year, November 2005, Shawal 1426
AH. pp. 11-12. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (in Arabic).
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). The Arabian Carnivores in the Arabia's
Wildlife Centre, Sharjah Desert Park, United Arab Emirates. Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 48, Twenty-third Year, December 2005,
Thu Alqi'da 1426 AH. pp. 1-9. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (in Arabic).
Khalaf, Norman Ali (2005, 2006). Chapter 3: Geography, Flora and Fauna. Pages
32-39. In: Palestine: A Guide. By Mariam Shahin, Photography by George Azar.
Northampton, Massachusetts: Interlink Publishing Group, 2005, 2006. xi + 471
pages. Appendices to page 500.
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2006). Der Asiatische oder Persische Löwe
(Panthera leo persica). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Sharjah,
United Arab Emirates. Number 49, Twenty-fourth Year, January 2006, Thu Alhijja
1426. pp. 1-5.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Asiatischer_Loewe.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2006). The Sumpters (Animals) of the Prophet
Muhammad Peace be upon him. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin.
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Number 51, Twenty-fourth Year, March 2006, Rabie'
Alawal 1427. pp. 1-4. (in Arabic).
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2006). Felidae Palaestina: The Wild Cats of
Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 52,
Twenty-fourth Year, April 2006, Rabie' Althani 1427. pp. 1-15. Sharjah, United
Arab Emirates. www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Felidae_Palaestina.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2006). Der Asiatische oder Iranische Gepard
(Acinonyx jubatus venaticus). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin.
Number 53, Twenty-fourth Year, May 2006, Rabie' Althani 1427. pp. 1-7. Sharjah,
United Arab Emirates. www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Asiatischer_Gepard.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2006). Die Rohrkatze (Felis chaus). Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 54, Twenty-fourth Year, June 2006,
Jumada Al-Ulla 1427. pp. 1-8. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Rohrkatze.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2006). Mammalia Palaestina: The
Mammals of Palestine. / Die Säugetiere Palästinas. Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Number 55, Twenty-fourth Year, July 2006, Jumada Al-Thania
1427. pp. 1-46. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Mammalia_Palaestina1.html (Part 1) &
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Mammalia_Palaestina2.html (Part 2) &
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Mammalia_Palaestina3.html (References).
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2006). Mammalia Arabica. Eine Zoologische Reise in
Palästina, Arabien und Europa zwischen 1980-2006. / Mammalia Arabica. A
Zoological Journey in Palestine, Arabia and Europe between 1980-2006. Erste
Auflage (First Edition), Juli 2006, 484 pp. Norman Ali Khalaf,
Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Deutschland & Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Mammalia_Arabica.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2006). The Asiatic or Persian
Lion (Panthera leo persica) in Palestine. In: Mammalia Arabica. A Zoological
Journey in Palestine, Arabia and Europe between 1980-2006. Erste Auflage, Juli
2006. Norman Ali Khalaf, Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Deutschland und Sharjah, United
Arab Emirates. pp. 147-149.www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Lion_Palestine.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2006). Ornithomimid Dinosaur
Tracks from Beit Zeit, West of Jerusalem, Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Number 56, Twenty-fourth Year, August 2006. pp. 1-7.
Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates.www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Dinosaur_Palestine.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2006). Eine Persönlichkeit aus Jaffa,
Palästina / A Personality from Jaffa, Palestine: Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf (Abu
Ali) (1938-2006). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 56,
Twenty-fourth Year, August 2006. pp. 8-19. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Bassam_Khalaf.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2006). The Common Weasel (Mustela
nivalis, Linnaeus 1766) in Palestine and the East Mediterranean Region. Gazelle:
The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 57, Twenty-fourth Year, September
2006. pp. 1-7. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Weasel_Palestine.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2006). The Asiatic or Persian
Lion (Panthera leo persica, Meyer 1826) in Palestine and the Arabian and Islamic
Region. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 58, October 2006,
Ramadan 1427 H. pp. 1-13. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Asiatic_Lion.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2006). Ein Besuch im
Neunkircher Zoo, Neunkirchen, Saarland, Deutschland / A Visit to Neunkirchen
Zoo, Neunkirchen, Saarland, Germany. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. Number 59, November 2006. pp. 1-25. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
(in Arabisch / Arabic).
http://khalaf.homepage24.de/text_88839638_85658724_59480041_deutsch.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2006). The Mustelids of
Palestine. www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Palestine_Mustelid.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Behavioural
Observations on the Arabian Leopard (Panthera pardus nimr, Hemprich & Ehrenberg
1833) in the Arabia's Wildlife Centre, Desert Park, Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 61, January 2007,
Thu Al-Hijja 1427 AH. pp. 1-14. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (Article in
Arabic; References in English and German).
http://khalaf.homepage24.de/text_88839638_12069970_59480041_deutsch.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). The Extinction
of the Palestinian or Hula Painted Frog (Discoglossus nigriventer, Mendelssohn
and Steinitz 1943): The Result of Israeli Drainage of the Lake Hula. Gazelle:
The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 62, February 2007, Muharram 1428 AH.
pp. 1-8. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Hula_Painted_Frog.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). The Palestinian
Frogs and Toads. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 62,
February 2007, Muharram 1428. pp. 9. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Palestine_Frogs_Toads.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). The Arabian
Amphibians in the Arabia's Wildlife Centre, Desert Park, Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 62, February
2007, Muharram 1428 AH. pp. 10. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Arabian_Amphibians.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Zum 1. Todestag : Eine
Persönlichkeit aus Jaffa, Palästina / The First Death Anniversary : A
Personality from Jaffa, Palestine : Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf (Abu Ali)
(1938-2006). Gazelle: Das Palästinensische Biologische Bulletin. Nummer 62,
Februar 2007, Muharram 1428 AH. Seite 11. Sharjah, Vereinigte Arabische
Emirate. www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Bassam_Khalaf.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (Group-Gründer ) (seit Februar 2007). Amphibien
Amphibia. Yahoo Group. http://de.groups.yahoo.com/group/Amphibien_Amphibia/
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Das Aussterben
der Palästinensischer Scheibenzüngler oder Hulesee-Scheibenzüngler (Discoglossus
nigriventer, Mendelssohn und Steinitz 1943): Das Resultat der Israelischen
Trockenlegung des Hulesees. Gazelle: Das Palästinensische Biologische Bulletin.
Nummer 63, März 2007, Safar 1428 AH. Seiten 1-7. Sharjah, Vereinigte Arabische
Emirate. www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Hulesee_Scheibenzuengler.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). A Recent Record
of the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita harrisoni, Hemmer, Grubb and Groves
1976) from the Kuwaiti Desert, State of Kuwait. Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Number 64, April 2007, Rabi'e Al-Awal 1428 AH. pp. 1-20.
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (Article in Arabic; Abstract in English,
Kurzfassung in Deutsch; References in English, German and Arabic).
http://khalaf.homepage24.de/text_88839638_13318445_59480041_deutsch.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Qit Sahrawi
(Desert Cat or Sand Cat). Wikipedia, Al-Mawsu'a Al-Hurra (The Free
Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 64, April
2007, Rabi'e Al-Awal 1428 AH. p. 21. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (Article in
Arabic).
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%82%D8%B7_%D8%B5%D8%AD%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%8A
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). The First Sight
Record of the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita harrisoni, Hemmer, Grubb and
Groves 1976) from the Gaza Strip, Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. Number 65, May 2007, Rabi'e Al-Akher 1428 AH. pp. 1-19. Sharjah,
United Arab Emirates. (Article in English; Abstract in English and Arabic,
Kurzfassung in Deutsch; References in English, German and Arabic).
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Gaza_Sand_Cat.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam (Group-Gründer) (seit Juni 2007). Fauna
Palaestina Yahoo! Deutschland Group.
http://de.groups.yahoo.com/group/Fauna_Palaestina/
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Die Sandkatze
oder Wüstenkatze (Felis margarita, Loche 1858). Gazelle: Das Palästinensische
Biologische Bulletin. Nummer 66, Juni 2007, Jamada Al-Ulla 1428 AH. Seiten 1-13.
Sharjah, Vereinigte Arabische Emirate. (Article in German; References in
English, German and Arabic). http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Sandkatze.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Mus musculus
gazaensis Khalaf, 2007: A New House Mouse Subspecies from the Gaza Strip,
Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 66, June 2007,
Jamada Al-Ulla 1428 AH. pp. 14-24. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (Abstract in
English). http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Gaza_House_Mouse.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Der Karakal
oder Wüstenluchs (Caracal caracal, von Schreber 1776). Gazelle: Das
Palästinensische Biologische Bulletin. Nummer 67, Juli 2007, Jamada Al-Akhera
1428 AH. Seiten 1-12. Sharjah, Vereinigte Arabische Emirate. (Article in German;
References in English, German and Arabic).
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Karakal.html Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa,
Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Um Rishat (Caracal or Desert Lynx).
Wikipedia, Al-Mawsu'a Al-Hurra (The Free Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. 2007. (Article in Arabic).
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A3%D9%85_%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%B4%D8%A7%D8%AA
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Fa'r Ghaza
Al-Manzeli (Gaza House Mouse or Palestine House Mouse). Wikipedia, Al-Mawsu'a
Al-Hurra (The Free Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin.
Number 68, August 2007, Rajab 1428 AH. p. 1. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (in
Arabic).
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%81%D8%A3%D8%B1_%D8%BA%D8%B2%D8%A9_%D8%A7%D9%84%\
\
\
D9%85%D9%86%D8%B2%D9%84%D9%8A
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Haywanat
Filistin (Fauna of Palestine). Wikipedia, Al-Mawsu'a Al-Hurra (The Free
Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. 2007.
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%AD%D9%8A%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%AA_%D9%81%D\
\
\
9%84%D8%B3%D8%B7%D9%8A%D9%86
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Felidae
Arabica. A Zoological Journey in Palestine, Arabia and Europe between 1980-2007
/ Felidae Arabica. Eine Zoologische Reise in Palästina, Arabien und Europa
zwischen 1980-2007. Erste Auflage (First Edition), Juli 2007, 300 pp. Norman Ali
Khalaf, Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Deutschland & Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (in
Arabic, German and English). www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Felidae_Arabica.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Fa'r Ghaza
Al-Manzeli (Gaza House Mouse or Palestine House Mouse). In: Wikipedia-Arabic,
Al-Mawsu'a Al-Hurra (The Free Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. Number 68, August 2007, Rajab 1428 AH. p. 1. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. (in Arabic).
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%81%D8%A3%D8%B1_%D8%BA%D8%B2%D8%A9_%D8%A7%D9%84%\
\
\
D9%85%D9%86%D8%B2%D9%84%D9%8A
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Haywanat
Filistin (Fauna of Palestine). In: Wikipedia-Arabic, Al-Mawsu'a Al-Hurra (The
Free Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 69,
September 2007, Sha'ban 1428 AH. pp. 1-4. (Article in Arabic).
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%AD%D9%8A%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%AA_%D9%81%D\
\
\
9%84%D8%B3%D8%B7%D9%8A%D9%86
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam (Group-Gründer) (seit September 2007). Fauna
Arabica Yahoo! Deutschland Group.
http://de.groups.yahoo.com/group/Fauna_Arabica/
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Sanuriyat
(Family Felidae). In: Wikipedia-Arabic, Al-Mawsu'a Al-Hurra (The Free
Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 70, October
2007. pp. 1-2. (Article in Arabic).
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B3%D9%86%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AA
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Nimer A'rabi
(The Arabian Leopard). In: Wikipedia-Arabic, Al-Mawsu'a Al-Hurra (The Free
Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 70, October
2007. pp. 3-4. (Article in Arabic).
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%86%D9%85%D8%B1_%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A8%D9%8A
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Fahed A'rabi
(Arabian Cheetah). In: Wikipedia-Arabic, Al-Mawsu'a Al-Hurra (The Free
Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 70, October
2007. pp. 5-6. (Article in Arabic).
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%81%D9%87%D8%AF_%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A8%D9%8A
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Qit Al-Adghal
(Jungle Cat). In: Wikipedia-Arabic, Al-Mawsu'a Al-Hurra (The Free Encyclopedia).
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 70, October 2007. pp. 7.
(Article in Arabic).
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%82%D8%B7_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%AF%D8%BA%D8%A7%D\
\
\
9%84
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Um Rishat
(Caracal or Desert Lynx). In: Wikipedia-Arabic, Al-Mawsu'a Al-Hurra (The Free
Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 70, October
2007. pp. 8. (Article in Arabic).
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A3%D9%85_%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%B4%D8%A7%D8%AA
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2008). The
Story of Sabrina, the Gaza Zoo Lioness. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. Number 73, January 2008. pp. 1-20. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Gaza_Lioness_Sabrina.html
Khalaf, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2008). Zum 2. Todestag : Eine
Persönlichkeit aus Jaffa, Palästina / The Second Death Anniversary : A
Personality from Jaffa, Palestine : Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf (Abu Ali)
(1938-2006). Gazelle: Das Palästinensische Biologische Bulletin. Nummer 74,
Februar 2008, Muharram 1429 AH. Seite 15. Sharjah, Vereinigte Arabische
Emirate. www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Bassam_Khalaf.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2008). The
Persian or Iranian Leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor, Pocock 1927). Gazelle:
The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 77, May 2008. pp. 1-15. Sharjah,
United Arab Emirates. http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Persian_Leopard.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2008). Canis
aureus palaestina Khalaf, 2008: A New Golden Jackal Subspecies from the Gaza
Strip, Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 80,
August 2008, Rajab / Sha'ban 1429 AH. pp. 1-13. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
(Abstract in English).
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Palestine_Golden_Jackal.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2008). Taxon
Profile: Subspecies: Palestine Golden Jackal Canis aureus palaestina Khalaf,
2008. http://www.biolib.cz/en/taxon/id540278/
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2008). Taxon
Profile: Subspecies: Palestine Golden Jackal Canis aureus palaestina Khalaf,
2008. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 80, August 2008,
Rajab / Sha'ban 1429 AH. pp. 19. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2008). Profil
Taxonu: Poddruh: Canis aureus palaestina Khalaf, 2008.
http://www.biolib.cz/cz/taxon/id540278/
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2008). Profil
Taxonu: Poddruh: Canis aureus palaestina Khalaf, 2008. Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Number 80, August 2008, Rajab / Sha'ban 1429 AH. pp. 20.
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2008).
Carnivora Arabica. A Zoological Journey in Palestine, Arabia and Europe between
2005-2008. / Carnivora Arabica. Eine Zoologische Reise in Palästina, Arabien und
Europa zwischen 2005-2008. First Edition, September 2008, Ramadan 1429 AH. 396
pps. Publisher: Dr. Norman Ali Khalaf, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates &
Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Federal Republic of Germany. ISBN 978-9948-03-459-9. (In
Arabic, English and German). www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Carnivora_Arabica.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2008).
Carnivora Palaestina: The Carnivores of Palestine / Die Raubtiere Palästinas.
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 82, October 2008, Shawal
1429 AH. pp. 1-25. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Carnivora_Palaestina.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2008). Cetacea
Palaestina: The Whales and Dolphins in Palestinian Waters. Cetacean Species
Guide for Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 83,
November 2008, Thu Al-Qi'ada 1429 AH. pp. 1-14. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Cetacea_Palaestina.html Khalaf-Sakerfalke von
Jaffa, Dr. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2008). Amphibia Palaestina: The
Amphibians of Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number
84, December 2008, Thu Al-Hijja 1429 AH. pp. 1-18. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Amphibia_Palaestina.html
Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Zoologist,
Ecologist and Geologist : The Scientific References (1980-2009).
http://dr-norman-ali-khalaf-references.webs.com/
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2009). The
Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus, Hermann 1779) in Palestinian,
Mediterranean and Atlantic Waters. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin.
Number 85, January 2009, Muharram 1430 AH. pp. 1-20. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Mediterranean_Monk_Seal.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2009).
Rodentia Palaestina: The Rodents of Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Number 86, February 2009, Safar 1430 AH. pp. 1-20. Sharjah,
United Arab Emirates. www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Rodentia_Palaestina.html
Khalaf, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2009). Zum 3. Todestag : Eine
Persönlichkeit aus Jaffa, Palästina / The Third Death Anniversary : A
Personality from Jaffa, Palestine : Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf (Abu Ali)
(1938-2006). Gazelle: Das Palästinensische Biologische Bulletin. Nummer 86,
Februar 2009, Safar 1430 AH. Seite 21. Sharjah, Vereinigte Arabische Emirate.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Bassam_Khalaf.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2009). Israel
uses the Eland Antelope (Taurotragus oryx) as a new front line force to protect
the Israeli-Lebanese border. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin.
Number 87, March 2009, Rabi'e Al awal 1430 AH, pp. 1-8. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. http://eland-antelope-israel.webs.com/
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2009). Flora
and Fauna in Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 91,
July 2009, Rajab 1430 AH. pp. 1-31. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
http://flora-fauna-palestine.webs.com/
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Dr. Norman Ali Bassam (2009). Fauna Palaestina (Part 1). A
Zoological Journey in Palestine, Arabia and Europe between 1983-2006 / Fauna
Palaestina (Teil 1). Eine Zoologische Reise in Palästina, Arabien und Europa
zwischen 1983-2006. ISBN 978-9948-03-865-8 (Book in preparation, Summer 2009).
Publisher: Dr. Norman Ali Khalaf-von Jaffa; Sharjah, United Arab Emirates &
Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Federal Republic of Germany.
http://fauna-palaestina-part-1.webs.com/
LAND UND LEUTE - Die Natur.
www.mfa.gov.il/MFADE/Facts%20About%20Israel/LAND%20UND%20LEUTE-%20Die%20Natur
McGarvey, J.W. Lands of the Bible. www.dabar.org/McGarvey/Lands/P1_C02.htm
Natural Palestine: The Plant Cover. Palestine Wildlife Society. (in Arabic).
www.wildlife-pal.org/BiodivAra2.htm
Palestine Iris Iris palaestina. Photo.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2221/2219347270_d057e9bc4a.jpg?v=0
Palestine Iris Iris palaestina. Photo.
http://i.pbase.com/o6/24/687524/1/92610561.9kcigW5j.ON8Y1725pb.jpg
Palestine Iris Iris palaestina. Photo.
www.flowersinisrael.com/picts/wfp%20Iris%20palaestina%20%20IMG_0265.jpg
Palestine Iris Iris palaestina. Photo.
http://image08.webshots.com/8/9/23/11/116692311gcVnWR_fs.jpg
Palestine Sunbird Photo.
www.birdfinders.co.uk/images/palestine-sunbird-male-israel-spring-2009.jpg
Palestinian viper Vipera palaestinae. POISONOUS SNAKES OF AFRICA AND ASIA.
www.aircav.com/survival/appe/asappe18.html
Quercus calliprinos, Kermes Oak, Palestine oak.
www.flowersinisrael.com/Flowgallery/Quercus_calliprinos_flower2.jpg
Salticus amitaii Proszynski, 2000.
http://salticidae.org/salticid/diagnost/salticus/amitai-n.htm
Skorpione. www.skorpione.de/forum/search.php
SPECIATION + GENET. DIVERSITY AMONG MOLE RATS OF ISRAEL.
www.schmotzer-agrartechnic.com/praveen/NEW/research_3.htm
The Jaffa Groundsel Senecio joppensis Dinsm. Photo.
http://image03.webshots.com/3/1/33/65/73313365sUtLPy_ph.jpg
The Jaffa Groundsel Senecio joppensis. Photo.
http://image03.webshots.com/3/1/31/56/73313156QdzCPm_ph.jpg
United Nations Information Service. ISRAEL STILL DESTROYING OCCUPIED
TERRITORIES. SECOND COMMITTEE DELEGATES SAY AT CONCLUSION OF DEBATE ON ARAB
SOVEREIGNTY. www.unis.unvienna.org/unis/pressrels/2003/gaef3064.html
West Bank or Judea and Samaria. (in Arabic).
www.elaphblog.com/posts.aspx?u=1124&A=8651
Wikipedia. Acanthobrama hulensis.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acanthobrama_hulensis Wikipedia. Acanthobrama
terraesanctae. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acanthobrama_terraesanctae
Wikipedia. Palestine Sunbird. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestine_Sunbird
Wikipedia. Pflanzen in der Bibel.
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pflanzen_in_der_Bibel Wikipedia. Quercus
calliprinos. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quercus_calliprinos
Wikipedia. Senecio glaucus. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senecio_glaucus
Wikipedia. Tristramella sacra. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tristramella_sacra
WWF. Eastern Mediterranean conifer-sclerophyllous-broadleaf forests (PA1207).
www.worldwildlife.org/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/pa/pa1207_full.html
WWF. Southern Anatolian montane conifer and deciduous forests (PA1220).
www.worldwildlife.org/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/pa/pa1220_full.html
Zisling, Yael. So How Exactly Does a Sabra Look?
www.gemsinisrael.com/e_article000012014.htm


The Author:

Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa.

Dr. Sc. 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, Master and Doctorate degrees at the Universities
of Kuwait, Durham (England) and Ashwood (USA). Specialised in Animal Behaviour
and Ecology. 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", the first Palestinian scientific journal worldwide (since 1983); and
the author of five books: Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin (2004) &
Aquatica Arabica (2005) & Mammalia Arabica (2006) & Felidae Arabica (2007) &
Carnivora Arabica (2008).

He discovered and scientifically named three new animal subspecies. Two
Palestinian mammal subspecies from the Gaza Strip: The Palestine Golden Jackal
(Canis aureus palaestina Khalaf, 2008) and the Gaza or Palestine House Mouse
(Mus musculus gazaensis Khalaf, 2007); and a freshwater fish subspecies: The
Emirati or Wadi Al Wurayah Blind Cave Fish (Garra barreimiae wurayahi Khalaf,
2009) from the Emirate of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.

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



Al Hamdu Lillahi Rabi Al Alameen.

Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Zoologist,
Ecologist, Geologist : The Scientific References (1980-2009).

New Website:  http://dr-norman-ali-khalaf-references.webs.com/

Article: Israel uses the Eland Antelope (Taurotragus oryx) as a new front line
force to protect the Israeli-Lebanese border.

Author: Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa.

Website: http://eland-antelope-israel.webs.com/

Article Reference:
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2009).  Israel
uses the Eland Antelope (Taurotragus oryx) as a new front line force to protect
the Israeli-Lebanese border. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin.
Number 87, March 2009, Rabi'e Al awal 1430 AH, pp. 1-8.
http://eland-antelope-israel.webs.com/

Namibia: Anpacken beim Geparden-Schutz.


14. Mai 2009 | Working Holiday in Namibia: Einen etwas anderen Urlaub können
engagierte Safari-Fans mit dem Hilfsprojekt "AfriCat" für Geparden erleben.
Die Urlauber werden im Okonjima-Park nördlich von Windhuk als freiwillige Helfer
zur Erhaltung des Lebensraums und zum Schutz von Wildkatzen in Namibia
eingesetzt. Sie verfolgen Leoparden-Spuren, gehen auf Löwen-Pirsch, setzen
Geparden aus. Und sie reparieren Wassertröge, Zäunen und Brücken.

Die Helfer sollten mindestens zwei und maximal acht Wochen an dem Projekt in
Namibia teilnehmen. Die Kosten betragen umgerechnet rund 370 Euro pro Woche.
Darin sind alle Aktivitäten, Übernachtung und drei Mahlzeiten am Tag
eingeschlossen.

Die AfriCat Foundation ist eine Non-Profit-Organisation, die sich speziell für
den Schutz und die Freilassung von Geparden und Leoparden einsetzt.

http://gloobi.de/de/Namibia-Anpacken-beim-Geparden-Schutz-2.html?n=1144&npb=0&ar\
chive=0

The Book : Carnivora Arabica. A Zoological Journey in Palestine,
Arabia and Europe between 2005-2008.

Das Buch: Carnivora Arabica. Eine Zoologische Reise in Palaestina,
Arabien und Europa zwischen 2005-2008.

By: Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa.

Website: http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Carnivora_Arabica.html

ISBN 978-9948-03-459-9

In Arabic, German and English.

Erschienen: 1. Auflage / First Edition: September 2008.

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

Dr. Norman Ali Bassam Khalaf, 2008, ISBN 978-9948-03-459-9, Gebunden
Hardback. 1. Auflage: 396 Seiten. zahlr. schwarz-weiss Abbildungen -
Format: 30  x  21,5 cm, Gewicht: 1.250 gramm. Preis: 50,00 Euro.

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

Arabic & German / English Cover Foto: A Jaguar at Saarbruecken Zoo,
Saarbruecken, Germany. Foto by Dr. Norman Ali Bassam Khalaf-von
Jaffa, 2008.

Cover Design / Umschlaggestaltung: Ola Khalaf. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates, 2008.

Printed and bound in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, 2008.


Preface:

The Story behind „Carnivora Arabica".

Carnivores are adaptable animals and several species have their
homes in arid lands, where prey is sparse.
In the extensive region of Arabia 23 species are known.

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 carnivore article dates back
to February 1983, with the title "The Badger in Palestine and the
Arabian Peninsula".

Since that time, I had 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 82 "Gazelle"
Issues were published; and many of my articles were about members of
the Order Carnivora.

Finally, and after more than 29 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, and my fourth
book (Felidae Arabica. A Zoological Journey in Palestine, Arabia and
Europe between 1980–2007) in July 2007, I finally decided to publish
a new scientific book containing all my carnivore research and
articles which were published in the last four years.

It is hard to be optimistic about the future of carnivores in
Arabia. But recent years have shown the development of official and
public interest, and efforts to conserve them. The Carnivores are
certainly among the most interesting wild animals. They have lived
with humans for thousands of years. There is a lot of stories
concerning Prophets with carnivores, which were mentioned in the
Holy Qura'n, Bible and Torah.
I hope that I can participate with my new book to our knowledge
concerning "Carnivora Arabica", and to help and to be part in
protecting the endangered Arabian Fauna.

Dr. Norman Ali Bassam Khalaf-von Jaffa. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. 01.09.2008.


About the Author:

Dr. Sc. 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, Master and
Doctorate degrees at the Universities of Kuwait, Durham (England)
and Ashwood (USA). Specialised in Animal Behaviour and Ecology. 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, Luxembourg, England,
Scotland, Jersey Island, France, Austria, Switzerland and Germany.

He is the author and publisher of "Gazelle : The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin", the first Palestinian scientific journal
worldwide (since 1983); and the author of five books: Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin (2004) & Aquatica Arabica (2005) &
Mammalia Arabica (2006) & Felidae Arabica (2007) & Carnivora Arabica
(2008).

He discovered and scientifically named two Palestinian mammal
subspecies from the Gaza Strip: The Palestine Golden Jackal (Canis
aureus palaestina Khalaf, 2008) and the Gaza or Palestine House
Mouse (Mus musculus gazaensis Khalaf, 2007).

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


Contents of the Book:

English & German Articles:

1. Preface & About the Author.
2. The Leopards of Palestine.
3. Der Arabische Leopard, Panthera pardus nimr.
4. Der Asiatische oder Persische Loewe (Panthera leo persica).
5. Felidae Palaestina : The Wild Cats of Palestine.
6. Der Asiatische oder Iranische Gepard (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus).
7. Die Rohrkatze (Felis chaus).
8. The Common Weasel (Mustela nivalis, Linnaeus 1766) in Palestine
and the East Mediterranean Region.
9. The Asiatic or Persian Lion (Panthera leo persica, Meyer 1826) in
Palestine and the Arabian and Islamic Region.
10. The Chinese Leopard (Panthera pardus japonensis, Gray 1862) in
Neunkirchen Zoo, Neunkirchen, Saarland, Germany.
11. The First Sight Record of the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita
harrisoni, Hemmer, Grubb and Groves 1976) from the Gaza Strip,
Palestine.
12. The Presence of the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita harrisoni)
in the State of Qatar.
13. Die Sandkatze oder Wuestenkatze (Felis margarita, Loche 1858).
14. Der Karakal oder Wuestenluchs (Caracal caracal, von Schreber
1776).
15. The Story of Sabrina, the Gaza Zoo Lioness.
16. The Zanzibar Leopard (Panthera pardus adersi, Pocock 1932).
17. Leopard Stamps from Zanzibar and Tanzania.
18. The Sri Lanka leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya, Deraniyagala
1956).
19. The Persian or Iranian Leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor,
Pocock 1927).
20. Royal White Tigers (Panthera tigris, Linnaeus 1758) at Zoo
d'Amnéville (Amneville Zoo), Amneville, Lorraine, France.
21. The Jaguarundi (Puma yaguarondi, Lacépède 1809) at Parc
Merveilleux, Bettembourg, Luxembourg.
22. Canis aureus palaestina Khalaf, 2008: A New Golden Jackal
Subspecies from the Gaza Strip, Palestine.
23. Taxon Profile: Subspecies: Palestine Golden Jackal Canis aureus
palaestina Khalaf, 2008.
24. Profil Taxonu: Poddruh: Canis aureus palaestina Khalaf, 2008.
25. Carnivora Palaestina : The Carnivores of Palestine.

Arabic Articles:

26. The Names of the Lion.
27. The missing Names of the Lion.
28. Nimer Zanjibar (Zanzibar Leopard). Arab-Wikipedia.
29. Nimer Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka Leopard). Arab Wikipedia.
30. Iben Awa Al-Filistini (Palestine Golden Jackal). Arab-Wikipedia.
31. Um Rishat (Caracal or Desert Lynx). Arab-Wikipedia.
32. Qit Al-Adghal (Jungle Cat or Swamp Lynx). Arab-Wikipedia.
33. Fahed Arabi (Arabian Cheetah or Asiatic Cheetah). Arab-Wikipedia.
34. Nimer Arabi (The Arabian Leopard). Arab-Wikipedia.
35. Sanuriyat (Family Felidae). Arab-Wikipedia.
36. Haywanat Filistin (Fauna of Palestine). Arab-Wikipedia.
37. Qit Sahrawi (The Sand Cat or Desert Cat). Arab-Wikipedia.
38. A Recent Record of the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita
harrisoni, Hemmer, Grubb and Groves 1976) from the Kuwaiti Desert,
State of Kuwait.
39. Behavioural Observations on the Arabian Leopard (Panthera pardus
nimr, Hemprich & Ehrenberg 1833) in the Arabia's Wildlife Centre,
Desert Park, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
40. The Arabian Carnivores in the Arabia's Wildlife Centre, Sharjah
Desert Park, United Arab Emirates.
41. The Mammals in Dubai Zoo, Dubai City, United Arab Emirates.
42. Muqadimet Al-Kitab (Arabic Preface).
43. Book Contents (Arabic Section).



Author & Webmaster: Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-
Sakerfalke von Jaffa, 2008.

Carnivora Palaestina : The Carnivores of Palestine / Die Raubtiere
Palästinas.*

By: Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa.

*Note: This article was published in "Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin". Number 82, October 2008, Shawal 1429 AH. pp. 1-
25.

Website: http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Carnivora_Palaestina.html

Order: CARNIVORA (Carnivores):

Family: Canidae (Dogs, Jackals, Wolves, Foxes):

1. Palestine Golden Jackal (Canis aureus palaestina, Khalaf 2008)
[Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 80, August
2008, Rajab / Sha'ban 1429 AH. pp. 1-13. Type from Rafah and Al-
Bureij Refugee Camp, Gaza Strip, Palestine].
Description: The Palestinian Golden Jackal subspecies (canis aureus
palaestina) is morphologically and geographically distinct from the
other three Jackal subspecies living in the area around Palestine:
The Syrian Golden Jackal (Canis aureus syriacus Hemprich and
Ehrenberg, 1833), The Egyptian Golden Jackal (Canis aureus lupaster
Hemprich and Ehrenberg, 1833) and the Arabian Golden Jackal (Canis
aureus hadramauticus Noack, 1896).
The Palestinian Jackal is a small race of the Golden or Asiatic
Jackal. It is smaller than a wolf, with relatively shorter legs and
tail. It is larger than a fox and can be distinguished by its
relatively smaller, rufous ears and shorter, black-tipped tail. It
is similar to a small dog in appearance. The fur is rather short and
coarse. The dorsal colour is usually variable black, yellowish-gray
or brown-yellowish tinged with rufous, grayer on the back, which is
grizzled with varying amounts of black. A dark band runs along the
back from the nose to the tip of the tail. This mane becomes wider
on the back, extending into the lateral surfaces. There are two dark
bands across the lower throat and upper breast. There is also a
reddish phase. The under parts are almost white or yellowish-brown.
The winter coat is longer and grayer. The tail is relatively short,
usually with a black tip. The size of the Palestinian Jackal is
moderate if compared with the larger Egyptian Jackal (Canis aureus
lupaster) and the smaller Arabian Jackal (Canis aureus
hadramauticus) (Khalaf, 2008).

Size: Head and body 600-900 mm., female smaller than male; ear 70-89
mm.; hind foot 140-162 mm.; tail 200-300 mm; skull length 148-180
mm; weight 5-12 kg.

Ecology: The Palestine Golden Jackal lives in hills, plains, around
orange groves, in forests and on the outskirts of towns and villages.

Distribution: Canis aureus palaestina is common throughout the
northern half of Palestine and Israel to just south of Gaza Strip
and Beer Al-Saba' (Beersheba) (Khalaf, 2008).

2. Syrian Golden Jackal, Syrian Asiatic Jackal (Canis aureus
syriacus, Hemprich and Ehrenberg 1833):
The Golden Jackal is distributed in southern Europe, North Africa,
Egypt, Asia Minor, Arabia, to India and the Indochinese Peninsula.
The subspecies Canis aureus syriacus is common throughout the
northern half of Palestine to just south of Bi'er Al-Sabe'e
(Beersheba), but does not penetrate the desert.

3. Egyptian Jackal (Canis aureus lupaster, Hemprich and Ehrenberg
1833):
The Egyptian Jackal is a valid subspecies, and is distributed in
Egypt and perhaps Sinai and the Naqab Desert. The Egyptian
subspecies was quoted from Palestine by Flower (1932).

4. Hadramaut or Arabian Jackal (Canis aureus hadramauticus, Noack
1896):
The Hadramaut or Arabian Jackal is distributed in southern Arabia.
In Palestine, jackals found near the Dead Sea (Ein Fashkhah and Neot
Hakikar) probably belong to this subspecies.

5. Arabian Wolf (Canis lupus arabs, Pocock 1934):
The Arabian Wolf is distributed in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait (where
it may intergrade with the Indian subspecies), and Egypt (the
southern and eastern Sinai desert). In Palestine, Canis lupus arabs
inhabits the southern Wadi Araba and appears to intergrade with the
Indian subspecies in the northern Naqab Desert and northern Wadi
Araba.

6. Indian Wolf (Canis lupus pallipes, Sykes 1831):
The Indian Wolf is widespread from northern India to Sind, south to
Dharwat, Baluchistan, southern Iraq, Kuwait, northern Arabia, Syria,
Lebanon and Palestine, where the subspecies Canis lupus pallipes is
extirpated from the coastal plain, but still occurs in the Judean
hills, and is an intruder in the Huleh Valley from the occupied
Golan Heights. A slightly smaller and paler population appears to
inhabit the northern Naqab Desert and northern Wadi Araba.

7. Egyptian Common Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes aegyptiacus, Sonnini 1816)
and (Vulpes vulpes niloticus, Geoffroy 1803):
The Egyptian Red Fox is known from Libya and Egypt. It may be the
race that inhabits the mountains of the Naqab and Sinai Deserts.

8. Arabian Common Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes arabica, Thomas 1902):
The Arabian Red Fox is distributed in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and
Palestine, where the subspecies Vulpes vulpes arabica is found in
the southern half of the country, in the stony desert hills and
wadis of the Naqab Desert and Wadi Araba,

9. Palestine Common Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes palaestina, Thomas 1920)
[Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. ser. 9, 5: 122. Type from Ramleh, near Jaffa,
Palestine. Synonym of Vulpes vulpes aegyptiacus]:
The Palestine Red Fox is distinguished by its gray colour,
particularly along its sides, with a nearly complete suppression of
rufous, except the face. The forelegs are grayish-rufous or fulvous.
The underparts are whitish or black. The upper tail is buffy, washed
with black. Measurements: Head and body 455-625 mm.; ear 83-105 mm.;
hind foot 121-148 mm.; tail 305-412 mm.
The Palestinian subspecies Vulpes vulpes palaestina is known from
Lebanon and Palestine, where it is common along the coastal plain
and as far south as Bi'er Al-Sabe'e (Beersheba).

10. Mountain Common Red Fox, Tawny Fox (Vulpes vulpes flavescens,
Gray 1843):
The Mountain Fox is distributed in northern Iran, Kurdistan and
Iraq. Vulpes vulpes flavescens may be the subspecies found in the
northern, more mountainous regions of Palestine.

11. Rüppell's Sand Fox (Vulpes rueppelli, Schinz 1825) and (Vulpes
rueppelli sabaea, Pocock 1934):
Rüppell's Sand Fox is distributed in North Africa, from Algeria,
Libya and Egypt, south to Sudan, Somaliland and Asben, Iran and
Afghanistan. The subspecies Vulpes rueppelli sabaea is known from
Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Palestine, where it inhabits the
western side of the Dead Sea, and Wadi Araba. It may intergrade with
the African subspecies Vulpes rueppelli rueppelli in the Naqab and
Sinai Deserts where intermediate forms occur.

12. Afghan Fox, Blanford's Fox (Vulpes cana, Blanford 1877):
The Afghan Fox is distributed in Uzbek, southern Turkman, Russia,
Afghanistan, Iran, northwestern Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, United
Arab Emirates, Jordan, Palestine and Sinai. In Palestine, it was
discovered by G. Ilani, where it is known from the western side of
the Dead Sea (Ein Gedi), and south to Eilat.

13. Fennec Fox (Vulpes [Fennecus] zerda, Zimmerman 1780):
The Fennec Fox is almost certain to be found in sandy desert areas
in the Naqab and in eastern Jordan, because it was reported in
similar habitats in Kuwait, Egypt and western Sinai (Harrison, 1968;
Khalaf, 1984; Qumsiyeh, 1996). There is a record of an
Epipaleolithic Fennec Fox from Qasr Al Kharana in Jordan (Hatough-
Bouran and Disi, 1991).

Family: Felidae (Cats):

14. Palestine Wild Cat, Bush Cat (Felis silvestris tristrami, Pocock
1944) [Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. ser. 11, 11: 125. Type from Ghor
Seisaban, Moab, Jordan (collected by Tristram). Perhaps a valid
subspecies: Felis silvestris tristrami] :
The Wild Cat is widespread in Europe, Asia, Arabia and Africa. The
Palestinian subspecies Felis Silvestris tristrami is found in
Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Palestine, where it is fairly common
throughout most of the country.

15. Iraqi or Mesopotamian Wild Cat, Desert Wild Cat (Felis
silvestris iraki, Cheesman 1920):
The Iraqi Wild Cat Felis silvestris iraki was described from Kuwait
and northeast Arabia. In Palestine, a specimen fitting the
description of this race, which had been killed by a car, was found
by Walter W. Ferguson on the western side of the Dead Sea between
Ein Zohar and Ein Boqek.

16. Sand Cat (Felis margarita, Loche 1858) and the Arabian Sand Cat
(Felis margarita harrisoni, Hemmer, Grubb and Groves 1976):
The Sand Cat is distributed in North Africa, Egypt (Sinai), Russian
Turkestan and Arabia. In Palestine, it is confined to the Wadi Araba
(Hatseva).

17. Palestine Jungle Cat, Swamp Cat (Felis chaus furax, de Winton
1898) [Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 6, 2: 293. Type from Areeha
(Jericho), Palestine (based on a specimen collected by Tristram).
Valid subspecies] and (Lyncus chrysomelanotis, Nehring 1902)
[Schriften Berl. Ges. Naturf. Fr. Berl., 1902: 145. Type from near
the Jordan River. Synonym of Felis chaus furax] :
The Jungle Cat is distributed in Asia, from the Caucasus and
Turkestan to India and the Indochinese Peninsula, and Egypt. The
Palestinian subspecies Felis chaus furax is known from Iraq, Jordan
and Palestine, where it is found in the Huleh and Jordan Valleys,
Galilee, the coastal plain, reaching just north of Bi'er Al-Sabe'e
(Beersheba), Areeha (Jericho), and the southern end of the Dead Sea.

18. Arabian Caracal Lynx, Desert Lynx (Felis [Caracal] caracal
schmitzi, Matschie 1912) [Schriften Berl. Ges. Naturf. Fr. Berl.,
1912: 64. Type from "Wadis opening to the Dead Sea". Type specimen
at the Berlin Zoological Museum is from Ain ed Dachubeijir, Jordan.
Valid subspecies] :
The Caracal Lynx is distributed in northern Africa, Arabia, the Near
East and India. The Arabian subspecies Caracal caracal schmitzi is
known from Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Saudi Arabia,
Kuwait and Oman. In Palestine, it has been found in the occupied
Golan Heights, Upper Galilee, the Jordan Valley, Mount Carmel, near
the Dead Sea, in the Naqab Desert and Wadi Araba, south to Eilat.

19. Arabian Leopard, Nimer or Nimr (Panthera [Felis] pardus nimr,
Hemprich and Ehrenberg 1833) and the Sinai Leopard (Panthera [Felis]
pardus jarvisi, Pocock 1932):
Many literary sources, chiefly the Bible, note the presence of
leopards all over Palestine (except for sandy regions). Ancient Near
Eastern sources, including the Gilgamesh epic and Akkadian lists,
indicate that leopards lived throughout the region (the Caucasus,
Turkey, Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Sinai and Arabia).
Their existence in any region depended then - and still depends
today - on the availability of the three basic conditions essential
for leopards: suitable cover, to enable successful hunting; varied
prey, to provide food; and minimal involvement with man and his
economy.
Over the centuries, areas with these conditions gradually shrank.
Woods and thickets were cleared and settled by man and his domestic
animals; potential leopard prey was hunted down; and the leopards
had no choice but to prey on domestic stock.
At the turn of the 20th century, leopards lived in all the wooded
and hilly regions of Palestine, including Mount Carmel and the
Judean Hills. However, by mid-century their distribution had
declined drastically, and their populations were confined to two
areas. One was the forested, deeply fissured regions of Galilee (Al-
Galeel). The second area comprised the Judean Desert and the Naqab
(Negev) highlands, particularly the steep cleft landscapes that lie
east of the watershed line.
The only ecosystem in Palestine that remains fully undisturbed is a
stretch of mountains and cliffs over the Dead Sea. All of the fauna
and flora components of this ecosystem are still there, except for
the recent extinction of the lammergeier. Not only that, the
ecosystem is also complete in the original food chain, the energy
flow from primary production up to the highest trophic level, with
leopards, wolves, and, may be, additional carnivores on top of the
food chain. The leopard population there is considered to belong to
the subspecies known as the Sinai leopard Panthera pardus jarvisi.
But our males weigh up to 40 kg, quite unlike the subspecies type,
and our females are 25-26 kg, which agrees closely with the size and
standards of the Arabian leopard Panthera pardus nimr. It is a
question if there will be time to study the subspecific position of
this population (Ilani 1989/90).
Leopards occurred on a surprisingly large number of occasions in
Palestine, even in recent years when the human population has
greatly increased. Harrison (1968) mention that it has repeatedly
appeared in Galilee, particularly near the Lebanese frontier. Hardy
(1947) notes that in 1939 a female was shot near Safad, and the Beth
Gordon settlement possesses a skin of one killed about 1938 near
Elon, a locality where leopards appeared again in 1942 and 1943.
According to Hardy, Aharoni obtained a specimen from Mount Carmel
and it has occurred in the Jerusalem area, also on Mount Tabor and
in Wadi Araba south of the Dead Sea. Von Lehmann (1965) knew of one
killed in Wadi Daraja, on the west coast of the Dead Sea. A specimen
from Bethoren, killed in 1910 was in the Schmitz collection (Anon
1946). Tristram (1866) knew of its occurrence in the Dead Sea
Region, Mount Carmel, Gilead and Bashan. A specimen in the Tel Aviv
University was obtained at Hanita in 1925, as well as another in
1952, one caught near Pekin in 1948, another near Kfar Aramu in 1952
and another near Ashona in 1956. It is remarkable how many of these
records originate from quite a small area in the hills of Galilee;
the area has evidently been visited by leopards for a long time,
since it was recorded that during the earthquake at Safad in 1834
leopards entered the wrecked village from the hills. It has been
supposed that they periodically enter northern Palestine from the
mountains of south Lebanon and Mount Hermon. If this is the case it
is curious that there are no reports of the animal yet available
from those regions (Harrison 1968).
One specimen was obtained by P. E. Schmitz from El-Ammur, 20 km from
Jerusalem; it was for a female obtained in 1911, and it is in the
Zoological Museum of Berlin. This specimen was described as
(Panthera pardus tulliana). Blake (1966, 1967) noted one killed near
Ain Turabi, north-west of the Dead Sea.
In 1965 a leopard attacked a Beduin shepherd in Upper Galilee; the
animal was stabbed by the wounded shepherd, and they were both found
lying side by side, alive but unable to move. The shepherd was
fortunate indeed to survive this attack. A leopard cub captured in
the same region in 1940 (Anon 1946) was taken to Safad, where the
half-grown cub was eating 15-20 pounds of meat a day. Subsequently
named Tedi, he was moved to Tel Aviv Zoo,where he grew into a fine
and powerful adult described by Hardy (1947) as more heavily built
than Indian leopards. Attempts to mate Tedi at first failed, indeed
his courtship with a promising young female Indian panther proved
fatal, for Tedi killed her with his strong paws (Harrison 1968,
Khalaf 1983, 2005).

Three different leopard subspecies live in Palestine:
Palestine's northern leopards, the Anatolian leopard (Panthera
pardus tulliana) are larger and darker in colour than the desert
Arabian or Nimr leopard (Panthera pardus nimr), which is smaller,
and lighter in both weight and colour. The Arabian leopard is the
smallest race of leopard, and one of the most beautiful: dark spots
are scattered on almost white fur. The leopards of the north had
almost completely disappeared by the 1960s. The occasional reports
of sightings are not always reliable. However, in recent years a few
leopards (four) were reported in the north of Palestine.
The conditions are not suitable for the survival and development of
the northern population. Although there is enough plant cover, and
sufficient animals for prey (gazelle, hyrax, jackal, wild boar and
porcupine), man and his activities may be a disturbing factor.
The leopards of Palestine's southern regions were totally unknown
between the 1930s and 1964. In April of the latter year, however, an
adult female leopard was killed by a Beduin in Wadi Tze'elim; the
Beduin reported that her two cubs had fled the scene. In early 1967
Beduins again killed a young male leopard at Einot Qaneh (the West
Bank of Jordan River).
A third subspecies, the Sinai or Jarvisi Leopard (Panthera pardus
jarvisi) lives in the Judean Desert in Palestine. This subspecies
was described by Pocock in 1932. The type specimen is in the British
Museum collection, and it was obtained in Sinai, and presented by
Col. C. S. Jarvis.
In the end of 1984, 25 adults were known to live in an area of 2,000
sq km, which was declared a nature reserve in 1973.
Palestine's leopards appear to be making a dramatic increase and
expanding into formerly unoccupied territories.
Leopards have penetrated much of the southern half of Palestine,
from the Ein Gedi region near the Dead Sea, all the way down to the
Elat Mountains. They are also seen on the Egyptian Sinai border in
the Wadi Paran region.
Many recent sightings have been made in regions not considered
preferred habitats for leopards, and we can only surmise that these
big cats seen in such diverse regions is a result of effective
conservation of ibex and other prey animals (Ilani and Shalmon 1985,
Khalaf 1987, 2005).

20. Anatolian Leopard (Panthera [Felis] pardus tulliana,
Valenciennes 1856):
The Leopard is widespread from South Africa to Arabia, Iran and
Asia, as far east as Japan. The Anatolian subspecies Panthera pardus
tulliana is known from Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and Palestine, where
it has been recorded from Upper Galilee, formerly Mount Carmel, and
the Judean hills (near Al-Quds [Jerusalem]).The Anatolian Leopard is
a valid subspecies in northern Palestine.

21. Asiatic or Iranian Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus, Griffith
1821):
The Asiatic cheetah once ranged from Arabia to India, through
Arabia, Iran, central Asia, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and,
particularly in Iran and the Indian subcontinent, it was numerous.
Cheetahs were easy to train, and rulers kept huge numbers for
hunting gazelles. The Moghul Emperor of India, Akbar, is said to
have had 1,000 at a time. It appears in many Persian and Indian
miniature paintings. But by 1900 it was already headed for
extinction in many areas. The last physical evidence of cheetahs in
India was three shot (with two bullets) by the Maharajah of Surguja
in 1947 in eastern Madhya Pradesh. In Palestine, it was scarce by
1884, though more common east of the Jordan River. By 1930, it was
rare, but still common in the southern steppe. The last Palestinian
cheetah was seen in the Naqab Desert (near Yotvata) in 1959. By
1990, Asiatic cheetahs are apparently extirpated except from Iran,
and possibly Pakistan and Afghanistan. Estimated to number over 200
during the 1970s in Iran, current estimates by Iranian biologist
Hormoz Asadi put the number at 50 to 100 (Jackson, 1998).

22. Asiatic or Persian Lion (Panthera [Felis] leo persica, Meyer
1826):
"Then what is wrong with them that they turn away from receiving
admonition. As if they were frightened wild donkeys. Fleeing from a
lion (Qaswara)." (The Holy Qur'an, Suret Al-Muddather, Aya 49-51).
Lions are the most powerful of all carnivorous animals. Although not
now found in Palestine, they must have been in ancient times very
numerous there. They had their lairs in the forests (The Bible:
Jeremiah 5:6; Jeremiah 12:8; Amos 3:4), in the caves of the
mountains (Song of Solomon 4:8; Nahum 2:12), and in the canebrakes
on the banks of the Jordan (Jeremiah 49:19; Jeremiah 50:44;
Zechariah 11:3).
The Asiatic or Persian Lion (Felis leo persica), this proud symbol
of strength and courage, must have been abundant in Biblical times.
According to the Bible, in which it appears under several different
names, the lion must have been quite common at that time. The
species appears often on mosaics from the Roman and Byzantine
periods. The thickets of the Jordan River were a preferred habitat.
It became extinct after the time of the Crusaders. The last mention
of them being by Arab writers of the 13th, 14th century, and the
17th century, when lions still existed near Samaria, the Jordan
River area, and other areas. One specimen has been hunted at Lejun,
near Megiddo, in the thirteenth century. Alfaras Bin Shawer, Wali of
Ramla, wrote that he saw eleven dead lions after heavy rain in Ramla
and the area of Nahr (River) Al-Auja in 1294. Sanqarshah Almansouri,
Naib of Safad (1304-1307), killed in the coastal forests 15 lions;
and according to Palestinian sources from Deir Hijlah, they reported
the appearance of a lion in 1630 near the Jordan River.
At this time, lions certainly roamed over parts of Syria and Arabia
and along the Rivers Tigris and Euphrates in Iraq, where in ancient
times lions figured prominently in the great royal hunts in Assyria.
It is clear that lions survived in Mesopotamia until the nineteenth
century, and there are several references to them by travellers of
that period. The Persian Lion has not been reported from Iran since
1942. However, it is possible that it still exists
there.

The last remnant of the Asiatic Lion, which in historical times
ranged from Greece to India through Iran (Persia), lives in the Gir
Forest National Park of western India. About 300 lions live in a
1,412 km² (558 square miles) sanctuary in the state of Gujarat. In
1907 there were only 13 lions left in the Gir, when the Nawab of
Junagadh gave complete protection to them.

Unlike the tiger, which prefers dense forests with adequate cover,
the lion inhabits the scrub-type deciduous forests. Compared to its
African counterpart, the Indian lion has a scantier mane. The lion
seldom comes into contact with the tiger which also lives in India,
but not in the Gir region as this forest is hotter and more arid
than the habitat preferred by the tiger.


In Al-Jaleel (Galilee) there is a hill called Tel el Assad (Lion
Hill in Arabic), and there is a village nearby called Deir el Assad
(Monastery of the Lion), that may refer to a quite late occurrence
of this species. Bie'r Al-Sabe'e (Well of the Lion) is a famous
Palestinian city in the Naqab (Negev) desert (Khalaf-von Jaffa,
2006).

Family: Herpestidae or Viverridae (Genets, Mongooses and Civets):

23. Palestine Genet (Genetta genetta terraesanctae, Neumann 1902)
[Sitzungsber. Ges. Naturf. Fr. Berl., p. 183. Type from Mount Carmel
area, Palestine]:
The Palestine Genet was recorded from the Mount Carmel area by
Tristram (1866). Unspecified additional specimens were reported from
Sejera (Schedschera) and Wadi Fauar near the Dead Sea by Aharoni
(1930).

24. Egyptian Mongoose, Ichneumon (Herpestes ichneumon, Linnaeus
1758):
The Egyptian Mongoose is distributed in southern Spain, North, East
and Southwest Africa, Asia Minor, Turkey and Palestine, where it is
common in the northern half of the country, in the Huleh Valley,
along the coastal plain, with several isolated populations near the
Dead Sea and the Wadi Araba.

Family: Hyaenidae (Hyaenas and Aardwolves):

25. Syrian Striped Hyaena (Hyaena hyaena syriaca, Matschie 1900):
The Striped Hyaena is distributed in North and East Africa, Egypt
and Sinai, through Asia Minor, southern Russia, Iran, Arabia,
Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq to Nepal and India. The
Syrian subspecies Hyaena hyaena syriaca is known from Syria,
Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine, where it has disappeared from the
coastal plain and is becoming rare in the Huleh Valley, Upper
Galilee, Mount Carmel and the Judean hills, south to the Naqab
Desert and Wadi Araba.

26. Arabian Striped Hyaena (Hyaena hyaena sultana, Pocock 1934):
The Arabian Striped Hyaena is known from southern Arabia. In
Palestine, it occurs near the southern end of the Dead Sea (Neot
Hakikar). A specimen in the collection of the Hebrew University of
Jerusalem constitutes the first geographical record for Palestine.
It may be that the Arabian race intergrades with the Syrian
subspecies in the northern part of its range.

27. Dubbah, Sudan Striped Hyaena (Hyaena hyaena dubbah, Meyer 1793):
The Dubbah is a valid subspecies and perhaps enters Palestine from
the Sinai.

Family: Mustelidae (Weasels, Polecats, Martens, Badgers, Otters &
Skunks):

28. Common Weasel, Least Weasel, Snow Weasel (Mustela nivalis,
Linnaeus 1766) and the Egyptian Common Weasel (Mustela nivalis
subpalmata, Hemprich and Ehrenberg 1833) and the Mediterranean
Common Weasel (Mustela nivalis boccamela, Bechstein 1800):
The common Weasel is the smallest carnivore in the region. It is
distinguished by its slender body; long neck; low, rounded ears;
short limbs; and tail which is less than a quarter of the length of
the head and body. In the summer, the upper parts are a uniform
brown, and the under parts are white, sharply demarcated along the
flanks. The dorsal surface of the forefeet is white. The tail is
brown, becoming darker towards the tip. The winter coat is
presumably all white, as in the colder parts of its range.
Measurements: Head and body 160-290 mm; hind foot 20.5-30.5 mm; tail
40-70 mm. (Ferguson, 2002).
The common Weasel is active day and night. It inhabits holes, often
the burrows of rodents and hollow trees, among boulders and rock
crevices. It lives also in mountains, as high as the sub-alpine
zone. In Egypt, this species appeared to be more commensal than
feral and was mostly obtained around human habitations and near
cultivated areas (Setzer, 1958). Flower (1932) remarked that in
Egypt, these animals frequented clubs, restaurants, homes, and other
buildings. Such habitat choice was not seen in Egypt later by Osborn
and Helmy (1980).
The Common Weasel feeds on insects, small rodents, birds, lizards,
amphibians, fish and occasionally larger animals. Gestation period
is 34-37 days; and in Armenia, it usually produces 3-9 young in the
late spring and summer (Dahl, 1954); and in Egypt, a litter of five
was noted born in December (Flower, 1932).
The Common Weasel is widespread in Europe eastwards through Russia,
Asia Minor, Iran, northern Arabia, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Korea,
China, Japan and North Africa, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria and North
America.
Considered by some authors a definite Pleistocene rodent specialist,
the Common Weasel seems to have made its first appearance in Europe
during the Mindel glacial episode (about 400,000 years ago) and is
commonly found in cave deposits from the beginning of the Late
Pleistocene. It represents a Palaearctic species of the Euro-
Siberian Region, widely distributed in Europe, Asia and North Africa
(Masseti, 1995).
In the Mediterranean region, the Common Weasel occurs today in
northern Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia), in most of southern
Europe and in Anatolia. In the Levant its distribution is restricted
to the northern areas of the region, including Lebanon (Harrison and
Bates, 1991) and northern Syria. In the northern Arabian Peninsula,
it has not been reported since the Early Bronze Age (Dayan and
Tchernov, 1988). In fact, in Palestine, the species does not exist
at present (Dayan and Tchernov, 1988; Dayan, 1989). Beyond this
distribution gap in Palestine, the Common Weasel occurs again in
Egypt, along the Nile delta and valley, with a population
characterized by large body size. This Egyptian population is almost
completely commensal with man (Osborn and Helmy, 1980) and has been
occasionally considered either a Roman introduction or a glacial
relic. Even if they do not reach the size of the Egyptian Weasel,
The Mediterranean Weasels are all characterized by a very large body
size (King, 1989; Masseti, 1995).
The subspecies found in Lebanon is the Mediterranean Mustela nivalis
boccamela, and is smaller than the Egyptian subspecies Mustela
nivalis subpalmata.
The status of the weasel in Palestine is not clear. Two Common
Weasel subspecies may occur in Palestine: The Egyptian Common Weasel
(Mustela nivalis subpalmata, Hemprich and Ehrenberg 1833) and the
Mediterranean Common Weasel (Mustela nivalis boccamela, Bechstein
1800). Zoologists (Aharoni, 1930; Bodenheimer, 1958) of the first
half of last century failed to confirm Tristram's listing of this
species (as Mustela boccamela) as a member of the Palestinian fauna,
from the vicinity of Mount Tabor. The common Weasel is reported from
Holocene fossils (11,000 to about 5000 years before present) from
Areeha (Jericho), Bi'er Al-Sabe'e (Beersheba), and the Galilee
(Tchernov, 1988). It probably became extirpated in Palestine due to
increasing aridity. However, relict populations survived around the
Nile Valley in northern Egypt (Osborn and Helmy, 1980), and two
specimens are known from Lebanon (Harrison and Lewis, 1964). Thus, a
population perhaps still survives in the Holy Land. Indeed, Harrison
and Lewis (1964) reported undocumented skins in the collection of
Salah (Selah) Merrill, who made most of this collection, while an
American Consul in Jerusalem between 1882-1907 (Qumsiyeh, 1996).
The word Mustela is Latin for weasel; and the name nivalis is
derived from nix, Latin, genitive nivis, snow. Hence, also, the
common name Snow Weasel (Qumsiyeh, 1996; Khalaf-von Jaffa, 2006);
and I would like to mention that the Weasel Tribe are common in
Palestine.

29. Syrian Stone Marten, Rock Marten, Beech Marten (Martes foina
syriaca, Nehring 1902) [Type from Wadi Sir or Syr, Jordan (specimen
is at the Zoological Museum in Berlin). Valid subspecies]:
The Stone Marten is widespread across Europe, Asia Minor and Asia.
The Syrian subspecies Martes foina syriaca occurs in Iraq, Syria,
Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine, where it was formerly common in the
Judean hills and was extirpated on Mount Carmel. It has recently
appeared at Ramat Shaul and Kiryat Shprinzak. It is now rare in the
Galilee and the occupied Golan Heights, but has increased in the
Hula Valley near Kibbutz Dan.

30. Syrian Marbled Poleacat (Vormela peregusna syriaca, Pocock 1936)
[Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1936: 720. Type from near Lake Tiberias
(Sea of Galilee), Palestine]:
The Marbled Polecat ranges from southeastern Europe and southwestern
Asia, Russia into Mongolia. The Syrian subspecies Vormela peregusna
syriaca is found in Syria, western and northern Iraq, and Palestine,
where it is fairly common in the northern half of the country up to
the edge of the desert.

31. Persian Honey Badger or Ratel (Mellivora capensis wilsoni,
Cheesman 1920):
The Honey Badger is widespread in most of Africa, Arabia to Russian
Turkestan, east to Nepal and India. The Persian subspecies Mellivora
capensis wilsoni is known from Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Syria, southern
Arabia and Palestine, where it is rare but widespread from Upper
Galilee (Umm Falik) to the Judean hills and the Naqab Desert (Ein
Hussub). It has also been recorded from Gaza.

32. Persian Common Badger, Old World Badger, Eurasian Badger (Meles
meles canescens, Blanford 1875):
The Common Badger is the only species of its genus, and it is
widespread throughout Europe and Asia, Tibet, northern Burma and
southern China. The Persian race Meles meles canescens occurs in
Iran, Syria, Lebanon and Palestine, where it is uncommon but has
been recorded in Upper Galilee, Jezreel Valley, upper Jordan Valley
and the coastal plain.

33. Persian Common River Otter (Lutra lutra seistanica, Birula 1912):
The Common River Otter is widespread across Europe and Asia, from
England to Japan, Asia Minor, Arabia and North Africa. In Palestine,
the Persian subspecies Lutra lutra seistanica is widespread, though
uncommon, in the northern half of the country, from the Huleh Valley
to the mouth of the Jordan River at the Dead Sea, and the coastal
plain.

Family: Ursidae (Bears):

34. Syrian Brown Bear (Ursus arctos syriacus, Hemprich and Ehrenberg
1828) [Type from near Bischerre, Mount Makmel, Lebanon] and the
Hermon Brown Bear (Ursus arctos schmitzi, Matschi 1917)
[Sitzungsber. Ges. Naturf. Fr. Berl., p. 33. Type from Mount Hermon,
Palestine. Synonym]:
The Brown Bear ranges widely across the northern parts of the New
and Old Worlds.
The Syrian subspecies Ursus arctos syriacus is known from Asia
Minor, Caucasus, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Palestine, where it
formerly occurred in Galilee and the Judean hills during Biblical
times. Prophet David boasts of having strangled a bear, which had
attacked his herd, and two bears killed the 42 boys, who scoffed at
the Prophet Elisha. In the nineteenth century it was observed in a
ravine near Tiberias, near Beisan and in the Golan Heights. The last
wild Syrian Bear was killed near Majdal Shams in the southern Mount
Hermon in 1917. They were 140 cm in height and dark brown. It has
not been a menace to flocks of sheep and goats for a long time, but
occasional visits to vine-yards and fruit-groves are still reported
from Syria. The Bear is extinct on the Hermon and Anti-Lebanon,
mainly because it was so drastically hunted by German officers
during the war (Khalaf, 1983, 2001). Today, it exists in Palestine
only in zoos.

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Godesberg, Federal Republic of Germany. Number 19, Seventh Year,
December 1989. pp. 1-2. (in Arabic).
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam (1990). The Wolf (Canis lupus)
in Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Bonn-
Bad Godesberg, Federal Republic of Germany. Number 20, Eighth Year,
December 1990. pp. 1-11.
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam (1991). A Trip to Zoo Budapest,
Hungary. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Bonn-Bad
Godesberg, Federal Republic of Germany. Number 21, Ninth Year,
January 1991. pp. 1-4.
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam (1991). The Otter (Lutra lutra)
in Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Bonn-Bad
Godesberg, Federal Republic of Germany. Number 22, Ninth Year,
February 1991. pp. 1-4.
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (1992). Notes on the Biological Ecology of
the Marshes in Southern Iraq. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Federal Republic of Germany. Number
29, Tenth Year, September 1992. pp. 1-9. (in Arabic).
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (1992). The United Nations Ecological
Report confirms: The Regime of Saddam is destroying the Marshes (Al-
Ahwar) Ecosystem. Sawt Al-Kuwait International Newspaper. Saturday
17 October 1992, 21 Rabi'e Al-Thani 1412. pp. 15. (in Arabic).
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam (1992). An Introduction to the
Animal Life in Palestine. Gazelle. Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Federal Republic of
Germany. Number 30, Tenth Year, October 1992. pp. 1-7. (in Arabic).
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam (1994). An Introduction to the
Animal Life in Palestine. Shqae'q Al-Nouma'n (Anemone coronaria). A
Quarterly Magazine Issued by the Program EAI (Education for
Awareness and for Involvement). Environmental Education / Children
for Nature Protection. In Cooperation with Dept. of General and
Higher Education. P.L.O., Palestine. Number 4. Huzairan (June) 1994.
pp. 16-21. (in Arabic).
Acquaintance Card: Majallet Al-Ghazzal (Gazelle Magazine): The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Bonn, Germany. Shqae'q Al-Nouma'n
(Anemone coronaria). A Quarterly Magazine Issued by the Program EAI
(Education for Awareness and for Involvement). Environmental
Education / Children for Nature Protection. In Cooperation with
Dept. of General and Higher Education. P.L.O., Palestine. Number 4.
Huzairan (June) 1994. pp. 51-52. (in Arabic).
Khalaf, Ali (1997). Fennec. Magazin der Akademie. Editor: Ali
Khalaf. Nummer 1. Zu Elkeda 1417 H, Maerz 1997. Kِnig Fahad
Akademie –
Bonn, Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Deutschland. (in Englisch).
Khalaf, Norman Ali (2001). Foxes of Palestine.
www.geocities.com/ali_porsche2000/fox.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (2001). A Palestinian Zoologist: Dr. Sana
Issa Atallah. In: Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin Home
Page. Environmental Affairs 2 and Dinosaurs.
http://gazelle.8m.net/custom3.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (2001). The Extinct and Endangered Animals
in Palestine. In: Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin Home
Page. Extinct and Endangered Animals and Reintroduction.
http://gazelle.8m.net/photo3.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (2001). Threatened Mammals. In: Gazelle:
The Palestinian Biological Bulletin Home Page. Extinct and
Endangered Animals and Reintroduction.
http://gazelle.8m.net/photo3.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (2001). The Syrian Bear. In: Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin Homepage. Extinct and Endangered
Animals and Reintroduction. http://gazelle.8m.net/photo3.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (2001). Wild Cats in Palestine. In:
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin Homepage. / Gazelle:
Das Palaestinensische Biologische Bulletin Webseite. (ISSN 0178-
6288). http://gazelle.8m.net/contact.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (2001). Leopards in Palestine. In:
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin Homepage.
http://gazelle.8m.net/whats_new.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (2001). The Asiatic or Persian Lion
(Panthera leo persica) in Palestine. In: Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin Homepage. http://gazelle.8m.net/photo3.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (2001). The Mustelids of Palestine. In:
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin Homepage. Mammals in
Palestine and the Book "Mammalia Arabica".
http://gazelle.8m.net/catalog.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (2001). The Common Weasel. In: Gazelle:
The Palestinian Biological Bulletin Homepage. Extinct and Endangered
Animals and Reintroduction. http://gazelle.8m.net/photo3.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2004). Gazelle: Das Palaestinensische
Biologische Bulletin. Eine Wissenschaftliche Reise in Palaestina,
Arabien und Europa zwischen 1983 – 2004. / Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. A Scientific Journey in Palestine, Arabia and
Europe between 1983 – 2004. Erste Auflage, Juli 2004: 452 Seiten.
Zweite erweiterte Auflage, August 2004: 460 Seiten. Norman Ali
Khalaf, Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Germany.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Gazelle_Bulletin.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). The Leopards of Palestine.
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. Number 41, Twenty-third Year, May 2005. pp. 1-9.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Palestine_Leopard.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). Der Arabische Leopard, Panthera
pardus nimr. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Sharjah,
United Arab Emirates. Number 42. Twenty-third Year. June 2005. pp. 1-
8. www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Arabischer_Leopard.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). The Mammals in Dubai Zoo, Dubai
City, United Arab Emirates. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
bulletin. Number 45, Twenty-third Year, September 2005, Sha'ban
1426. pp. 1-14. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (in Arabic).
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). The Rafah Zoo in the Rafah
Refugee Camp, Gaza Strip, Palestine : A Story of Destruction by the
Israeli Occupation Army. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. Number 46, Twenty-third Year, October 2005, Ramadan 1426.
pp. 1-11. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (in Arabic).
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam (2005). The Qalqilia Zoo and the
Natural History Museum in the City of Qalqilia, West Bank, Occupied
Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 47,
Twenty-third Year, November 2005, Shawal 1426. pp. 1-10. Sharjah,
United Arab Emirates. (in Arabic).
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam (Member of PALESTA) (2005).
Palestinian Scientists and Technologists Abroad (PALESTA). Gazelle:
The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 47, Twenty-third Year,
November 2005, Shawal 1426. pp. 11-12. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. (in Arabic).
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). The Arabian Carnivores in the
Arabia's Wildlife Centre, Sharjah Desert Park, United Arab Emirates.
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 48, Twenty-
third Year, December 2005, Thu Alqi'da 1426. pp. 1-9. Sharjah,
United Arab Emirates. (in Arabic).
Khalaf, Norman Ali (2005, 2006). Chapter 3: Geography, Flora and
Fauna. Pages 33-39. in: Palestine: A Guide. By Mariam Shahin,
Photography by George Azar. Northampton, Massachusetts: Interlink
Publishing Group, 2005, 2006. xi + 471 pages. Appendices to page 500.

Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2006). Der Asiatische oder Persische
Loewe (Panthera leo persica). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Number 49, Twenty-fourth
Year, January 2006, Thu Alhijja 1426. pp. 1-5.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Asiatischer_Loewe.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2006). Felidae Palaestina: The Wild
Cats of Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin.
Number 52, Twenty-fourth Year, April 2006, Rabie' Althani 1427. pp.
1-15. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Felidae_Palaestina.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2006). Der Asiatische oder Iranische
Gepard (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus). Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Number 53, Twenty-fourth Year, May 2006, Rabie'
Althani 1427. pp. 1-7. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Asiatischer_Gepard.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2006). Die Rohrkatze (Felis chaus).
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 54, Twenty-
fourth Year, June 2006, Jumada Al-Ulla 1427. pp. 1-8. Sharjah,
United Arab Emirates. www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Rohrkatze.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2006). Mammalia
Palaestina: The Mammals of Palestine. / Die Saeugetiere Palaestinas.
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 55, Twenty-
fourth Year, July 2006, Jumada Al-Thania 1427. pp. 1-46. Sharjah,
United Arab Emirates.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Mammalia_Palaestina1.html (Part 1) &
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Mammalia_Palaestina2.html (Part
2) &
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Mammalia_Palaestina3.html (References).

Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2006). Mammalia Arabica. Eine
Zoologische Reise in Palaestina, Arabien und Europa zwischen 1980-
2006. / Mammalia Arabica. A Zoological Journey in Palestine, Arabia
and Europe between 1980-2006. Erste Auflage, Juli 2006, 484 pp.
Norman Ali Khalaf, Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Deutschland & Sharjah,
United Arab Emirates.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Mammalia_Arabica.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2006). The Asiatic or
Persian Lion (Panthera leo persica) in Palestine. In: Mammalia
Arabica. A Zoological Journey in Palestine, Arabia and Europe
between 1980-2006. Erste Auflage, Juli 2006. Norman Ali Khalaf,
Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Deutschland und Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
pp. 147-149. www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Lion_Palestine.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2006). Eine Persoenlichkeit aus
Jaffa, Palaestina / A Personality from Jaffa, Palestine: Bassam Ali
Taher Khalaf (Abu Ali) (1938-2006). Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Number 56, Twenty-fourth Year, August 2006. pp.
8-19. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Bassam_Khalaf.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2006). The Common
Weasel (Mustela nivalis, Linnaeus 1766) in Palestine and the East
Mediterranean Region. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin.
Number 57, Twenty-fourth Year, September 2006. pp. 1-7. Sharjah,
United Arab Emirates.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Weasel_Palestine.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2006). The Asiatic or
Persian Lion (Panthera leo persica, Meyer 1826) in Palestine and the
Arabian and Islamic Region. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. Number 58, October 2006, Ramadan 1427 H. pp. 1-13.
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Asiatic_Lion.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2006). Ein
Besuch im Neunkircher Zoo, Neunkirchen, Saarland, Deutschland / A
Visit to Neunkirchen Zoo, Neunkirchen, Saarland, Germany. Gazelle:
The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 59, November 2006. pp. 1-
25. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (in Arabisch / Arabic).
http://khalaf.homepage24.de/Ein%20Besuch%20im%20Neunkircher%20Zoo-%
20Neunkirchen-%20Saarland-%20Deutschland
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2006). 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. Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Number 60, December 2006. pp. 1-10. Sharjah,
United Arab Emirates.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Chinese_Leopard.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2006). The Mustelids
of Palestine. www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Palestine_Mustelid.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007).
Behavioural Observations on the Arabian Leopard (Panthera pardus
nimr, Hemprich & Ehrenberg 1833) in the Arabia's Wildlife Centre,
Desert Park, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Number 61, January 2007, Thu Al-Hijja 1427 AH.
pp. 1-14. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (Article in Arabic;
References in English and German).
http://khalaf.homepage24.de/Behavioural%20Observations%20on%20the%
20Arabian%20Leopard%20in%20the%20Arabia-s%20Wildlife%20Centre-%
20Sharjah-%20UAE
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Zum 1. Todestag : Eine
Persoenlichkeit aus Jaffa, Palaestina / The First Death
Anniversary : A Personality from Jaffa, Palestine : Bassam Ali Taher
Khalaf (Abu Ali) (1938-2006). Gazelle: Das Palaestinensische
Biologische Bulletin. Nummer 62, Februar 2007, Muharram 1428 AH.
Seite 11. Sharjah, Vereinigte Arabische Emirate.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Bassam_Khalaf.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). A
Recent Record of the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita harrisoni,
Hemmer, Grubb and Groves 1976) from the Kuwaiti Desert, State of
Kuwait. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 64,
April 2007, Rabi'e Al-Awal 1428 AH. pp. 1-20. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. (Article in Arabic; Abstract in English, Kurzfassung in
Deutsch; References in English, German and Arabic).
http://khalaf.homepage24.de/A%20Recent%20Record%20of%20the%20Arabian%
20Sand%20Cat%20from%20the%20Kuwaiti%20Desert-%20State%20of%20Kuwait
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Qit
Sahrawi (Desert Cat or Sand Cat). In: Wikipedia-Arabic, Al-Mawsu'a
Al-Hurra (The Free Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Number 64, April 2007, Rabi'e Al-Awal 1428 AH.
p. 21. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (Article in Arabic).
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%82%D8%B7_%D8%B5%D8%AD%D8%B1%D8%A7%
D9%88%D9%8A
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). The
First Sight Record of the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita
harrisoni, Hemmer, Grubb and Groves 1976) from the Gaza Strip,
Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 65,
May 2007, Rabi'e Al-Akher 1428 AH. pp. 1-19. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. (Article in English; Abstract in English and Arabic,
Kurzfassung in Deutsch; References in English, German and Arabic).
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Gaza_Sand_Cat.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). The
Presence of the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita harrisoni) in the
State of Qatar. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number
65, May 2007, Rabi'e Al-Akher 1428 AH. p. 20. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Qatar_Sand_Cat.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Die
Sandkatze oder Wüstenkatze (Felis margarita, Loche 1858). Gazelle:
Das Palaestinensische Biologische Bulletin. Nummer 66, Juni 2007,
Jamada Al-Ulla 1428 AH. Seiten 1-13. Sharjah, Vereinigte Arabische
Emirate. (Article in German; References in English, German and
Arabic). http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Sandkatze.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Mus
musculus gazaensis Khalaf, 2007: A New House Mouse Subspecies from
the Gaza Strip, Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. Number 66, June 2007, Jamada Al-Ulla 1428 AH. pp. 14-24.
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (Abstract in English).
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Gaza_House_Mouse.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Der
Karakal oder Wuestenluchs (Caracal caracal, von Schreber 1776).
Gazelle: Das Palaestinensische Biologische Bulletin. Nummer 67, Juli
2007, Jamada Al-Akhera 1428 AH. Seiten 1-12. Sharjah, Vereinigte
Arabische Emirate. (Article in German; References in English, German
and Arabic). http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Karakal.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007).
Felidae Arabica. A Zoological Journey in Palestine, Arabia and
Europe between 1980-2007 / Felidae Arabica. Eine Zoologische Reise
in Palaestina, Arabien und Europa zwischen 1980-2007. Erste Auflage
(First Edition), Juli 2007, 300 pp. Norman Ali Khalaf, Rilchingen-
Hanweiler, Deutschland & Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (in Arabic,
German and English).
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Felidae_Arabica.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007).
Fa'r Ghaza Al-Manzeli (Gaza House Mouse or Palestine House Mouse).
In: Wikipedia-Arabic, Al-Mawsu'a Al-Hurra (The Free Encyclopedia).
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 68, August
2007, Rajab 1428 AH. p. 1. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (in
Arabic).
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%81%D8%A3%D8%B1_%D8%BA%D8%B2%D8%A9_%
D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%86%D8%B2%D9%84%D9%8A
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007).
Haywanat Filistin (Fauna of Palestine). In: Wikipedia-Arabic, Al-
Mawsu'a Al-Hurra (The Free Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Number 69, September 2007, Sha'ban 1428 AH. pp.
1-4. (Article in Arabic). http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%AD%
D9%8A%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%AA_%D9%81%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B7%D9%8A%
D9%86
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007).
Sanuriyat (Family Felidae). In: Wikipedia-Arabic, Al-Mawsu'a Al-
Hurra (The Free Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. Number 70, October 2007. pp. 1-2. (Article in Arabic).
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B3%D9%86%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%
AA
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007).
Nimer A'rabi (The Arabian Leopard). In: Wikipedia-Arabic, Al-Mawsu'a
Al-Hurra (The Free Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Number 70, October 2007. pp. 3-4. (Article in
Arabic). http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%86%D9%85%D8%B1_%D8%
B9%D8%B1%D8%A8%D9%8A
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007).
Fahed A'rabi (Arabian Cheetah). In: Wikipedia-Arabic, Al-Mawsu'a Al-
Hurra (The Free Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. Number 70, October 2007. pp. 5-6. (Article in Arabic).
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%81%D9%87%D8%AF_%D8%B9%D8%
B1%D8%A8%D9%8A
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Qit
Al-Adghal (Jungle Cat). In: Wikipedia-Arabic, Al-Mawsu'a Al-Hurra
(The Free Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. Number 70, October 2007. pp. 7. (Article in Arabic).
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%82%D8%B7_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%AF%
D8%BA%D8%A7%D9%84
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Um
Rishat (Caracal or Desert Lynx). In: Wikipedia-Arabic, Al-Mawsu'a Al-
Hurra (The Free Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. Number 70, October 2007. pp. 8. (Article in Arabic).
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A3%D9%85_%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%B4%D8%A7%
D8%AA
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). The Story of Sabrina, the Gaza Zoo Lioness. Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 73, January 2008. pp. 1-20.
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Gaza_Lioness_Sabrina.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). The Zanzibar Leopard (Panthera pardus adersi, Pocock 1932).
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 74, February
2008. pp. 1-13. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Zanzibar_Leopard.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). Nimer Zanjibar (Zanzibar Leopard). In: Wikipedia-Arabic, Al-
Mawsu'a Al-Hurra (The Free Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Number 74, February 2008. Page 14. Sharjah,
United Arab Emirates. (Article in Arabic).
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%86%D9%85%D8%B1_%D8%B2%D9%86%D8%AC%
D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1
Khalaf, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2008). Zum 2.
Todestag : Eine Persoenlichkeit aus Jaffa, Palaestina / The Second
Death Anniversary : A Personality from Jaffa, Palestine : Bassam Ali
Taher Khalaf (Abu Ali) (1938-2006). Gazelle: Das Palaestinensische
Biologische Bulletin. Nummer 74, Februar 2008, Muharram 1429 AH.
Seite 15. Sharjah, Vereinigte Arabische Emirate.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Bassam_Khalaf.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). Leopard Stamps from Zanzibar and Tanzania. Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 75, March 2008. pp. 1-4.
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). The Sri Lanka leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya, Deraniyagala
1956). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 76,
April 2008. pp. 1-17. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Sri_Lanka_Leopard.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). Nimer Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka leopard). In: Wikipedia-Arabic,
Al-Mawsu'a Al-Hurra (The Free Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 76, April 2008. Page 18.
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (in Arabic).
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%86%D9%85%D8%B1_%D8%B3%D8%B1%D9%8A%
D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%83%D8%A7
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). The Persian or Iranian Leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor,
Pocock 1927). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number
77, May 2008. pp. 1-15. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Persian_Leopard.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). Royal White Tigers (Panthera tigris, Linnaeus 1758) at Zoo
d'Amnéville (Amneville Zoo), Amneville, Lorraine, France. Gazelle:
The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 78, June 2008. pp. 1-26.
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/White_Tiger_Amneville.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). The Jaguarundi (Puma yaguarondi, Lacépède 1809) at Parc
Merveilleux, Bettembourg, Luxembourg. Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Number 79, July 2008. pp. 1-3. Sharjah, United
Arab Emirates.
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Jaguarundi_Merveilleux.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). Canis aureus palaestina Khalaf, 2008: A New Golden Jackal
Subspecies from the Gaza Strip, Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Number 80, August 2008, Rajab / Sha'ban 1429
AH. pp. 1-13. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (Abstract in English).
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Palestine_Golden_Jackal.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). Taxon Profile: Subspecies: Palestine Golden Jackal Canis
aureus palaestina Khalaf, 2008. BioLib.
http://www.biolib.cz/en/taxon/id540278/
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
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Canis aureus palaestina Khalaf, 2008 :
A New Golden Jackal Subspecies from the Gaza Strip, Palestine.

By: Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa.

Website:
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Palestine_Golden_Jackal.html

Article Reference:
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). Canis aureus palaestina Khalaf, 2008: A New Golden Jackal
Subspecies from the Gaza Strip, Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Number 80, August 2008, Rajab / Sha'ban 1429
AH. pp. 1-13. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (Abstract in English).
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Palestine_Golden_Jackal.html


Abstract: A new subspecies of Golden Jackal of the genus Canis
(Carnivora: Canidae) from the Gaza Strip, Palestine is described.
This subspecies is distinguished from the other three subspecies of
Canis aureus living around Palestine, by its distinctive colouration
on the fur and the moderate size. It is morphologically and
geographically distinct from the other subspecies. The new
subspecies was named Canis aureus palaestina Khalaf, 2008.


On 10.07.2008, I received an e-mail (with attached photos) from
Assistant Professor Dr. Abdel Fattah Nazmi Abd Rabou from the
Biology Department, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip,
Palestine.

The first photo showed three Golden Jackals in an enclosure at Rafah
Zoo, Al-Brazil Suburb, Rafah City, Gaza Strip, Palestine. The second
photo showed two Golden Jackals in an enclosure at Al-Wasat Zoo, Al-
Bureij Refugee Camp, Gaza Strip, Palestine.

Description and Distinctive Features:
From the given photos, I began comparing with the other Golden
Jackal subspecies. There are three Jackal subspecies living in the
area around Palestine: The Syrian Golden Jackal (Canis aureus
syriacus Hemprich and Ehrenberg, 1833), The Egyptian Golden Jackal
(Canis aureus lupaster Hemprich and Ehrenberg, 1833) and the Arabian
Golden Jackal (Canis aureus hadramauticus Noack, 1896).

The Palestinian Golden Jackal subspecies is morphologically and
geographically distinct from these three subspecies. The Palestinian
Jackal is a small race of the Golden or Asiatic Jackal. It is
smaller than a wolf, with relatively shorter legs and tail. It is
larger than a fox and can be distinguished by its relatively
smaller, rufous ears and shorter, black-tipped tail. It is similar
to a small dog in appearance. The fur is rather short and coarse.
The dorsal colour is usually variable black, yellowish-gray or brown-
yellowish tinged with rufous, grayer on the back, which is grizzled
with varying amounts of black. A dark band runs along the back from
the nose to the tip of the tail. This mane becomes wider on the
back, extending into the lateral surfaces. There are two dark bands
across the lower throat and upper breast. There is also a reddish
phase. The under parts are almost white or yellowish-brown. The
winter coat is longer and grayer. The tail is relatively short,
usually with a black tip. The size of the Palestinian Jackal is
moderate if compared with the larger Egyptian Jackal (Canis aureus
lupaster) and the smaller Arabian Jackal (Canis aureus
hadramauticus).

Head and body 600-900 mm., female smaller than male; ear 70-89 mm.;
hind foot 140-162 mm.; tail 200-300 mm; skull length 148-180 mm;
weight 5-12 kg.

Habitat:
The Palestine Golden Jackal lives in hills, plains, around orange
groves, in forests and on the outskirts of towns and villages.

Distribution:
Canis aureus palaestina is common throughout the northern half of
Palestine and Israel to just south of Gaza Strip and Beer Al-Saba'
(Beersheba).



Conclusion:
After comparing the different jackal subspecies, and examining the
two photos, and referring to many zoological references, and
searching the Internet, I came finally to a conclusion that we are
in front of a new subspecies of the Golden Jackal from the Gaza
Strip, Palestine.
I gave it the scientific name Canis aureus palaestina, new
subspecies. The subspecies name "palaestina" is Latin
for "Palestine".

Canis aureus palaestina, new subspecies:
Scientific trinomial name: Canis aureus palaestina Khalaf, 2008.
Common Name: Palestine Golden Jackal.
Location: Rafah and Al-Bureij Refugee Camp, Gaza Strip, Palestine.
Date of capture: 2008.

Acknowledgment: A Special thanks is due to the Palestinian Zoologist
Assistant Professor Dr. Abdel Fattah Nazmi Abd Rabou from the
Biology Department, Islamic University of Gaza, who sent the Golden
Jackal photos, and gave me the opportunity to discover a new
Palestinian Golden Jackal Subspecies.


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The Jaguarundi (Puma yaguarondi, Lacépède 1809) at Parc Merveilleux,
Bettembourg, Luxembourg.*

By: Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa.

Website:
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Jaguarundi_Merveilleux.html

*Note: This article was published in "Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin". Number 79, July 2008, pp. 1-3.


On Friday 20.06.2008, I visited the Parc Merveilleux in Bettembourg,
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, and was accompanied by my wife Ola Khalaf
and my daughter Nora Khalaf. The weather was cloudy, with
temperature around 23° Celsius.

The Parc Merveilleux was created in 1956 in Bettembourg, Grand Duchy
of Luxembourg. It's the only Myth and Leisure Park in Luxembourg. It
functions also as the only Zoo in Luxembourg. It covers an area of
25 ha. Entrance Fee is 7 Euro for adults, and 4 Euro for children.

The Parc Merveilleux exhibit only one Felid species: The Jaguarundi
or Weasel Cat / Wieselkatze [in German] Puma yaguarondi or
Herpailurus yaguarondi (Lacépède, 1809). It lives in a small
enclosure, with an inside and outside part.

The Jaguarundi:

The Jaguarundi Puma yaguarondi or Herpailurus yaguarondi (Lacépède,
1809) is a medium-sized Mexican, Central and South American wild
cat: average length 65 cm (30 inches) with 45 cm (20 in) of tail and
a weight of about 6 kg (13.2 lbs). It has short legs and an
appearance somewhat like an otter; the ears are short and rounded.
The coat is unspotted, uniform in color, and varying from blackish
to brownish gray (gray phase) or from foxy red to chestnut (red
phase).

Etymology and Naming:

The two color phases were once thought to represent two distinct
species; the gray one called "Jaguarundi", and the red one
called "Eyra". However, these are the same species and both color
phases may be found in the same litter. Its coat has no markings
except for spots at birth. In some Spanish speaking countries, the
jaguarundi is also called "Leoncillo", which means "Little Lion".

Taxonomy and Evolution:

This cat is closely related to the much larger and heavier cougar as
evident by its similar genetic structure and chromosome count; both
species are in the genus Puma although it is sometimes classified
under a separate genus, Herpailurus and until recently, both cats
were classified under the genus Felis.
According to a 2006 genomic study of Felidae, an ancestor of today's
Leopardus, Lynx, Puma, Prionailurus, and Felis lineages migrated
across the Bering land bridge into the Americas approximately 8 to
8.5 million years ago. The lineages subsequently diverged in that
order.
Studies have indicated that the cougar and jaguarundi are next most
closely related to the modern cheetah of Africa and western Asia,
but the relationship is unresolved. It has been suggested that
ancestors of the cheetah diverged from the Puma lineage in the
Americas and migrated back to Asia and Africa, while other research
suggests the cheetah diverged in the Old World itself. The outline
of small feline migration to the Americas is thus unclear.

Ecology:

Its habitat is lowland brush areas close to a source of running
water. It occasionally inhabits dense tropical areas as well, and it
has been sighted around the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana. It
is crepuscular and nocturnal depending on location. This cat is
comfortable in trees, but prefers to hunt on the ground. It preys
upon fish, small mammals, reptiles and birds.

Reproduction:

The litter consists of one to four kittens. They are raised socially
after a 70-day gestation. The kittens become mature at approximately
2 years of age.

Conservation:

This cat is not particularly sought after for its fur, but it is
suffering decline due to loss of habitat.

Subspecies:

Puma yaguarondi armeghinoi, Western Argentina, Far-Eastern Chile.

Puma yaguarondi cacomitli, South Texas and eastern Mexico.

Puma yaguarondi eyra, Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina.

Puma yaguarondi fossata, southern Mexico to Honduras.

Puma yaguarondi melantho, Peru and Brazil.

Puma yaguarondi panamensis, Nicaragua to Ecuador.

Puma yaguarondi tolteca, Arizona and western Mexico.

Puma yaguarondi yagouaroundi, Guyana and Amazon Rainforest.


References:

Der Jaguarundi Herpailurus yaguarondi (Lacépède, 1809).
http://www.big-cats.de/jaguarundi.htm
Herpailurus yaguarondi. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/9948/all
Jaguarundi. Wikipedia. http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaguarundi
Jaguarundi. Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaguarundi
Jaguarundi (Herpailurus yaguarondi). http://www.welt-der-
katzen.de/wildekatze/kleinkatzenamerika/jaguarundi/jaguarundi.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). The Jaguarundi (Puma yaguarondi, Lacépède 1809) at Parc
Merveilleux, Bettembourg, Luxembourg. Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Number 79, July 2008. pp. 1-3. Sharjah, United
Arab Emirates.
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Jaguarundi_Merveilleux.html
Parc Merveilleux. http://www.parc-merveilleux.lu/

Royal White Tigers (Panthera tigris, Linnaeus 1758) at Zoo
d'Amnéville (Amneville Zoo), Amneville, Lorraine, France.*

By: Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa.


*Note: This article was published in "Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin". Number 78, June 2008, pp. 1-26.

Article Reference:
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). Royal White Tigers (Panthera tigris, Linnaeus 1758) at Zoo
d'Amnéville (Amneville Zoo), Amneville, Lorraine, France. Gazelle:
The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 78, June 2008. pp. 1-26.
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/White_Tiger_Amneville.html &
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/White_Tiger_Amneville_R.html


On Sunday 15.06.2008 I visited the Amneville Zoo (Zoo d'Amnéville),
Amneville, Lorraine Region in France, and was accompanied by my
mother Renate Khalaf, my wife Ola Khalaf and my daughter Nora
Khalaf. The weather was cloudy and rainy, with temperature around
15° Celsius.
The Zoo d'Amnéville is a quite young Zoo which was created in 1986
in Amnéville, near Metz, France. There are more than 1600 animals,
from 260 species, from 5 Continents. Entrance Fee is 23 Euro for
adults, and 18 Euro for children.
The Zoo exhibit many Felid species: The Lion / Le Lion [in French]
(Panthera leo), Siberian Tiger / Tigre de Siberie (Panthera tigris
altaica), Sumatran Tiger / Tigre de Sumatra (Panthera tigris
sumatrae), White Tiger / Tigre Blanc (Panthera tigris), Snow
Leopard / Leopard Des Neiges (Panthera uncia) or (Uncia uncia),
Persian Leopard / Panthere ou Leopard de Perse (Panthera pardus
saxicolor), Black Panther / Panthere Noire (Panthera pardus), Puma
(Felis concolor) or (Puma concolor), Cheetah / Guepard (Acinonyx
jubatus), Jaguar (Panthera onca), Lynx (Felis lynx) or (Lynx lynx),
Caracal (Felis caracal) or (Caracal caracal), Serval (Felis serval)
or (Leptailurus serval), Fishing Cat / Chat Viverrin (Prionailurus
viverrinus), Wild Cat / Chat Sauvage D'Eurasie (Felis silvestris)
and the Sand Cat / Chat Du Desert (Felis margarita).
The Royal White Tigers are a new addition to the Zoo. They came on
21 March 2008. I saw two white tigers in a big enclosure; both were
sitting and relaxing, and then they stood up and began licking
themselves.
The White Tiger:


The White Tiger (Panthera tigris, Linnaeus 1758) is a tiger with a
genetic condition that nearly eliminates pigment in the normally
orange fur although they still have dark stripes. This occurs when a
tiger inherits two copies of the recessive gene for the paler
coloration: pink nose, grey-mottled skin, ice-blue eyes, and white
to cream-coloured fur with black, grey, or chocolate-coloured
stripes. (Another genetic condition also makes the stripes of the
tiger very pale; white tigers of this type are called "snow-white").
White tigers do not constitute a separate subspecies of their own
and can breed with orange ones, although all of the resulting
offspring will be heterozygous for the recessive white gene, and
their fur will be orange. The only exception would be if the orange
parent was itself already a heterozygous tiger, which would give
each cub a 50% chance of being either double-recessive white or
heterozygous orange.
Compared to orange tigers without the white gene, white tigers tend
to be larger both at birth and at full adult size. This may have
given them an advantage in the wild despite their unusual
coloration. Heterozygous orange tigers also tend to be larger than
other orange tigers. Kailash Sankhala, the director of the New Delhi
Zoo in the 1960s, suggested that "one of the functions of the white
gene may have been to keep a size gene in the population, in case
it's ever needed."
Dark-striped white individuals are well-documented in the Bengal
Tiger subspecies (Panthera tigris tigris or Panthera tigris
bengalensis), may also have occurred in captive Siberian Tigers
(Panthera tigris altaica), and may have been reported historically
in several other subspecies. White pelage is most closely associated
with the Bengal, or Indian subspecies. Currently, several hundred
white tigers are in captivity worldwide with about 100 of them in
India, and their numbers are on the increase. The modern population
includes both pure Bengals and hybrid Bengal–Siberians, but it is
unclear whether the recessive gene for white came only from Bengals
or from any of the Siberian ancestors as well.
The unusual coloration of white tigers has made them popular in zoos
and entertainment that showcases exotic animals. The magicians
Siegfried & Roy are famous for having bred and trained white tigers
for their performances, referring to them as "royal white tigers"
perhaps from the white tiger's association with the Maharaja of Rewa.
It is a myth that white tigers did not thrive in the wild, where
small groups had bred white for generations. India once planned to
reintroduce them to the wild. A.A. Dunbar Brander wrote in "Wild
Animals in Central India" (1923): "White tigers occasionally occur.
There is a regular breed of these animals in the neighborhood of
Amarkantak at the junction of the Rewa state and the Mandla and
Bilaspur districts. When I was last in Mandla in 1919, a white
tigress and two three parts grown white cubs existed. In 1915 a male
was trapped by the Rewa state and kept in confinement. An excellent
description of this animal by Mr. Scott of the Indian police has
been published in Vol. XXVII, No. 47, of the Bombay Natural History
Society's journal."
However, most white tigers are now bred in captivity, often by
inbreeding parents and cubs to ensure the presence of the recessive
gene. Such inbreeding often also leads to birth defects (Wikipedia).
Captive White Bengal Tiger Founders:
Mohan:
                                                                Mohan
is the founding father of the white tigers of Rewa. He was captured
as a cub in 1951 by Maharaja Shri Martand Singh of Rewa, whose
hunting party in Bandhavgarh found a tigress with four 9-month-old
cubs, one of which was white. All of them were shot except for the
white cub. The Maharaja of Rewa offered his guest, the Maharaja Ajit
Singh of Jodhpur, the honor of shooting the white cub, but he
declined. After shooting a white tiger in 1948 the Maharaja of Rewa
had resolved to capture one, as his father had done in 1915, at his
next opportunity. Water was used to lure the thirsty cub into a
cage; after he returned to a kill made by his mother, and once
captured he was housed in the unused palace at Govindgarh in the
erstwhile harem courtyard. The white cub mauled a man during the
capture process and was clubbed on the head and knocked unconscious.
He wasn't necessarily expected to wake up and this was his second
brush with death. The Maharaja named him Mohan, which roughly
translates as "Enchanter", one of the many forms of the Hindu deity
Krishna. The white tiger the previous Maharaja had kept in captivity
from 1915 to 1920 was also a male, unusually large like most white
tigers (Mohan was no exception in this regard), and was known to
have a white male sibling that continued to live in the wild. After
its death in 1920 it was mounted and presented to the Emperor King
George V, as a token of loyalty. This specimen is now in the British
Museum, although it was not the first white tiger to reach England:
in 1820, London's Exeter Change menagerie had a white tiger which
was examined by the famous French anatomist Georges Cuvier, who
described it in his "Animal Kingdom" as having faint stripes only
visible from certain angles of refraction. In 1960 there was a
mounted white tiger, with faint reddish brown stripes, in the throne
room of the Maharaja of Rewa.
In 1953, Mohan was bred to a normal-coloured wild tigress called
Begum ("royal consort"), which produced two male orange cubs on
September 7. In 1955 they had a litter of two males and two females
on April 10 (which included a male named Sampson and a female named
Radha). On July 10, 1956 they again had a litter of two males and
two females, which included a male named Sultan who went to
Ahmedabad Zoo, and a female named Vindhya who went to Delhi Zoo and
was bred to an unrelated male named Suraj. These early breeding
experiments failed to yield a single white cub.
Another maharaja, a cousin of the Maharaja of Rewa, recounted, "Rewa
was frustrated. I told him the answer - incest of course!" Mohan was
then bred to his daughter Radha (who carried the white gene
inherited from him) and they produced a number of white cubs. The
initial litter of four cubs - a male named Raja; three females named
Rani, Mohini, and Sukishi - were the first white tigers born in
captivity, on October 30, 1958. Raja and Rani went to the New Delhi
Zoo, and Mohini was bought by the German-American billionaire John
Kluge for $10,000, for the Smithsonian National Zoological Park, as
a gift to the children of America, in 1960. Sukeshi remained at
Govindgarh Palace, in the harem courtyard where she was born, as a
mate for Mohan.
The Government of India made a deal with the Maharaja, under the
terms of which Raja and Rani would go to the New Delhi Zoo for free.
In exchange the Maharaja's white tiger breeding would be subsidized
and he would receive a share of their cubs. He wanted Rs 100,000 for
them. Technically Sukeshi was also the property of the New Delhi
Zoo, and in a sense India had nationalized the captive white tigers
of Rewa. The Parliament of India used to hear reports on the
progress of the white tigers, and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and U
Nu of Burma participated in public christening ceremonies for white
cubs at New Delhi Zoo. President Tito of Yugoslavia visited New
Delhi Zoo and asked for white tigers for Belgrade Zoo, but was
refused. A white tiger named Dalip from New Delhi Zoo represented
India in two international expositions in Budapest and Osaka. The
government of West Bengal bought two white males, named Niladari and
Himadri, from the Maharaja for the Alipore Zoological Gardens
(Calcutta Zoo), and an orange female named Malini, from the same
litter of three born in 1960, accompanied them there. The Alipore
Zoo in Kolkata, recovered the purchase price of the white tigers
within six months by charging extra to see them. Calcutta Zoo had a
fine specimen of a white tiger in 1920. Six zoos acquired white
tigers from the Maharaja of Rewa including the Bristol Zoo in
England (a brother and sister pair named Champak and Chameli on June
22, 1963) and the Crandon Park Zoo (which closed around 1983, and
moved out of Crandon Park to the site of the Miami MetroZoo) in
Miami acquired a white tigress in 1968. Bristol Zoo's pair, born in
1962, came from another litter of four, all white, but two (one
female and one male) didn't survive. By 1966 the Bombay Zoo had a
white tigress named Lakshmi, born in 1964, from the Maharaja. The
Calcutta Zoo sold a white tigress named Sefali to Gauhati Zoo and
sent a second white tiger there on loan. By 1976 the Lucknow Zoo
also had a white tiger which was a gift from New Delhi Zoo. A white
tigress named Nandni, who was born in New Delhi Zoo in 1971, went to
Hyderabad Zoo. Zoos with white tigers constituted a most exclusive
club and the white tigers themselves represented a single extended
family. The Maharaja was negotiating the sale of a white male, named
Virat, as late as 1976, when he died of enteritis. Virat was a son
of Mohan and Sukeshi and the maharaja put him on the market after
attempting to breed him to Sukeshi, which would have raised the
inbreeding coefficient.
India imposed an export ban on white tigers in 1960, in an effort to
preserve a monopoly, probably because Anglo-Indian naturalist Edward
Pritchard Gee recommended that Govindgarh Palace, and it's white
tiger inhabitants, be made a "national trust", which didn't happen.
After the export ban was imposed the Maharaja threatened to release
all of his white tigers into the Rewa forest, and so he was given
dispensation to sell two more pairs abroad, to offset his costs.
Mohini was only allowed to leave India because US President Dwight
D. Eisenhower intervened personally with Prime Minister Jawaharlal
Nehru, to ask for the release of the United States government's
white tiger. A white sister of Mohini's was brought to New Delhi the
year before to show the President, who was no stranger to white
tigers. Circus owner Clyde Beatty also bought a white tiger from the
Maharaja in 1960, for $10,000 in a deal facilitated by the
Smithsonian National Zoological Park director T.H. Reed, which had
to be cancelled because of the export ban, which made Mohini even
more valuable. She was estimated to be worth $28,000. Dr. Reed had
travelled to India to escort Mohini to Washington. Years later the
Bristol Zoo needed a new breeding male and traded a white female to
New Delhi Zoo for a white tiger named Roop, who had been named by U
Nu, the Prime Minister of Burma. He was the son of Raja by his own
mother and half sister - Radha, born in New Delhi. Radha, and many
other tigers from Govindgarh including Sukeshi, were later
transferred to New Delhi. Begum went to live at Ahmedabad Zoo and
was bred to her son Sultan. They produced twelve cubs in four
litters between 1958 and 1961. Bristol Zoo later transferred two
male white tigers to Dudley Zoo. In 1951 the Maharaja placed ads
in "The New York Times" and "The Times" of London, and wrote to
Gerald Iles, the director of the Belle Vue Zoo in Manchester, and
probably others, offering to sell his captured white tiger cub. He
wanted the princely sum of $28,000 for Mohan. The Maharaja was
prevented by law from converting rupees into American dollars, and
wanted the money to buy a speed boat. Mohan was featured in the
National Geographic documentary "Great Zoos of the World" in 1970. A
photograph of his stuffed head, in a display case in the private
museum of the Maharaja of Rewa in Govindgarh Lake Palace, appears in
the National Geographic book "The Year of the Tiger."
Mohan died in 1970, aged almost 20, and was laid to rest with Hindu
rites as the palace staff observed official mourning. He was the
last recorded white tiger born in the wild. The last white tiger
seen in the wild was shot in 1958. The Maharaja of Rewa turned
Mohan's native forest into the Bandhavgarh National Park, because he
couldn't control the poaching. Today Bandhavgarh has the largest
tiger population of any national park in India. Visitors can stay at
the White Tiger Lodge, which is the local version of Tiger Tops in
Royal Chitwan in Nepal. Pushpraj Singh, the reigning Maharaja of
Rewa, is asking students to sign a petition to ask the President of
India to return at least two white tigers to Govindgarh Lake Palace,
as a tourist attraction.
Mohini:


   Mohini, a daughter of Mohan, was officially presented to President
Eisenhower by John W. Kluge, in a ceremony on the White House lawn,
on December 5, 1960, and went to live at the Lion House, in the
National Zoo, in Rock Creek Park. T.H. Reed, the director of the
National Zoo, gave this description of Mohini: "Her stripes were
black, shading into brown, but her main coat was eggshell white
instead of the normal rufous orange. Exotic coloring and magnificent
physique made her a tiger without peer. For a two year old kitten
she had tremendous growth-almost 190 pounds, three feet tall at the
shoulders, and eight feet from nose to tail." White tigers are
larger and heavier than regular orange tigers. The average length of
a white tiger at birth is 53 cm, compared to 50 cm for a normal
orange cub. Shoulder height is 17 cm (normal 12 cm), weight 1.37 kg
(normal 1.25 kg). Dalip and Krishna, two white tigers at New Delhi
Zoo, weighed 139 kg and 120 kg respectively, at two years of age.
Ram and Jim, two normal colored tigers at the same zoo, weighed 106
kg and 119 kg, at the same age. Raja, the white tiger, had a
shoulder height of 100 cm, at ten years of age, while Suraj, an
orange tiger, had a shoulder height of only 90 cm, at 12 years of
age, according to New Delhi Zoo director K.S. Sankhala. Ratna and
Vindhya, orange tigresses "from the white race", who carried the
white gene as a recessive (both were fathered by Mohan), were higher
at the shoulder than average, measuring 87 and 88 cm, compared to a
normal orange tigress named Asharfi, who measured 82 cm at the
shoulder. President Eisenhower was also given a rare Pygmy
Hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis), a male named Totota, by
William Tubman, President of Liberia, in 1960, and a 14 month old
baby male African elephant (Loxodonta africana), named Zimbo in 1959
by the director of the Vincennes Zoo in Paris, on behalf of the
French community.
After arriving in the United States, Mohini spent 1 night in the
Bronx Zoo, and was then exhibited for three days in the Philadelphia
Zoo, before travelling on to Washington. Her name is the feminine of
Mohan, and translates as "Enchantress". She was her father's
namesake. She was a great attraction, and the zoo wanted to breed
more white tigers. At the time, no more white tigers were being
allowed out of India, so Mohini was mated to Sampson, her uncle and
half brother, who was sent from Ahmedabad Zoo in 1963. (It seems
probable that financial considerations may have also precluded
Washington from acquiring a second white tiger as a mate for Mohini.)
After Sampson's death in 1966, at age 11 of kidney failure, Mohini
was bred to her son Ramana, who was then the only male white gene
carrier available. This resulted in the birth of a white daughter
named Rewati on April 13, 1969 and a white son named Moni on Feb. 8,
1970. Moni died of a neurological disorder in 1971 at 16 months.
Moni was to have undertaken a fund raising tour for Project Tiger.
He was born in a litter of five, which included two white males and
three orange females. One was stillborn and the mother crushed the
others after three days. Rewati had an orange male littermate which
died after two days. Ramana was born on July 1, 1964 and had two
litter mates-a white male named Rajkumar, who was the first white
tiger born in a zoo, and an orange female named Ramani. Both died of
feline distemper despite having been vaccinated, at ten months age.
Rajkumar had a particularly nasty disposition. All of Mohini's cubs
were named by the Indian Ambassador.
The birth of Mohini's first litter was televised in a national
special. Mohini's orange daughter Kesari was born in 1966 with an
orange female who was stillborn. After Moni died in 1971 the
National Zoo tried to acquire an orange tiger named Ram from
Trivandrum Zoo, in southern India, as a mate for Mohini. Ram was her
first cousin, a grandson of Mohan, and there was a 50% chance that
he carried white genes. 25% of Ram's genes came from Mohan and 25%
from Begum. 25% of Mohini's genes were from Begum and 75% from
Mohan. Ram was a son of Vindhya and Suraj born on 23 IV 1965 at New
Delhi Zoo, the same Ram discussed earlier. Two sisters of Ram, born
on 22 Feb. 1967, went to the Romanshorn Zoo in Switzerland. In 1973
an Indochinese Tiger (Panthera tigris corbetti) named Poona, who was
born at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle in 1962, was sent to
Washington from the Brookfield Zoo and bred to Mohini and Kesari.
(Poona would have been regarded as a Bengal tiger for the first two
years of his life because the Indo-Chinese subspecies was not
recognized until 1968.) Mohini did not conceive. Kesari produced six
orange cubs, an extraordinary number, especially for a first litter,
but only one survived, a female named Marvina. Kesari handed Marvina
over to her keepers and kept the other five. Marvina was mistaken
for male, and named Marvin which was changed to Marvina when it was
discovered that he was a she. Washington Zoo keeper Art Cooper, who
hand reared Marvina, observed that white tigers were the most
obstinate cats in the zoo, and said that Marvina had a typical white
tiger personality. (Poona also fathered litters by two other
tigresses in Brookfield.) In 1974 Marvina, Ramana, and Kesari were
sent to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, and Rewati and
Mohini went to the Brookfield Zoo, to be boarded during renovations
in Washington, until 1976. On June 20, 1974 while at the Cincinnati
Zoo Ramana and Kesari produced a litter of three white and one
orange cub, including a white male named Ranjit, two white females
named Bharat and Priya, and an orange male named Peela. Devra
Kleiman of the National Zoo said that she was well aware of the
white gene and specifically told Cincinnati not to breed from any of
these tigers-Ramana, Kesari, or Marvina. Cincinnati countered that
although Ramana and Kesari had failed to breed in Washington they
did so almost as soon as they arrived in Cincinnati.
As a fringe benefit of inbreeding the four cubs were pure-Bengal
tigers, and they were the last registered Bengal tigers born in the
United States. Ranjit, Bharat, Priya, Peela, and Rewati had
inbreeding coefficients of 0.406. Ramana died in 1974 of a kidney
infection and became a father for the last time posthumously. A
white half sister of Mohini's bred from Mohan and his white daughter
Sukishi born on March 26, 1966, named Gomti and later renamed
Princess, lived in the Crandon Park Zoo in Miami for about a year
before she died of a viral infection. She arrived in Miami on
January 13, 1968. She was so inbred that both her mother and
grandmother were also her half sisters, and her father, Mohan, was
also her grandfather and great grandfather. She was half sister and
niece to Mohini. Mohan had fathered three generations of his family.
Miami mayor Chuck Hall met the 22-month-old 350 lbs. white tigress
at the airport and rode with her to the zoo. He wanted to call her
Maya, the name suggested by the Maharaja, which translates as
Princess. Ralph S. Scott, who paid $35,000 for her and gave her to
the Zoological Society of Florida, preferred the name Princess. It
was Ralph S. Scott, a famous big game hunter, who suggested to John
W. Kluge that he buy a white tiger for the children of America. He
had seen the white tigers in Govindgarh Palace while tiger hunting
in India. The government of India wanted Princess to be the last
white tiger exported from the country. A male white tiger, named
Ravi, acquired by Ralph S. Scott for the Crandon Park Zoo died at
Kanpur railway station en route from India in 1967. He was a son of
Raja and Rani, making him Princess's triple first cousin, born in
New Delhi, and sold by the Maharaja of Rewa. Mohini died in 1979.
The skins and skulls of Mohini and Moni are in the Smithsonian, but
are not on display.
An orange brother of Mohini's named Ramesh lived in the Ménagerie du
Jardin des Plantes (Paris Zoo), and was bred to an unrelated
tigress, but none of the offspring survived to reproduce. Ramesh was
born in Govindgarh Palace and had an orange female littermate, named
Ratna who went to New Delhi Zoo, had a white male littermate named
Ramu. They were the fourth and last litter of Mohan and Radha. Ratna
was paired with a wild caught male named Jim, at New Delhi Zoo, and
produced three litters. Each cub would have had a 50% chance of
inheriting the white gene from Ratna. Jim was captured in the Rewa
forest, so they thought there was a chance he carried white genes.
He had been somebody's pet, but after he ate a cat he was given to
New Delhi Zoo. Jim used to appear leaping into his pond, at New
Delhi Zoo, in the opening of one of Gerald Durrell's TV shows. E.P.
Gee mentioned, in his book "The Wildlife Of India", that Bristol Zoo
wanted to acquire one of the cubs of Mohan and Begum, as a mate for
one of its white tigers, Champak or Chameli, to lessen the degree of
inbreeding, as the US National Zoo had done through the acquisition
of Sampson. In 1987 Ranjit, Bharat, Priya, and Peela were sold to
the International Animal Exchange. Ranjit, Priya, and Peela went to
the IAE's facility in Grand Prairie, Texas. The phenomenon of
spontaneous ovulation in a tiger was first observed by Devra
Kleiman, in one of the white tigresses at the National Zoo, which
meant that it was possible to breed tigers by artificial
insemination.
Tony:

  Tony, born in July of 1972 in the Circus Winter Quarters of the
Cole Bros. Circus (the Terrell Jacobs farm) in Peru, Indiana, was
the founder of many American white tiger lines, especially those
used in circuses. His grandfather was a registered Siberian tiger,
named Kubla, who was born at the Como Park, Zoo, and Conservatory in
Saint Paul, Minnesota. Kubla's parents were born in the wild and
believed to be brother and sister. He was bred to a Bengal tigress
named Susie, from a west coast zoo, at the Great Plains Zoo in Sioux
Falls in South Dakota. Susie was once owned by Clyde Beatty. Two of
their cubs (Rajah and Sheba II) were bred together in a brother–
sister mating, by Baron Julius Von Uhl, who lived in Peru, Indiana.
Julius Von Uhl was born in Budapest and came to America in 1956 from
Hungary after the revolution. One of the results of his tiger
breeding was Tony, who therefore carried mixed blood and was
responsible for introducing Siberian genes into previously pure
Bengal line of white tigers in North America. He may also be the
source of a gene for stripelessness. Tigers of mixed or unknown
ancestry are called generics, or even "trash tigers", by zoo people.
97% of tiger genomes are in private hands. Kubla was also bred to an
Amur tigress named Katrina, who was born at the Rotterdam Zoo, and
passed through the hands of two American zoos before joining Kubla
and Susie at the Great Plains Zoo (see International Tiger
Studbook). Kubla and Katrina have living pure-Amur descendants which
may include a line of white tigers that are claimed as pure-Amurs,
which originated out of Center Hill, Florida. These white tigers are
not registered Amur tigers. A tiger trainer named Alan Gold owned a
pair of Amur tigers which once produced a stillborn white cub.
In 1972 there were four white tigers in the United States: Mohini
and her daughter Rewati in Washington D.C., Tony, and his first
cousin named Bagheera, a female born on July 8, 1972 in a litter of
two white cubs, including a male which didn't survive, in the
Hawthorn Circus of John F. Cuneo Jr. Bagheera's mother, Sheba III,
was a sister of Tony's mother, Sheba II. Bagheera's father was
either her registered Amur uncle or preferred mate, named Ural, or
one of two of her brothers, named Prince and Saber, who were also
brothers to Tony's parents. Sheba III lived to be 26, an astonishing
age for a tiger. (This may be the tiger world record for longevity.
20 is extremely old for a tiger.)
Most of Sheba III's litters did not include white cubs, but at least
50% of her orange cubs would have been white gene carriers, since
they could have inherited the gene from their mother, and if both
parents were heterozygotes 66%, or two out of three, of their orange
cubs are likely to have been carriers. Prince was castrated before
Sheba III conceived another white cub, a male named Frosty, born on
Feb. 25, 1975, in a litter which included two orange females and one
orange male. Frosty severely mauled trainer Wade Burck. It seems odd
that a tiger which may have been fathering such valuable cubs
(Prince) would have been neutered. Saber was never observed trying
to mate, so perhaps Ural, also called Genghis, did sire one or more
of Sheba III's white cubs, which would have been three quarters
Siberian had this been the case. It is possible for tigers from the
same litter to have different fathers. It's also possible that any
or all three tigers-Ural, Prince, and Saber, carried the white gene.
Tony was purchased by John F. Cuneo Jr., owner of the Hawthorn
Circus Corp. of Grayslake, Illinois, in February 1975 for $20,000 in
Detroit. Tony's parents, Raja and Sheba, produced two more white
cubs at the Baltimore County Fair on June 27, 1976. The cubs were a
white male, named "Baltimore County Fair", a white female
named "Snowball", and an orange male. Snowball's name was later
changed to "Maharani", and all three cubs were sold to the Ringling
Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus in Washington D.C.. Maharani died in
1984. Baron Julius Von Uhl had another three white cubs born between
June 18 and 19, 1977 at Kingdom's 3 (formerly Lion Country Safari)
at Stockbridge, Georgia off I-75 south of Atlanta. Two lived only a
short time. The other, named Scarlett O'Hara, died at the Atlanta
Zoo on Jan. 30, 1978 of cardiac arrest while undergoing surgery to
correct crossed eyes. She was still owned by Julius Von Uhl at the
time. Tony was sent on breeding loan to the Cincinnati Zoo in 1976,
to be bred to Rewati from the US National Zoo. However, Tony and
Rewati did not breed, so he was bred to Mohini's orange daughter
Kesari instead, resulting in a litter of four white and one orange
cub June 27, 1976, the same day that eight year old Sheba had her
white cubs in Baltimore, Maryland. It is an astounding coincidence
that both tigresses gave birth to white cubs on the exact same day.
On that one day America's white tiger population nearly doubled from
8 to 14. Kesari's 1976 litter represented a mixture of the two
unrelated strains.
All of the white cubs from Kesari's 1976 litter by Tony were cross-
eyed, as were Rewati and Bagheera. The Cincinnati Zoo retained a
brother and sister pair from the litter, named Bhim and Sumita, and
their orange sister Kamala. Two white males returned to the Hawthorn
Circus with Tony as John Cuneo's share from the breeding loan. John
Cuneo also asked the Bristol Zoo to trade some white tigers, to
diversify the gene pool, but the Bristol Zoo declined, perhaps not
wishing to exchange pure-Bengals for mongrels. Tony, Bagheera, and
Frosty lived for years with a troop of Hawthorn Circus tigers
stationed at Marineland and Game Farm, in Niagara Falls, Ontario,
Canada. Because of selective breeding only a few of the oldest white
tigers in the Hawthorn Circus today are cross eyed. Bhim and Sumita
became the world record parents of white cubs. In 1976 there were 39
white tigers -7 in New Delhi, 7 in Kolkata, one in Guwahati, one in
Lucknow, one in Hyderabad, 8 in Bristol, Cincinnati Zoo had 2,
Washington had 5, John Cuneo had 5, and Julius Von Uhl had 2. The
Maharaja of Rewa retired from the white tiger business in 1976. He
later abdicated in favor of his son so that he could run for the
family seat in parliament and became an MP. There is a white tiger
cub on the shield of the coat of arms of the Maharajas of Rewa.
Over 70 white tigers have been born at the Cincinnati Zoo, which is
no longer in the white tiger business. The Cincinnati Zoo sold white
tigers for $60,000 each. Siegfried & Roy bought a litter of three
white cubs from the Cincinnati Zoo, which were offspring of Bhim and
Sumita, for around $125,000. Prior to 1974 the Cincinnati Zoo wanted
to acquire a white tiger, but no zoo would sell at any price. By the
1980s the Cincinnati Zoo was the world's leading purveyor of white
tigers. After 1976 at least one more white tiger born at the
Cincinnati Zoo was cross eyed, a cub from Bhim and Sumita's first
litter. Crossed eyes may be reduced or eliminated through selective
breeding, as it has been in Siamese cats. Critics refer to white
tiger breeding as "proliferation", and the Cincinnati Zoo was
derided as a "white tiger mill".
The Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska bought Tony's parents and
orange sister Obie (born in 1975) in 1978, and bred more white
tigers. Kesari also went to live at Omaha Zoo, but didn't have any
more cubs. Some of Tony's white siblings born in Omaha proved to be
sterile. Obie was paired with Ranjit from the National Zoo, and
their cubs like those of Tony and Kesari, included non inbred white
tigers. A white tiger named Chester, who was a son of Ranjit and
Obie, born at the Omaha Zoo, fathered the first test tube tigers,
and then became the first white tiger in Australia when he was sent
to the Taronga Zoo in Sydney. His brother, Panghur Ban, was the
National Zoo's last white tiger. A white tiger named Rajiv, a son of
Bhim, became the first white tiger in Africa, when he was sent to
Pretoria Zoo in exchange for a king cheetah.
In 1983 Rewati was paired with Ika, from Kesari's 1976 litter, at
the Columbus Zoo. By this time he was a three legged amputee retired
from circus performance, put out to pasture to breed. Ika killed
Rewati in the act of mating. Ika was then mated with a white tigress
named Taj, who was a grand daughter of his brothers Ranjit and Bhim,
and fathered white cubs in Columbus. Ika and Taj had a cross eyed
daughter named Lilly, who appeared on Late Night with David
Letterman with Jack Hanna in 1986, as her mother Taj had done years
earlier. Ika was also bred to Taj's orange mother Dolly, a daughter
of Bhim and an unrelated orange tigress named Kimanthi, in Columbus.
Taj's father, Duke, was a son of Ranjit from an outcross to an
unrelated orange tigress. Isson, a white grandson of Kesari, was
also dispatched to Columbus on breeding loan from the Hawthorn
Circus, of Grayslake, Illinois, which eventually had 80 white
tigers. In 1984 five white tiger cubs were stolen from the Hawthorn
Circus in Portland, Oregon, and two died. The tigers were touring
with the Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus. The culprit was a
veterinarian who was sentenced to one year in prison and six months
in a halfway house.
In 1974 a white cub was born in the Racine Zoological Gardens in
Wisconsin, from a father-daughter mating. The father, named Bucky,
killed the white cub. The mother, named Bonnie, was later bred with
an orange littermate of Tony named "Chequila", who belonged to James
Witchey of Ravenna, Ohio, who bought him from Dick Hartman of South
Lebanon, Ohio, when he was four or five years of age. Chequila
proved to be a white gene carrier and fathered at least one white
cub in the Racine Zoo in 1980. It is not known whether Bucky, who
came from the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo in Indiana, and his daughter
Bonnie, were related to any of the established strains of white
tigers. By 1987 10% of North American zoo tigers were white.
In 2007 a white tiger was born at Safari Game Park in Bandon,
Oregon. The tiger, Sultan, is, as of October 2007, publicly
exhibited where children and adults can play with it and hold it and
the mother is also at the game park.
Orissa White Tigers:

                                            Three white tigers were
also born in the Nandan Kanan Zoo (Nandankanan Zoo) in Bhubaneswar,
Orissa, India in 1980. Their parents were an orange father–daughter
pair called Deepak and Ganga, who were not related to Mohan or any
other captive white tiger – one of their wild-caught ancestors would
have carried the recessive white gene, and it showed up when Deepak
was mated to his daughter. Deepak's sister also turned out to be a
white gene carrier. These white tigers are therefore referred to as
the Orissa strain, as opposed to the Rewa strain, of white tigers
founded by Mohan.
When the surprise birth of three white cubs occurred there was a
white tigress already living at the zoo, named Diana, from New Delhi
Zoo. One of the three was later bred to her creating another blend
of two unrelated strains of white tigers. This lineage resulted in
several white tigers in Nandan Kanan Zoo. Today the Nandankanan Zoo
has the largest collection of white tigers in India. The Cincinnati
Zoo acquired two female white tigers from the Nandan Kanan Zoo, in
the hopes of establishing a line of pure-Bengal white tigers in
America, but they never got a male, and didn't receive authorization
from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)'s Species Survival
Plan (SSP) to breed them. White tigers are freaks and phenotypic
aberrations. The AZA has recommended that white tigers be "bred to
extinction", which is to say, not bred at all and allowed to die
out, because they consume space and resources needed for endangered
orange tigers. It has been suggested that as few as 1 in 10,000
tigers in the wild was white. Although many AZA member zoos still
keep them, as an attraction to generate revenue, almost none breed
them. Sarah Christie, the coordinator of Conservation Programmes at
London Zoo, has said that she would not be averse to using a white
tiger in a zoo breeding program provided it was purebred. She said
that it's a naturally occurring gene and it shouldn't be selected
for or against. Zoo breeding programs for tigers may be of doubtful
value to conservation in any case. K.S. Sankhala once asked Sally
Walker of the Zoo Outreach Organization, of Tamil Nadu, India, "Why
do foreigners hate our white tigers so much?" The Zoo Outreach
Organization used to publish studbooks for white tigers, which were
compiled by A.K. Roychoudhury of the Bose Institute in Calcutta, and
subsidized by the Humane Society of India. The Columbus Zoo had also
hoped to breed pure-Bengal white tigers, but was unable to obtain a
white registered Bengal mate for Rewati from India.
There were also surprise births of white tigers in the Asian Circus,
in India, to parents not known to have been white gene carriers, or
heterozygotes, and not known to have any relationship to any other
white tiger strains. There was a white cub born at Mysore Zoo from
orange parents descended from Deepak's sister. On August 29, 1979 a
white tigress named Seema was dispatched to Kanpur Zoo to be bred to
Badal, a tiger who was a fourth generation descendant of Mohan and
Begum. The pair did not breed so it was decided to pair Seema with
one of two wild caught, notorious man eaters, either Sheru or Titu,
from the Jim Corbett National Park. Seema and Sheru produced a white
cub, and for a while it was thought there might be white genes in
Corbett's population of tigers, but the cub didn't stay white.
There have been other cases of white tiger, white lion, and white
panther cubs being born, and then changing to normal color. White
tigers which were a mixture of the Rewa and Orissa strains, born at
the Nandan Kanan Zoo, were none inbred. A white tiger from out of
the Orissa strain found its way to the Western Plains Zoo in
Australia. Australia's Dreamworld, on the Gold Coast, wanted to
breed this tiger to one of their white tigers from the United
States, acquired from Croatian-American tiger trainer Josip Marcan,
who was a trainer with the Hawthorn Circus and the Clyde Beatty Cole
Bros. Circus, and had also worked as a veterinarian at the Frankfurt
Zoo. The Western Plains Zoo rejected the idea.
Stripeless (Snow White) Tigers:

                                     An additional genetic condition
can remove most of the striping of a white tiger, making the animal
almost pure white. One such specimen was exhibited at Exeter Change
in England in 1820 and described by Georges Cuvier as "A white
variety of Tiger is sometimes seen, with the stripes very opaque,
and not to be observed except in certain angles of light".
Naturalist Richard Lydekker said that, "a white tiger, in which the
fur was of a creamy tint, with the usual stripes faintly visible in
certain parts, was exhibited at the old menagerie at Exeter Change
about the year 1820." Hamilton Smith said, "A wholly white tiger,
with the stripe-pattern visible only under reflected light, like the
pattern of a white tabby cat, was exhibited in the Exeter Change
Menagerie in 1820.", and John George Wood stated that, "a creamy
white, with the ordinary tigerine stripes so faintly marked that
they were only visible in certain lights." Edwin Henry Landseer also
drew this tigress in 1824.
The modern strain of snow white tigers came from repeated brother–
sister matings of Bhim and Sumita at Cincinnati zoo. The gene
involved possibly came from the Siberian tiger, via their part-
Siberian ancestor Tony. Continued inbreeding appears to have caused
a recessive gene for stripelessness to show up. About one fourth of
Bhim and Sumita's offspring were stripeless. Their striped white
offspring, which have been sold to zoos around the world, may also
carry the stripeless gene.
Because Tony is present in many white tiger pedigrees, the gene may
also be present in other captive white tigers. As a result,
stripeless whites have occurred in zoos as far afield as the Czech
Republic, Spain and Mexico. Stage magicians Siegfried & Roy were the
first to attempt to breed selectively for stripelessness; they own
snow white Bengal tigers taken from Cincinnati Zoo (Tsumura, Mantra,
Mirage and Akbar-Kabul) and Guadalajara, Mexico (Vishnu and Jahan),
and a stripeless Siberian tiger called Apollo.
In 2004, a blue-eyed, stripeless white tiger was born at a wildlife
refuge in Alicante, Spain. Its parents are normal orange Bengals.
The cub was named Artico ("Arctic"). Stripeless white tigers were
thought to be sterile until Siegfried & Roy's stripeless white
tigress Sitarra, a daughter of Bhim and Sumita gave birth. Another
variation which came out of the white strains is unusually light
orange tigers called golden tabby tigers. These may be orange tigers
which carry the stripeless white gene as a recessive. Some white
tigers in India have been very dark nearly reverting to the orange
colour (Wikipedia).
Genetics & albinism:

                                            Contrary to popular
belief, white tigers are not albinos; true albino tigers would have
no stripes. The stripeless white tigers known today only have very
pale stripes.
Part of the confusion is due to the misidentification of the so-
called chinchilla gene (for white) as an allele of the albino series
(publications prior to the 1980s refer to it as an albino gene). The
mutation is recessive to normal color, which means that two orange
tigers carrying the mutant gene may produce white offspring, and
white tigers bred together will produce only white cubs. The stripe
color varies due to the influence and interaction of other genes.
While the inhibitor ("chinchilla") gene affects the color of the
hair shaft, there is a separate "wide-band" gene affecting the
distance between the dark bands of colour on agouti hairs. An orange
tiger who inherits two copies of this wide-band gene becomes a
golden tabby; a white who inherits two copies becomes almost or
completely stripeless. Inbreeding allows the effect of recessive
genes to show up, hence the ground and stripe colour variations
among white tigers.
As early as 1907, naturalist Richard Lydeker doubted the existence
of albino tigers. However, we do have a report of true albinism: in
1922, two pink-eyed albino young were shot along with their mother
at Mica Camp, Tisri, in the Cooch Behar district, according to
Victor N. Narayan in a "Miscellaneous Note" in the Journal of the
Bombay Natural History Society. The albinos were described as sickly-
looking sub-adults, with extended necks and pink eyes.
Outside of India white tigers have been prone to crossed eyes, a
condition known as strabismus, like "Clarence the cross eyed lion",
due to incorrectly routed visual pathways in the brain in white
tigers. When stressed or confused all white tigers cross their eyes,
according to tiger trainer Andy Goldfarb. Strabismus is associated
with white tigers of mixed Bengal/Siberian ancestry. The only pure-
Bengal white tiger reported to be cross eyed was Mohini's daughter
Rewati. Strabismus is directly linked to the white gene and is not a
separate consequence of inbreeding. The orange littermates of white
tigers are not prone to strabismus. Siamese cats and albinos of
every species which has been studied all exhibits the same visual
pathway abnormality found in white tigers. Siamese cats are also
sometimes cross eyed, as are some albino ferrets. The visual pathway
abnormality was first documented in white tigers in the brain of
Moni, after he died, although his eyes were in normal alignment.
There is a disruption in the optic chiasm. The examination of Moni's
brain suggested the disruption may less severe in white tigers than
it is in Siamese cats. Because of the visual pathway abnormality, by
which some of the optic nerves are routed to the wrong side of the
brain, white tigers have a problem with spatial orientation, and
bump into things, until they learn to compensate. Some compensate by
crossing their eyes. When the neurons pass from the retina to the
brain and reach the optic chiasma some cross and some do not, so
that visual images are projected to the wrong hemisphere of the
brain. White tigers can't see as well as normal tigers and suffer
from photophobia like albinos. There is a 450 lbs. male cross-eyed
white tiger, named Namaste, at the Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo in
Hawaii, which was donated to the zoo by Las Vegas magician Dirk
Arthur.
White tigers, Siamese cats, and Himalayan rabbits have enzymes in
their fur which react to temperature causing them to grow darker in
cold. They produce a mutated form of tyrosinase, an enzyme used in
the production of melanin, which only functions at certain
temperatures. This is why Siamese cats and Himalayan rabbits are
darker on their faces, ears, legs, and tails, where the cold
penetrates more easily. K.S. Sankhala, who was director of the New
Delhi Zoo in the 1960s, observed that white tigers were always
whiter in Rewa, even when they were born in New Delhi and returned
there. "In spite of living in a dusty courtyard they were always
snow white." A weakened immune system is directly linked to reduced
pigmentation in white tigers. White tigers react strangely to
anesthesia due to their inability to produce normal tyrosinase, a
trait shared with albinos, according to zoo veterinarian David
Taylor. He was treating a pair of white tigers from the Cincinnati
Zoo at Fritz Wurm's safari park in Stukenbrock, Germany, for
salmonella.
Mohini was checked for Chédiak-Higashi syndrome in 1960, but the
results were inconclusive. This condition is similar to albino
mutations and causes bluish lightening of the fur color, crossed
eyes, and prolonged bleeding after surgery or in the event of
injury; the blood is slow to coagulate, in domestic cats. There has
never been a case of a white tiger having Chédiak-Higashi syndrome.
There has been a single case of a white tiger having central retinal
degeneration, which could be related to reduce pigmentation in the
eye, reported from the Milwaukee County Zoo. The white tiger was a
male on loan from the Cincinnati Zoo.
Inbreeding depression:

                                            Because of the extreme
rarity of the white tiger allele in the wild, the breeding pool was
limited to the small number of white tigers in captivity. According
to Kailash Sankhala the last white tiger ever seen in the wild was
shot in 1958. Inbreeding between these tigers often leads to
defects. Due to the high market value for white tigers, unscrupulous
breeders will still inbreed white tigers to ensure the offspring
also exhibit the recessive gene. Some animal rights activists have
called for a halt to the breeding of white tiger's altogether.
Rewati had a crooked spine, shortened limbs, and crossed eyes, and
her reproductive cycle was irregular, making her a poor candidate
for breeding. This may be why the National Zoo did not elect to
breed her with Poona, while he was on breeding loan to Washington in
1973. It is probably due to the rarity and demand for white tigers
that Rewati was later bred by Robert Baudy, in Center Hill, Florida,
to an unrelated orange Amur tiger, but did not conceive. A white
Amur tiger may have been born at Center Hill, and given rise to a
strain of white Amur tigers. Robert Baudy realized that his tigers
had white genes when a tiger he sold to Marwell Zoo in England
developed white spots, and bred them accordingly. He sold a white
tiger to Mike Tyson. Rewati also lived at the Bronx Zoo for several
years and they may have attempted to breed her. She appeared on the
covers of the April 1970 National Geographic and the June 22, 1973
issue of Science.
It has been possible to expand the white gene pool by outcrossing
white tigers with unrelated orange tigers and then using the cubs to
produce more white tigers. Ranjit, Bharat, Priya, and Bhim were all
outcrossed; in some instances to more than one tiger. Bharat was
bred to an unrelated orange tiger named Jack, from San Francisco
Zoo, and had an orange daughter named Kanchana. Bharat and Priya
were also bred with an unrelated orange tiger from Knoxville Zoo,
and Ranjit was bred to this tiger's sister, also from Knoxville Zoo.
Bhim fathered several litters by an unrelated orange tigress named
Kimanthi, at the Cincinnati Zoo. Ranjit had several mates at the
Omaha Zoo. The last descendants of Bristol Zoo's white tigers were a
group of orange tigers from outcrosses, which were bought by a
Pakistani senator and shipped to Pakistan. Rajiv, Pretoria Zoo's
white tiger, who was born in the Cincinnati Zoo and became the first
white tiger in Africa when he was traded for a king cheetah, was
also outcrossed and sired at least two litters of orange cubs at
Pretoria Zoo. Outcrossing isn't necessarily done with the intent of
producing more white cubs by resuming inbreeding further down the
line. The National Zoo no longer keeps any Bengal tigers and has
shifted its focus to endangered Sumatran tigers. The Cincinnati Zoo
has more recently bred endangered Indochinese Tigers. The drawbacks
of outcrossing are the loss of a generation and the production of
surplus cubs which may become "castoffs" or "throw-aways", and be
discarded after they have been used to propagate the next generation
of white tigers.
Today white tigers are so numerous that many are in sanctuaries for
unwanted tigers. The Lowery Park Zoo in Tampa, Florida has four
white tigers from Center Hill, which are "rescue tigers", and may
also be pure-Amur tigers. White tigers and white lions have been
used in canned hunts in South Africa, and there are white tigers
being bred on Asian tiger farms, to be killed for their body parts.
In China white tigers are made into wine. The PanYu XiangJiang
Safari Park in Gungzhou, China, started with four white tigers from
Sweden and Germany in 1996, the first in China. Today they have over
100 white tigers, with 10 to 20 births a year, and claim to have 50%
of the world's white tigers, but it's unclear, given the cost of
housing and feeding so many, why any one safari park or zoo would
need more than 1 or 2. A single white tigress imported from Sweden
has given birth to 49 of the white tigers. A tigress should not be
bred more than once every 2 to 3 years and this one has been
producing two litters a year. There is a myth, one of many which
have been propagated on the internet regarding white tigers, that
they have an 80% infant mortality. The infant mortality rate for
white tigers is no higher than it is for normal orange tigers bred
in captivity. In recent years a white tigress at the Buenos Aires
Zoo has produced several litters of white cubs, including some which
are stripeless, and a litter of 6 in 2004. A stripeless white
tigress gave birth to four stripeless white, and one orange cub, at
the zoo in Guadalajara, Mexico, which has an association with
Siegfried & Roy, in 2007. The fact that the litter included one
orange cub shows that the father, Nino, is orange. This was the
sixth litter born at the zoo. In the United States white tigers are
in the hands of many shady profit-motivated private owners and
breeders, and white tigers have been sold to drug lords and as pets.
In 1998 a Florida woman was killed by her pet white tiger and she
was its second victim. In 2005 the Border Patrol seized two white
tiger cubs which were in a pick up truck on the Texas-Mexican
border. Another white tiger cub was confiscated on the border
between Tijuana and San Diego in 1991 and donated to the San Diego
Zoo, a female named Blanca. Siegfried and Roy, and Tiger Island at
MarineWorld/AfricaUSA in Vallejo, California, each asked to have the
valuable cub which came from a private breeder in Arkansas. White
tigers have been relegated from royal palace to roadside zoo in 56
years. In Miami Zoo the white tiger lives in a facsimile of the
temple ruins of Angkor Wat in Kampuchea. A keeper was killed by a
white tiger, which was a cub of Bhim and Sumita born in Cincinnati,
in Miami Zoo in 1994. A white tiger also killed a keeper in a Texas
zoo.
Perhaps the mongrelization of white tigers has been a mixed
blessing, since although the introduction of Amur genes into the
white strain has further delegitimized white tigers for zoo
conservation purposes, it's possible that hybrid vigor has
counteracted inbreeding depression and created healthier bloodlines.
Outcrossing is a way of bringing fresh blood into the white strain.
The New Delhi Zoo loaned out white tigers to various zoos in India
for outcrossing, and the government had to impose a whip to force
zoos to return either the white tigers or their orange offspring.

Siegfried & Roy did at least one outcross. In the mid 1980s they
offered to collaborate with the Indian government in the creation of
a healthier strain of white tigers. The Indian government was
reportedly studying the offer, but may not have wished to have their
white tigers mongrelized like those in America. In India there was a
moratorium on breeding white tigers after cubs were born at New
Delhi Zoo with arched backs and clubbed feet necessitating
euthanasia. At one point the Cincinnati Zoo was the only zoo in the
world breeding them. The New Delhi Zoo decided to try again
reasoning that if Cleopatra could be born healthy and normal as the
product of three generations of brother to sister unions then so
might white tigers. (Cleopatra's parents were not brother and
sister.) Mice have been bred brother to sister for 150 generations
without ill effect, and are therefore 99.999% genetically identical.
Hybrid white tigers appear to be healthier than white subspecific
purebreds and an analogy can be made with purebred vs. mongrel dogs.
India is committed to keeping their white tigers purebred.
In the mid 1980s Siegfried & Roy owned 10% of the world's white
tigers. In the 1980s Siegfried & Roy were escorting two big, dark
striped, white tiger cubs to their new home at Phantasialand, in
Brühl, Germany, when the white tigers and their truck were briefly
stolen in New York City, when the driver stopped for coffee. The
white tigers made their debut in Germany at a ceremony attended by
the United States Ambassador. Siegfried & Roy have bred white tigers
in collaboration with the Nashville Zoo and they appeared on Larry
king with white tiger cubs born at the Nashville Zoo. Fritz Wurm's
safari park in Germany bought a pair of white tigers from the
Cincinnati Zoo, and Joan Collins attended the opening of the golden
domed white tiger pavilion, at the safari park in Stukenbrock,
Germany. Other genetic problems include shortened tendons of the
forelegs, club foot , kidney problems, arched or crooked backbone
and twisted neck. Reduced fertility and miscarriages, noted
by "tiger man" Kailash Sankhala, in pure-Bengal white tigers, were
attributed to inbreeding depression. There have also been congenital
cataracts reported from the Cincinnati Zoo and Parkinson's disease
in India. A condition known as "star-gazing", which is associated
with inbreeding in big cats, has also been reported in white tigers.
Some of the white tigers born to North American lines have "bulldog"
faces with a snub nose, jutting jaw, domed head and wide-set eyes
with an indentation between the eyes. However, some of these traits
have also been linked to poor diet. The white gene is recessive, and
therefore must be inherited from both parents, to produce a white
tiger. Inbreeding is a conscious strategy to promote homozygosity in
white tigers. There's really no such thing as a white gene. Rather
white tigers carry orange genes which are latent, switched off or
suppressed by an inhibitor, which is the chinchilla gene.
Historical records:

                                                             In Rewa
hunters' diaries recorded 9 white tigers in the fifty years prior to
1960. The Journal of The Bombay Natural History Society reported 17
white tigers shot between 1907 and 1933. E.P. Gee collected accounts
of 35 white tigers from the wild up to 1959, with still more
uncounted from Assam where he had his tea plantation, although Assam
with its humid jungles was considered a likelier haunt for black
tigers. Some white tigers in the wild had reddish stripes known
as "red tigers". The Boga-bagh, or "white tiger", Tea Estate in
upper Assam, was named that after two white tigers were shot there
in the early 1900s. While the modern population descends from Rewan
tigers, white tigers may have been recorded as far a field as China
and Korea, Nepal, Burma, the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Java.
Historically, white tigers may have been reported in northern China,
in the geographic range of the Siberian tiger, and perhaps in the
Indochinese, Sumatran and Javan subspecies, but not among South
China, Caspian (Panthera tigris virgata) or Bali Tigers. Korean and
Manchurian tigers were previously recognized as separate subspecies
(Panthera tigris coreensis and Panthera tigris longipilis or
amurensis), but they are now regarded part of the Amur tiger
subspecies (Siberian) named for the Amur river. There were also blue
tigers reported from southern China, referred to as "blue devils"
because they were notorious man-eaters. Arthur Locke writing in "The
Tigers of Trengganu" (1954) mentions white tigers, but it's unclear
whether he means specifically in Trengganu, in the Malay Peninsula,
or elsewhere in Asia, in which case there may be no record of white
tigers ever existing in the Malay Peninsula. The Malayan Tiger
(Panthera tigris malayensis or Panthera tigris jacksoni) was only
recognized as a subspecies separate from the Indochinese (Panthera
tigris corbetti) in 2004, and the Indochinese as a subspecies
separate from the Bengal in 1968. White tigers were reported from
Burma, now called Myanmar, but since the Irrawaddy River (Ayeyarwady
since 1998) is the theoretical dividing line between the range of
the Bengal and Indochinese tiger, it is uncertain whether there were
also white Indochinese tigers or white Malayan tigers.
In some regions, the animal forms part of local tradition. In China,
it was revered as the god of the West, Baihu. In South Korea, a
white tiger will sometimes be represented on the taegeuk emblem on
the flag – the symbolizing evil, opposite the green dragon for good.
In Indian superstition, the white tiger was the incarnation of a
Hindu deity, and anyone who killed it would die within a year.
Sumatran and Javan royalty claimed descent from white tigers, and
the animals were regarded as the reincarnations of royalty. In Java
the white tiger was associated with the vanished Hindu kingdoms and
with ghosts and spirits. It was also the icon guardian of the
seventeenth century court.
White tigers with dark stripes were recorded in the wild in India
during the Mughal Empire (1556–1605). A painting from 1590 of Akbar
while hunting near Gwalior depicts four tigers, two of which appear
white. As many as 17 instances of white tigers were recorded in
India between 1907 and 1933 in several separate locations: Orissa,
Bilaspur, Sohagpur and Rewa.
Between 1892 and 1922, white tigers were routinely shot in India in
places such as Orissa, Upper Assam, Bilaspur, Cooch Behar and Pune.
Pollock (1900) reported white tigers from Burma and the Jynteah
hills of Meghalaya. In the 1920s and 30s, fifteen white tigers were
killed in Bihar, and more were shot in other regions. On 22 January
1939, the Prime Minister of Nepal shot a white tiger at Barda camp
in Terai, Nepal. The last observed wild white tiger was shot in
1958, and the mutation is considered extinct in the wild. There have
been rumors of white tigers in the wild in India since then, but
none have been considered credible. It has been suggested from the
casual way that Jim Corbett makes reference to a white tigress,
which he filmed with two orange cubs, in his "Man-eaters of Kumoan"
(1946) that white tigers were nothing out of the ordinary to him.
Corbett's black and white film footage is probably the only film in
existence of a white tiger in the wild. It illustrates again that
white tigers survived and reproduced in the wild. The film was used
in a National Geographic docu-drama about Corbett's life. One theory
of white tigers holds that they were symptomatic of inbreeding as a
consequence of over hunting and habitat loss, as tiger populations
became isolated. In 1965 there was a chair upholstered with a white
tiger skin in the "India collection" of Marjorie Merriweather Post,
at her Hillwood estate in Washington D.C., which is now operated as
a museum. A color photograph of this item appeared in the Nov. 5,
1965 issue of Life magazine. In the October 1975 issue of National
Geographic there is a photograph of the minister of defense for the
United Arab Emirates with a stuffed white tiger in his office. The
actor Cesar Romero owned a white tiger skin.

Popular culture:

White tigers feature frequently in literature, video games,
television and comic books. Such examples include the Swedish rock
band Kent, who featured a white tiger on the cover of their best-
selling album "Vapen & ammunition" in 2002. This was a tribute to
the band's home town Eskilstuna as the local zoo in town had white
tigers from the Hawthorn Circus as its main attraction. Others
include the Beast Wars character Tigatron who transformed into a
white tiger, the White Tiger comic book hero and both. In the film
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,
white tigers are seen fighting for the White Witch. Games include
Zoo Tycoon and the Warcraft universe. Both the Mighty Morphin Power
Rangers, and the Japanese Super Sentai series from which the Power
Rangers series are based have used White Tiger themed mecha. A
trained white tiger from the Bowmanville Zoo in Ontario, Canada, was
used in the Animorphs TV series. White Tigers are also seen in
Heroes of Might and Magic IV, where they are a lvl 2 unit for the
nature team. Even White Tiger and The Justice Friends were on
Dexter's Laboratory (Wikipedia).


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The Persian or Iranian Leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor, Pocock
1927).*

By: Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa.


*Note: This article was published in "Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin." Number 77, May 2008. pp. 1-15.

Website: http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Persian_Leopard.html

The Leopard (Panthera pardus) has been traditionally recognized as a
common species due to its frequent appearance in popular wildlife TV
programs. In practice, however, this wild cat can be regarded as
common only in savannas and tropical rain forests of Sub-Saharan
Africa where it is widely filmed and even somewhere allowed for
trophy hunting within the official quotas (Anonymous 2003). In the
meantime, eight leopard subspecies are listed in the 2004 IUCN Red
List of Threatened Species as either "endangered" or "critically
endangered" and seven of them are living today in Asia (IUCN 2004).
Without taking active, targeted, and large-scale conservation
measures, they are in imminent danger of extinction from the Earth.
The Persian or Iranian leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor, Pocock
1927) is one of the subspecies in danger of disappearance.

The Persian leopard is one of the leopard subspecies native to
western Asia. It is endangered throughout its range in the Middle
East.

The Persian leopard is said to be the largest of all the subspecies
of leopards in the world. It can grow to up to 1.5 to 2.7 feet tall
at the shoulder, and weigh as much as 155 lbs. Before 1990, when
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, and Turkmenistan were the
Soviet republics, the scientific names of the leopard used in these
countries were Panthera pardus tulliana and Panthera pardus
ciscaucasica, whereas the name Panthera pardus saxicolor had been
traditionally used by the western specialists for the cats in Iran
and, partially, Afghanistan. There are currently a few hundred left
in the world.

Range and Population:
The Persian leopard's current range extends over the Middle East and
its total number does not exceed 1,300 individuals. Most of the cats
are found in Iran (550-850 animals) and especially in its
northwestern portion adjoining southern Armenia and Azerbaijan (160-
275; Kiabi et al. 2002). The number in Afghanistan is unknown, but
should be at least several hundred (Habibi 2004); however, today's
rampant leopard fur trade on the Kabul market and over harvest
during and after the long-term civil unrest pose the greatest threat
to survival of this predator in the country (Mishra and Fitzherbert
2004). In northeastern Iraq contiguous to western Iran and
southeastern Turkey and elsewhere in the country, the leopard was
considered rare as early as the late 1950s (Hatt 1959), and now this
war-torn country is believed to no longer contain this carnivore.
The southern edge of Turkmenistan holds 78 to 90 leopards
(Lukarevsky 2001). The most recent and highly mysterious case of
killing an old male leopard in southern Kazakhstan (Shakula 2004)
raises an important question about the cat's status in Uzbekistan
and Tajikistan from where the animal could have come, but since the
late 1970s virtually nothing is known about the leopard in either of
these countries (Lukarevsky 2001). Pakistan's North-West Frontier
Province also holds the Persian leopard population, but of unknown
size (Zulfiqar 2001). Armenia and Azerbaijan together are unlikely
to harbor more than 30 cats, of which a maximum of 10 to 20 may live
in southern and southwestern Armenia (Khorozyan 2003) and the others
roam over Azerbaijan's Naxcivan Republic and in the Talis Mountains
(Askerov 2002). Some transient individuals can penetrate to Georgia;
recently, a good-looking young male was captured by photo-traps in
Vashlovani Reserve in the extreme southeast of the country (Butkhuzi
2004). The presence of the leopard in European Russia's North
Caucasus Mountains is questionable (Semenov 2002), but a sort of
evidence was recently reported for the triangle between the
republics of Daghestan and Ingushetiya, southeastern Georgia, and
northwestern Azerbaijan (Anonymous 2004). It is unknown whether the
leopard from northeastern Turkey close to Georgia belongs to the
Persian subspecies (Baskaya and Bilgili 2004), but it should be
separated from the Caucasus because there are no records from
adjoining parts of southwestern Georgia and western Armenia.

Range and Habitat:
It thrives in Iran, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan,
Tajikistan, and northwestern Afghanistan. Habitat varies from
mountain steppe to grasslands, or anywhere having a reasonable
amount of cover and a supply of prey. Unconfirmed reports of big
cats in the far southeast of Turkey might also pertain to these
animals.

Persian Leopard in Armenia:
In Armenia, the Persian leopards live in the juniper sparse forests
and, to a lesser extent, in arid and mountain grasslands, sub alpine
and alpine meadows. Their haunts are extremely rough and rocky
places with plenty of cliffs. This predator uses the same trails
during regular movements, so knowing where they are, the researcher
can find the evidence of leopard existence such as scats, tracks and
scrapes. The leopard in Armenia is threatened by disturbance,
poaching, and wild fire, but which of these factors are most
stressful for this cat is still unclear. The leopard can also be
found in the Shikahogh State Preserve.

In Armenia, the leopard has coexisted with humans since the Holocene
(ca. 5,000 years ago) and carvings and paintings of it made by
prehistoric people from approximately 3,000 years ago are not
uncommon (Mezhlumyan 1985). Most of them depict the predator hunting
its staple prey, the bezoar goat (Capra aegagrus), or being hunted
by men. It was common until the large-scale eradication of all large
carnivores began in the early 1900s when Armenia and other regions
of the Russian Empire were struck by political turmoil and most of
adult population was armed. Before 1972, when at last the leopard
was declared an officially protected mammal and entered the Red Data
Books of Armenia and the USSR as "endangered," it was officially
killed as vermin and for valuable skins, which were sold by hunters
to the governmental stocking centers (Gasparyan and Agadjanyan
1974). As a result, in the mid-1970s the cat has disappeared from
northern Armenia and its entire range shrank to its present status.

Today, the leopard's coarse-scale range extends over southern and
southwestern Armenia from Garni district of Khosrov Reserve down to
Armenian-Iranian state border. It is bounded by the Vardenis and
Geghama ridges in the north, by the Azat River in the northwest and
by plain semi-deserts and croplands of the Ararat Valley in the
west. The landscapes used by the leopard are juniper sparse forests,
arid and mountain grasslands, and sub alpine and alpine meadows,
whereas the semi deserts, nival, and harsh nival zones are ignored
as unfavorable with no proper prey and shelter. The alpine belt is
expected to be suitable only in snow free time, as the predator's
high footing pressure makes it plod and fail to hunt in deep snow
(Pikunov and Korkishko 1992). The weather in these habitats is cold
and misty in winter, rainy and warm in spring and fall, and very hot
and dry in summer. The terrain is very rough, with an array of
canyons, cliffy massifs, and stony substrates. The rugged relief
does not enable leopards to do long stalking, but provides plenty of
opportunities for them to lurk and kill prey by ambush.

Prey sufficiency is the key factor, apart from human impact,
underlying the carnivore's existence. The bezoar goat is quite
common throughout the leopard range, but especially in Khosrov
Reserve, where it makes over 90% of the predator's diet (Khorozyan
and Malkhasyan 2002). The wild boar (Sus scrofa) is widespread, but
is taken very reluctantly in Khosrov and more frequently elsewhere
in southern Armenia (Khorozyan and Malkhasyan 2002). The roe deer
(Capreolus capreolus) lives in southern Armenia and is absent in
Khosrov, and is readily fed upon by the leopard. The Indian crested
porcupine (Hystrix indica) and European hare (Lepus europaeus) are
taken opportunistically. That the wild prey base is sufficient for
the leopard in Armenia is indirectly proved by the fact that the
livestock losses to leopard predation are sporadic and negligible
compared to those inflicted by the gray wolf (Canis lupus) and brown
bear (Ursus arctos).

The long-term persistence of the small, but definitely resident,
population in Armenia implies its connectivity with the much larger
population in northwestern Iran. There are several places along the
borderline Arax River where this river is narrow and shallow and
where the mountain ridges descend from both countries to the
riverside, making them ideal linkages with fords.

Persian Leopard in Azerbaijan:
The Persian leopard lives in the southern regions in Azerbaijan,
primarily in the Talysh Mountains, Nagorno-Karabakh and Nakhichevan.
It was not clear whether leopards had been extinct in Azerbaijan by
the late 1990s until the species was caught on camera in March 2007
in the Hirkan National Preserve.

Persian Leopard in Georgia:
There are very few leopards left in the wild in Georgia. At present,
they primarily live in dense forests, although several have been
spotted in the lowland plains in the southeastern region of Kakheti
in 2004. Over the last 60 years, there have been several sightings
of the leopard around the Tbilisi area and in the Shida Kartli
province to the northwest of the capital.

Persian Leopard in Persia (Iran):
The main range of this species in Iran closely overlaps with that of
Bezoar Ibex. Hence, it is found throughout Alborz and Zagros
mountain ranges, as well as smaller ranges within the Iranian
plateau. Leopard population is very sparse, due to loss of habitat,
loss of natural prey, and population fragmentation.

Traditionally, large populations were found in northern Khorasan,
Golestan, Mazandaran, Gilan, Fars, Ardabil, Kurdistan, Lorestan,
West Azarbaijan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-
Ahmad, and Esfahan provinces. Leopards do not usually enter the deep
desert interior of the country. Apart from Bezoar Ibex, wild sheep,
boar, deer (either Maral red deer or roe deer), and domestic animals
constitute leopards' diet in Iran.

Subspecies:
There is much debate on how many leopard subspecies exist in the
Middle East. Before 1990, when Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia,
and Turkmenistan were the Soviet republics, the scientific names of
the leopard used in these countries were Panthera pardus tulliana
(Valenciennes 1856) and Panthera pardus ciscaucasica (Satunin 1914),
whereas the name Panthera pardus saxicolor (Pocock 1927) had been
traditionally used by the western specialists for the cats in Iran
and, partially, Afghanistan. Current international regulations
consider both P. p. ciscaucasica (Caucasus leopard) and P. p.
saxicolor (Persian leopard) as synonyms and use only one, P. p.
saxicolor (IUCN 2004) because these races are identical
morphologically (Khorozyan 1999) and should be so genetically
(Miththapala et al. 1996), and because the leopards occasionally
move between Iran and Armenia. The name P. p. tulliana (Anatolian
leopard) applies to the leopard in southwestern Turkey.

Historically, the Caucasus was inhabited by three big cats: Asiatic
lion (Panthera leo persica), Caspian tiger (Panthera tigris
virgata), and Persian leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor). Moreover,
until 15 A.D. the Armenian princes imported the Asiatic cheetahs
(Acinonyx jubatus venaticus), tamed them, and used in high-rank
hunts (Nowell and Jackson 1996). The lion disappeared here in about
10 A.D. (Nowell and Jackson 1996) and the last tiger was shot in
1932 near Prishib village in Talis, Azerbaijan (Gadjiev 2000). The
principal reasons of their disappearance were extermination of
predators and their prey and habitat destruction. Later, this tiger
subspecies had vanished forever and the Asiatic lion is confined now
to a single population in west India. The leopard has outlived them
all, but can be wiped out if the authorities at all levels do not
express more political will and support.

Food and Hunting:
A leopard's diet varies depending on where it thrives. The Persian
leopard's diet varies from small mammals and birds, to larger
animals such as, deer, antelope, Bezoar ibex, and occasionally wild
boar. The animal silently stalks its prey, and then strikes out of
nowhere, ending with a bite to the throat.

Biology:
The Persian leopard has a gestation period of 3-4 months. Females
reach sexual maturity at about two and a half years of age. The
offspring usually consists of 3 cubs.

Threats:
This species is listed as endangered and commercial trade of this
species is prohibited by international law. The Persian leopard has
been threatened due to persecution, habitat loss, and poaching. It
is also one of the animals in western Asia which is suffering from
warfare in its mountain range.

Threats in Armenia:
The leopard in Armenia is threatened by disturbance, poaching, and
wild fire, but which of these factors are most stressful for this
cat is still unclear.

Human disturbance is widespread, especially in spring and early
summer when local people gather edible plants and mushrooms, in fall
when occasional hunts take place in some favorite haunts, and in
late fall when villagers cut trees and collect branches as fuel wood
for winter. Gathering is a century-old tradition of rural Armenians,
which possibly reflects the efforts to compensate the deficiency of
plant proteins and vitamins in their diet. The most popular plants
gathered are horse fennel (local name "bokhi," Hippomarathrum
microcarpum), falcaria ("sibekh," Falcaria vulgaris), and
Astrodaucus orientalis ("mandak") (Takhtajyan, 1973) and the
mushrooms are field blewit (Lepista personata), Pleurotus eryngii,
St. George's mushroom (Calocybegambosum), and field mushroom
(Agaricus campestris) (Nanagulyan 1987). The gatherers disperse over
the slopes and communicate to one another by shouts, so their
behavior poses a serious harassment to animals, particularly to the
ungulates fed upon by the leopard. In response, they become more
vigilant and shy, but rarely escape to other places. The numbers of
gatherers in the period from April to June are significant. For
example, between May 5 and 13 of 2004, 50 gatherers were counted in
Khosrov Reserve. Most of them arrived on foot (42%), horseback (28%)
and on motorcycles (14%), whereas fewer used vehicles and donkeys
(8% each). This information implies that the roadblocks, which are
easily rounded by hikers and horse-riders, would be an inefficient
way to close up the villagers' access to the gathering sites.
Potentially, this problem could be solved by raising public
awareness, but people's motivation to gathering is very strong.

Poaching is traditionally believed to be an important factor of risk
for the leopard, other large carnivores, and its prey, especially
since early 1990s when the newly independent Armenia waged the war
with neighboring Azerbaijan over Nagorno Karabakh and which has
eventually left numerous firearms in local people's hands.
Currently, the narrow isthmus of southern Armenia, which is squeezed
from both sides by Azerbaijan, has been officially considered
a "borderline territory." According to anecdotal information, one
leopard has been killed in Armenia every year or two, mainly as a
result of snow tracking. As the leopard is officially protected and
the poacher will be fined and jailed, all cases are treated in
a "shoot, shovel, and shut up" fashion provoked by human fear.

Wildfire destroys the leopard's favorite habitats and forces it to
move away to other places. The main reason of fire is human neglect,
which can cause ignition during the extremely dry months of June-
September from a single match, piece of glass, campfire ember, or
ashes left by livestock keepers or plant gatherers. The habitat's
propensity for burning is increased because of xeric vegetation,
scarce precipitation, significant tracts of lands covered by
coniferous sparse forests (junipers), strong winds blowing alongside
the slopes and the lack of technical capacities in local
conservation entities to timely quench the fire. Some small plots
can be deliberately burned down, as this practice is still strongly
believed by villagers to stimulate the growth of fodder for their
livestock. Instead, it destroys soil structure and kills soil
invertebrates, small mammals, and ground-nesting birds.

All these threats are expected to closely correlate with human
densities, i.e., the higher densities will intensify pressure and
thus decrease the probabilities of occurrence of the leopard and its
prey. In the meantime, human activities can affect the carnivore
populations also in remote areas with low human densities, so human
attitudes and practices can be more important than density per se
(Cardillo et al. 2004; Woodroffe 2000). However, in most of today's
developing countries where human behaviour and resource use have not
been properly controlled or managed, the probability of large
carnivore extinction is positively related to human density until
favorable wildlife management practices are introduced and enforced
(Linnell et al. 2001). Livestock breeding present in the leopard
range in Armenia at the temporary shepherd camps located far away
from the villages has been tolerable by the leopard, but is a
serious threat to its long-term survival if not properly managed
(Khorozyan 2003). Meantime, the leopard distribution is spatially
completely separated from inhabited settlements.


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Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). The Story of Sabrina, the Gaza Zoo Lioness. Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 73, January 2008. pp. 1-20.
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Al-Labu'a Sabrina fi Hadiqet Haywanat Ghaza (The Story of Sabrina,
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Al-Labu'a Sabrina fi Hadiqet Haywanat Ghaza / The Story of Sabrina,
the Gaza Zoo Lioness. First Edition. Dr. Norman Ali Khalaf-von
Jaffa, Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Germany & Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. (Publication in Summer 2008, in Arabic and English). ISBN
978-9948-03-603-6. English article Website:
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20Sabrina,%20the%20Gaza%20Zoo%20Lioness
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). The Zanzibar Leopard (Panthera pardus adersi, Pocock 1932).
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 74, February
2008. pp. 1-13. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
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Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). Nimer Zanjibar (Zanzibar Leopard). Wikipedia, Al-Mawsu'a Al-
Hurra (The Free Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. Number 74, February 2008. Page 14. Sharjah, United Arab
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Todestag : Eine Persönlichkeit aus Jaffa, Palästina / The Second
Death Anniversary : A Personality from Jaffa, Palestine : Bassam Ali
Taher Khalaf (Abu Ali) (1938-2006). Gazelle: Das Palästinensische
Biologische Bulletin. Nummer 74, Februar 2008, Muharram 1429 AH.
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(2008). Leopard Stamps from Zanzibar and Tanzania. Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 75, March 2008. pp. 1-4.
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). The Sri Lanka Leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya, Deraniyagala
1956). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 76,
April 2008. pp. 1-17. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
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Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). Nimer Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka leopard). Wikipedia, Al-Mawsu'a
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Biological Bulletin. Number 76, April 2008. Page 18. Sharjah, United
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(2008). The Persian or Iranian Leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor,
Pocock 1927). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number
77, May 2008. pp. 1-15. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Persian_Leopard.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). Royal White Tigers (Panthera tigris, Linnaeus 1758) at Zoo
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The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 78, June 2008. Sharjah,
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Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). Nimer Farisi (Persian leopard). Wikipedia, Al-Mawsu'a Al-
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The Sri Lanka leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya, Deraniyagala 1956.*

By: Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa.


*Note: This article was published in "Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin". Number 76, April 2008.


Website:
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Sri_Lanka_Leopard.html


The Sri Lanka leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya, Deraniyagala 1956),
colloquially known as Kotiya, is a subspecies of leopard native to
Sri Lanka. However, "kotiyā" is now the colloquial Sinhala name for
the tiger and "diviyā" is used for the leopard.
A recent study has shown that Yala National Park in Sri Lanka has
one of the highest recorded densities of leopards in the world,
although this animal is still considered to be endangered. The
Wilpattu National Park in Sri Lanka is also known as a good place to
watch leopards. Leopards tend to be more readily observed in parts
of Sri Lanka than in other countries where they share their habitat
with more dominant competitors, such as lions or hyaenas (Wikipedia).
Origin:

The origin of the leopard on the subcontinent of India is unknown
but it is believed that it migrated down from the North/West passes
and from here spread out across the realm (Prater, 1965). Initially
it was believed that this is the only leopard population to have
evolved as the top predatory carnivore in its ecosystem, having been
isolated from intra-guild competition since Sri Lanka split off from
the Indian sub-continent (Guggisberg, 1975; Miththapala et al.,
1996). The sea level rise that separated Sri Lanka was ~5,000-10,000
YBP (Deraniyagala, 1992). Deraniyagala (1939) reported a lower
carnassial in an alluvial deposit in the southwestern wet zone from
which he erected a new sub-species of lion (Panthera leo sinhaleyus,
Deraniyagala 1938). The frequent reference to the lion in Sri Lankan
history, art, legend and folklore were seen to further support their
likely existence (Deriniyagala, 1958). However the Sinhalese
("people of the lion") are believed to have come to Sri Lanka from
north-western India, where the last outpost of the Asian lion
(Panthera leo) remains today and it is these cultural links that
appear to better explain the importance of the lion as symbolic
theme. The support for it being a separate sub-species is debatable
but nonetheless it appears to have become extinct on the island
before the arrival of culturally modern humans ca. 37,000 YBP. More
recent fossil discoveries indicate that at one time tigers (Panthera
tigris) also inhabited the island, having arrived prior to the
latest glacial maximum ca. 20,000 ybp. The tiger fossil evidence, a
right middle phalanx, was C14 dated to ~16,500 YBP.
That the leopard is now the only large mammalian predator in Sri
Lanka makes this a unique location in which to conduct a study. This
extended lack of large felid competition, unknown elsewhere, is
perhaps the reason behind the Sri Lankan leopard's purportedly more
diurnal and less arboreal habits than its continental brethren
(Muckenhirn and Eisenberg, 1973). Being the sole large predatory
carnivore in the Sri Lankan ecosystem also drastically increases its
role as a potential keystone species, helping to determine the
densities and numbers of prey species such as spotted/axis deer
(Axis axis), barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak), wild boar (Sus
scrofa) and sambar/sambhur (Cervus unicolor).
Misidentification in Sri Lanka:

                                Some years ago, the Kotiya was
mistakenly published as "tiger" in some Sri Lankan media due to
incorrect information received from the then head of the Wildlife
Department in Sri Lanka. He had said that "there are no kotiyas in
Sri Lanka", misinterpreting Panthera pardus kotiya as "Diviya" (cat)
in Sinhala.
There are no tigers in Sri Lanka. Although Panthera pardus kotiya is
the kotiyā, and there is no such creature as Panthera pardus diviya,
local people started to use "kotiyā" to mean "tiger", so "diviyā"
was chosen for "leopard".
The term "diviya" has been used for centuries in Sri Lanka to refer
to smaller wild species of the cat family such as "Handun Diviyā"
or "Kola Diviyā" (both names for the Fishing Cat) (Wikipedia).
Description:

The Sri Lanka leopard is one of the eight known subspecies of
leopard. Its coat is tawny or rusty yellow, stamped with dark spots
and rosettes. Seven females that were weighed averaged 29 kg; males
averaged 56 kg, with the largest being 77 kg (Wikipedia).
Distribution:
The leopard is the most widespread of all the big cats. The typical
form came from Egypt but its present range extends from sub-Saharan
Africa across the Arabian Peninsula into the Indian sub-continent
and further eastwards to China, Korea, the Russian Fareast,
Peninsular Malaysia and Java. In Sri Lanka the leopard was once
widely distributed across much of the island from sea level to over
2,000 m. More recently, a combination of forest conversion and
poaching has reduced substantially, both the number and range of the
leopard. Nevertheless, viable populations occur both within several
protected areas as well in the remote forested areas in the north
and east.
Range, Habitat and Population:

                      With the ability to thrive not just in forests
like the tiger or open savanna like the lion, the leopard or panther
is the most successful big cat in terms of colonizing new and varied
terrain. That these felids can subsist on a host of small prey
species as well as their traditional medium-size ungulate prey
increases their impressive ability to live in all manner of habitat.
This is perhaps why these adaptable carnivores have spread virtually
throughout Asia and roam over all of Africa except for the Sahara
(Prater, 1965). Despite this renowned adaptability the leopard is
fast disappearing, relegated to smaller and smaller pockets across
its range. A thriving world market for its skins during the late
1960s combined with steady and continuing habitat loss caused the
United States to list the leopard as an endangered species
throughout its range in March 1972. Three years later the leopard
was added to Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which completely
restricted any trade in leopard products. While the southern African
species' have since been down-listed to "threatened" the Asian
species' remain on the endangered list.
The Sri Lanka Leopard Panthera pardus kotiya is found only in Sri
Lanka, and is the country's top predator. Little has been known
about it in the past, but ongoing studies (The Leopard Project, run
by The Wilderness and Wildlife Conservation Trust) indicate that
they are still distributed throughout the island both inside and
outside of protected areas. The leopard has been observed in a
variety of habitats including dry evergreen monsoon forest, arid
scrub jungle, low and upper montane (highland) forest, rainforest,
and wet zone intermediate forests.
In Sri Lanka the current population of leopards roaming the island
is unknown. What is known however is that the numbers of these
elusive animals have decreased substantially over the last century.
This was originally due to game hunting during colonial times and
later through poaching for skins. The passage of the Fauna and Flora
Protection Ordinance of 1938 put leopards under legal protection,
however poaching both inside and outside protected areas continued
unabated (Muckenhirn and Eisenberg, 1973). Even today poaching
outside and within the country's national parks is far from a thing
of the past. From January 2001 to the present there have been at
least 35 leopards killed by poachers in Sri Lanka. However the major
causes for population decline - habitat loss and fragmentation - are
less direct and if anything, more difficult to mitigate. With a
burgeoning human population already surpassing 19 million and the
territorial constraints inherent in island ecosystems, the
destruction of leopard habitat for human use is more evident than
ever. That there is a concerted effort in the country to become self-
sufficient, especially in the production of rice, compounds the
problem of human/leopard conflict as more and more land area is
converted into paddy for agricultural utilization. Maintaining a
balance between the needs of the people of Sri Lanka and the
requirements of the island's wildlife is a fundamental goal for the
WWCT.
Feeding:
                                                                Like
most cats, the Sri Lanka leopard is pragmatic in its choice of diet
which can include small mammals, birds, reptiles as well as larger
animals. Axis or spotted deer make up the majority of its diet in
the dry zone. The animal also preys on sambar, barking deer, wild
boar and monkeys. The cat has been known to tackle almost fully
grown buffalos.
The leopard hunts like other leopards, silently stalking its prey
until it is within striking distance where it unleashes a burst of
speed to quickly pursue and pounce on its victim. The prey is
usually dispatched with a single bite to the throat (Wikipedia).
Biology and Ecology:


A recent study in Yala National Park (The Leopard Project) indicates
that Sri Lankan leopards are not any more social, nor less
nocturnal, than other populations. They are solitary hunters, with
the exception of females with young. Both sexes live in overlapping
territories with the ranges of males overlapping the smaller ranges
of several females, as well as overlapping the ranges of
neighbouring males.
The breeding season is throughout the year with a non-significant
peak in the dry season. A litter usually consists of 2 cubs. Unlike
some other leopards, Sri Lanka leopards appear too rarely cache
kills in trees. This is consistent with other populations where the
leopard is the apex predator as there is no requirement for them to
store their prey in places which are inaccessible to other predators.
The leopard is a highly adaptable felid. It inhabits both the semi-
arid, thorn scrub of the lowlands and the dense montane cloud forest
of the highlands. However, it is essentially a forest animal: even
those adapted to semi-arid conditions appear to have a physiological
need for shade during the heat of the day. Although in Sri Lanka it
is the least nocturnal of all the felids, in places where it has
learned to fear man, the leopard becomes much more cautious and
nocturnal. It is usually solitary, unless accompanied by dependent
young or during courtship and mating. In undisturbed areas, it
spends considerable part of its daily activity on the ground,
seeking refuge of the trees only at times. Rocky outcrops are often
used as vantage points.

The leopard has excellent night vision, and hunts largely on sight.
It is more an opportunistic predator than any other felid, and will
attempt to kill any prey it comes across. As predators, leopards
must spend a considerable amount of time locating and capturing
prey. The classic hunt consists of stalk, chase and kill. Despite
its relatively small body size, the leopard is still capable of
taking large prey, and is extremely adaptable to changes in prey
availability. In general, females with cubs are more successful in
killing the prey that they encounter than males. Females also use
their slightly smaller home ranges more effectively in capturing
prey. Should the prey density become very low however, a female
would range over a wider area, since her behaviour is usually more
closely keyed to resources, given the responsibility of raising
young. Leopards at times may drag their kill up into the branches of
tall trees in order to avoid the unwelcome attention of other
predators and scavengers such as jackals, wild boar or crocodiles.
Leopards seem to prefer prey in the 20-70 kg size category, with an
upper limit at about 225 kg; two or three times the weight of the
cat itself.

The leopard always attacks its large quadruped prey by seizing it by
the throat with its teeth and strangling it while grasping it firmly
round the neck and shoulders with its strong forelegs, and commence
feeding on the soft parts of the belly first. The amount of meat
eaten by an adult leopard may vary from 8 to 18 kg in 12 hours.
Given that almost a quarter of the kill consists of inedible
portions, a leopard may have to kill prey amounting to 487-584 kg
per year to survive. Although it's principal prey in Sri Lanka is
the spotted deer (Axis axis), several other herbivores may function
as buffer prey items. When the prey types available in an area are
grouped according to their size, a clear preference for medium-sized
herbivorous mammals emerges in leopard kills. Scats show the remains
of wild boar (Sus scrofa), mouse deer (Moschiola meminna), porcupine
(Hystrix indica), black-naped hare (Lepus nigricollis) and even
water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). Especially significant is the
leopard's capacity to subsist on small prey such as rodents, snakes,
game birds, even when "normal" prey is available. It can even feed
on carrion. It is this catholicity of diet that enables the leopard
to prey off a wide range of herbivore species and other food
resources. Man-eating leopards are rare in Sri Lanka: the famous
Punani man-eater was shot over its last human kill by R. Shelton
Agar in 1924, after it had killed and devoured at least 12
people.

The main vocalization of the leopard is a rough, rasping sound
similar to that of a saw cutting wood. Through these calls, leopards
are able to maintain their spacing and also respond to members of
the opposite sex during the breeding season. In addition, leopards
also hiss and growl when angry, grunt when alarmed, and caterwaul
when treed by dogs. Home range size in carnivores increases with the
metabolic needs of the animals. The minimum estimates of the home
range of the leopard in Sri Lanka vary from 4 to 10.5 km2. Females
occupy territories that may overlap with those of other females
slightly. But the much larger male territories overlap those of
several females in an area. The boundaries of the territories are
defended in fights and are marked throughout by urine sprayed onto
logs, tree-trunks, and bushes in the course of the leopard's
extensive travels around its territory. However, a leopard usually
covers a great part of its range every few days, and rarely stays in
one spot for two nights in succession. While the male home ranges do
not overlap, the adult females might share a part of their range
with a male. Within their home ranges, the leopards scent-mark by
squirting urine on trees and bushes. Leopards also make scrape marks
on the ground, on trunks of trees and defecate in prominent places,
to communicate their presence in the area. The density at which
leopards occur varies with the availability of prey. In Block I of
Ruhuna National Park, Sri Lanka, where prey is abundant, leopards
occur at an average density of about 0.25 per km2.
Felids appear to be seasonally polyestrous in temperate regions and
completely polyestrous in the tropics. Leopards reproduce when they
are 2-3 years old. The onset of breeding may be associated with the
rasping calls, which increase in frequency during estrous. Females
are sexually receptive at 3-7 week intervals, and the period of
receptivity lasts for a few days, during which mating is frequent.
After a gestation period of about 98-105 days, on average 3 cubs are
born blind and furred in a burrow, hollow log or in a rocky cave.
They are weaned in three months. Leopard cubs are adapted for
a "feast and famine" food regime from a very early age. Male cubs
usually disperse from the natal area when they are about between 8
months and 2 years old, while female cubs remain within the mother's
territory and eventually take over a part or all of her territory.
Average longevity in the wild could be about 10 years, although in
captivity leopards may live up to 20 years.
Threats:

The survival of the Sri Lanka leopard has been threatened due to
poaching, habitat loss, and persecution. Despite these threats, the
animal is highly adaptable and is able to live in close proximity to
human settlements. Years of civil unrest in Sri Lanka have hampered
conservation efforts, especially in the Wilpattu national park and
eastern regions contested by government forces and the LTTE (The
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, commonly known as the Tamil
Tigers).
Leopard Poaching:
Around the world, leopards are in trouble. The big spotted cats have
been hunted to extinction in some areas, and their habitat - which
ranges from dry desert to moist jungle - is under pressure from
growing human populations. Leopard lovers in Sri Lanka and elsewhere
are taking steps to protect these powerful creatures. But while
parks and preserves have helped save leopard habitat, the cat's
striking pelt continues to make it an attractive target for
poachers. While not as fashionable as they once were, a leopard fur
can still fetch thousands of dollars on the black market.

In Sri Lanka, researchers believe poaching has helped reduce leopard
populations by up to 75 percent over the last century. While firm
numbers are scarce, biologists estimate that less than 500 of the
big cats remain in the island nation, which lies off India's
southern coast. Most are thought to be in three national parks,
including the Yala preserve.

To get a better picture of Sri Lanka's leopard populations, the Sri
Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society is currently helping sponsor
several studies. Among other findings, researchers have confirmed
that the Sri Lankan leopard is a genetically-distinct subspecies
(Panthera pardus kotiya) that has its own unique habits. But
studying wild leopards isn't easy, as they are expert at hiding
themselves in the forest's brush and shadows. And they are most
active at night, further complicating surveys.

Researchers are also keeping an eye on poaching, which the society
calls "one of biggest threats" to Sri Lanka's leopards. Over the
last few years, they have documented at least 25 leopards killed by
poachers, but "it is obvious that many more leopards must be killed
island-wide that go unrecorded," society officials note. They've
also surveyed historical records, turning up dozens of cases -
including the 1996 discovery of the postal package holding the
finely-prepared leopard skin. As in many other cases, police were
never able to find the poacher.

In their hunt for profit, leopard poachers threaten more than just
the cats, biologists note. They also threaten to destabilize entire
ecosystems by removing a top predator. "The vital role that the Sri
Lankan leopard plays as the only substantial predator in the
ecosystem cannot be overstated," say wildlife society
biologists. "Removing this top cat from the arid zone environment,
for example, would have dramatic consequences for a host of species
lower on the food chain." If the leopards don't keep populations of
grazing animals in check, for instance, the grazers could soon
denude important forests and grasslands.

Leopard lovers hope to prevent such ecological catastrophes by
learning more about leopard habits and answering key questions, such
as how much territory the big cats need to survive. And, eventually,
they hope that people will see that a leopard's skin is more
valuable on a living animal than it is on a wall.
Conservation:
                                                          Further
research into the Sri Lanka leopard is needed for any conservation
measure to be effective. The Leopard Project under the Wilderness
and Wildlife Conservation Trust (WWCT) is working closely with the
government of Sri Lanka to ensure this occurs. The Sri Lanka
Wildlife Conservation Society will also undertake some studies. The
WWCT are currently engaged in the central hills region where
fragmentation of the leopard's habitat is rapidly occurring.
The number of predators in Sri Lanka is a measure of the island's
biological diversity and ecological richness. The existence of
carnivores highlights the presence of a much larger ecological
community, of which the leopard is at the top of the food chain. The
leopard was once very numerous and widespread in Sri Lanka. Just how
numerous it was could be appreciated from the numbers that were
killed officially: between 1872 and 1899, a total of 8,473 animals
were destroyed for which rewards were paid. In the Mannar District
alone, 582 leopards were killed between 1854 and 1886. At the turn
of the century, the number of leopards in the island was estimated
at 1,660, when at least 50% of the land was under forest cover.
Since then however, the forest cover has declined to less than 23%,
while the human population has increased to over 19 million by 2000.
Any assessment of leopard numbers is difficult, given the secretive
nature of the felid and its capacity to exist in unlikely localities
without betraying its presence. Today, perhaps between 400 - 600
leopards may survive in Sri Lanka. While it is impossible to be
certain that this conservative estimate is correct, it is clear that
the numbers of the leopard in Sri Lanka can now be measured
in `hundreds' whereas in the last century, it would have been
estimated in `thousands'. The greatest threat to any wild felid
comes from the increasing use of poison in agricultural areas. Given
its propensity for scavenging, the leopard is more susceptible to
taking poisoned meat. It is also widely poached for its skin, even
within protected areas. Thus the leopard is subject to the
vicissitudes of the illegal fur trade coupled with the acceleration
of its habitat destruction. Therefore it may be among the most
seriously endangered species of large mammals in Sri Lanka. Today,
the leopard survives in a few small populations of unknown size. Yet
not all small populations are ipso facto doomed. If habitat and
other resources are available, and if the area is well protected, a
species may increase rapidly. If several small, isolated populations
persist, gene flow may possibly be maintained artificially by an
occasional exchange of individuals. Conservation areas that support
leopards in Sri Lanka must be of sufficient size to ensure at least
the minimum viable populations could survive within their
boundaries. Outside protected areas; the best opportunity for
leopard conservation appears to lie in some form of multiple-use-
pattern of forest development. The future for all wild cats in Sri
Lanka is not likely to be rosy, if habitat loss continues unabated.
The unnecessary extinction of any species represents a loss to human
welfare.
The Future:
Devising a balanced conservation strategy for the Sri Lankan leopard
is becoming more and more important and it is hoped that by gaining
insight into the demography, range use and behaviour patterns of the
leopards this study can provide an initial, solid groundwork from
which informed and progressive decisions can be made. For the
habitat of the leopard is fast disappearing and if this remarkable
species is to be preserved in the remaining habitable pockets an
increased understanding of them is essential.

In Sri Lanka it is the elephant (Elephus maximus) that has been used
as the flagship species for conservation (Jayawardene, 1994). The
leopard, other than for a few indirect and direct studies (Eisenberg
& Lockhart, 1972; Santiapillai, 1982; Amarasiri de Silva &
Jayaratne, 1995), has largely been ignored and its conservation not
adequately addressed. The importance of a full-scale leopard
research project is therefore critical for the preservation of this
vital predator species.

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nimr, Hemprich & Ehrenberg 1833) in the Arabia's Wildlife Centre,
Desert Park, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Gazelle: The Palestinian
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20Arabian%20Leopard%20in%20the%20Arabia-s%20Wildlife%20Centre-%
20Sharjah-%20UAE
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Zum 1. Todestag : Eine
Persönlichkeit aus Jaffa, Palästina / The First Death Anniversary :
A Personality from Jaffa, Palestine : Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf (Abu
Ali) (1938-2006). Gazelle: Das Palästinensische Biologische
Bulletin. Nummer 62, Februar 2007, Muharram 1428 AH. Seite 11.
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Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). A
Recent Record of the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita harrisoni,
Hemmer, Grubb and Groves 1976) from the Kuwaiti Desert, State of
Kuwait. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 64,
April 2007, Rabi'e Al-Awal 1428 AH. pp. 1-20. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. (Article in Arabic; Abstract in English, Kurzfassung in
Deutsch; References in English, German and Arabic).
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20Sand%20Cat%20from%20the%20Kuwaiti%20Desert-%20State%20of%20Kuwait
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Sahrawi (Desert Cat or Sand Cat). Wikipedia, Al-Mawsu'a Al-Hurra
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#1610;
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D9%88%D9%8A
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). The
First Sight Record of the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita
harrisoni, Hemmer, Grubb and Groves 1976) from the Gaza Strip,
Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 65,
May 2007, Rabi'e Al-Akher 1428 AH. pp. 1-19. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. (Article in English; Abstract in English and Arabic,
Kurzfassung in Deutsch; References in English, German and Arabic).
	  http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Gaza_Sand_Cat.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). The
Presence of the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita harrisoni) in the
State of Qatar. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number
65, May 2007, Rabi'e Al-Akher 1428 AH. p. 20. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Qatar_Sand_Cat.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Die
Sandkatze oder Wüstenkatze (Felis margarita, Loche 1858). Gazelle:
Das Palästinensische Biologische Bulletin. Nummer 66, Juni 2007,
Jamada Al-Ulla 1428 AH. Seiten 1-13. Sharjah, Vereinigte Arabische
Emirate. (Article in German; References in English, German and
Arabic).  http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Sandkatze.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007).
Haywanat Filistin (The Animals of Palestine). Wikipedia, Al-Mawsu'a
Al-Hurra (The Free Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. 2007.  http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/
حيوانات_فلسط&#\
1610;ن
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AA_%D9%81%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B7%D9%8A%D9%86
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007).
Sanuriyat (Felidae). Wikipedia, Al-Mawsu'a Al-Hurra (The Free
Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. 2007.
(Article in Arabic).
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/سنوريات
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B3%D9%86%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%
AA
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Der
Karakal oder Wüstenluchs (Caracal caracal, von Schreber 1776).
Gazelle: Das Palästinensische Biologische Bulletin. Nummer 67, Juli
2007, Jamada Al-Akhera 1428 AH. Seiten 1-12. Sharjah, Vereinigte
Arabische Emirate. (Article in German; References in English, German
and Arabic). http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Karakal.html
	                        Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman
Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Um Rishat (Caracal or Desert Lynx).
Wikipedia, Al-Mawsu'a Al-Hurra (The Free Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. 2007. (Article in Arabic).
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/أم_ريشات
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D8%AA
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). The
Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita harrisoni, Hemmer, Grubb and
Groves 1976) in Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. 2007.
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Palestine_Sand_Cat.html

Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Die
Sandkatze oder Wüstenkatze (Felis margarita, Loche 1858). Gazelle:
Das Palästinensische Biologische Bulletin. 2007. (Article in German;
References in English, German and Arabic).
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Sandkatze.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007).
Behavioural Observations on the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita
harrisoni, Hemmer, Grubb and Groves 1976) at Al Ain Zoo, Al Ain,
United Arab Emirates. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin.
2007. (Article in Arabic; References in English and German). Khalaf-
Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007).
Behavioural Observations on the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita
harrisoni, Hemmer, Grubb and Groves 1976) at the Arabia's Wildlife
Centre, Desert Park, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. 2007. (Article in Arabic;
References in English and German).
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007).
Felidae Arabica. A Zoological Journey in Palestine, Arabia and
Europe between 1980-2007 / Felidae Arabica. Eine Zoologische Reise
in Palaestina, Arabien und Europa zwischen 1980-2007. Erste Auflage
(First Edition), Juli 2007, 300 pp. Norman Ali Khalaf, Rilchingen-
Hanweiler, Deutschland & Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (in Arabic,
German and English).
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Felidae_Arabica.html

Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). The Story of Sabrina, the Gaza Zoo Lioness. Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 73, January 2008. pp. 1-20.
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Gaza_Lioness_Sabrina.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(Text) and Nora Norman Ali Bassam Khalaf (Drawings) (2008). Qisset
Al-Labu'a Sabrina fi Hadiqet Haywanat Ghaza (The Story of Sabrina,
the Gaza Zoo Lioness). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin.
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (Story in Arabic).
http://khalaf.homepage24.de/The%20Story%20of%20Sabrina,%20the%20Gaza%
20Zoo%20Lioness
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(Text) and Nora Norman Ali Bassam Khalaf (Drawings) (2008). Qisset
Al-Labu'a Sabrina fi Hadiqet Haywanat Ghaza / The Story of Sabrina,
the Gaza Zoo Lioness. First Edition. Dr. Norman Ali Khalaf-von
Jaffa, Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Germany & Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. (Publication in Summer 2008, in Arabic and English). ISBN
978-9948-03-603-6. English article Website:
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Gaza_Lioness_Sabrina.html &
Arabic Story Website: http://khalaf.homepage24.de/The%20Story%20of%
20Sabrina,%20the%20Gaza%20Zoo%20Lioness
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). The Zanzibar Leopard (Panthera pardus adersi, Pocock 1932).
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 74, February
2008. pp. 1-13. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Zanzibar_Leopard.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). Nimer Zanjibar (Zanzibar Leopard). Wikipedia, Al-Mawsu'a Al-
Hurra (The Free Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. Number 74, February 2008. Page 14. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. (Article in Arabic).
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%86%D9%85%D8%B1_%D8%B2%D9%86%D8%AC%
D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%
B1
                          Khalaf, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). Zum 2. Todestag : Eine Persoenlichkeit aus Jaffa,
Palaestina / The Second Death Anniversary : A Personality from
Jaffa, Palestine : Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf (Abu Ali) (1938-2006).
Gazelle: Das Palaestinensische Biologische Bulletin. Nummer 74,
Februar 2008, Muharram 1429 AH. Seite 15.  Sharjah, Vereinigte
Arabische Emirate.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Bassam_Khalaf.html
                                 Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc.
Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2008). Leopard Stamps from Zanzibar and
Tanzania. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 75,
March 2008. pp. 1-4. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
	                                  Khalaf-Sakerfalke von
Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2008). The Sri Lanka
leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya, Deraniyagala 1956). Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 76, April 2008. pp. 1-17.
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Sri_Lanka_Leopard.html

Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). Nimer Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka leopard). Wikipedia, Al-Mawsu'a
Al-Hurra (The Free Encyclopedia).  Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Number 76, April 2008. Page 18. Sharjah, United
Arab Emirates. (in Arabic).  http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%86%
D9%85%D8%B1_%D8%B3%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%83%D8%A7
Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa,
Zoologist, Ecologist and Geologist: The Scientific References (1980-
2008).
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Khalaf_References.html

Kittle, A. M & A. Watson (2004). Distribution and Status of the Sri
Lankan leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya). A Short Report. CAT NEWS.
NO:41, Autumn 2004.  http://www.wwct.org/island_distribution.php
Leopards of Sri Lanka - Sri Lanka Leopard Watching Tours and
Holidays - Sri Lanka Wildlife Holidays.
http://www.srilankanexpeditions.com/tour.php?id=31
Leopards of Yala. Leopard Poaching. Nature.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/leopards/print/poaching.html
Leopard Panthera pardus (Linnaeus, 1758).
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Miththapala, Sriyanie; John Seidensticker, Stephen J. O'Brien (1996)
Phylogeographic Subspecies Recognition in Leopards (Panthera
pardus): Molecular Genetic Variation
Conservation Biology 10 (4), 1115–1132.
Muckenhirn, N.A.; Eisenberg, J.F. (1973). Home ranges and predation
of the Ceylon leopard (Panthera pardus fusca). Pages 142-175 in The
World's Cats. 1(1). R. L. Eaton (Editor). World Wildlife Safari,
Winston, Oregon.
Panthera pardus kotiya, Deraniyagala 1956. Taxonomic Serial No.:
726468 . ITIS Report.
http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?
search_topic=TSN&search_value=726468


Phillips, W.W.A. (1935) (revised 1980). Manual of the Mammals of
Ceylon. Wildlife and Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka.
Prater, S. H. (1965). The book of Indian animals. Bombay Nat. Hist.
Soc. Press, Bombay, 324 pp.
Santiapillai, C. (1982). The Leopard Panthera pardus fusca in the
Ruhuna National Park, Sri Lanka, and observations relevant to its
conservation. Biological Conservation 23:5-14.
Sri Lanka Leopard Safari. http://www.go-lanka.com/sri-
lanka/leopard_safari.html
SRI LANKA: WILD LIFE, FAUNA & FLORA.
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The Leopard of Sri Lanka. http://www.manrecap.com/leopard.html
The Leopard Project. Wilderness and Wildlife Conservation Trust. Sri
Lanka.  http://www.wwct.org/leopard.php
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http://www.yalavillage.com/yala-national-park-sri-lanka.html


Article Reference:
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). The Sri Lanka leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya, Deraniyagala
1956). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 76,
April 2008. pp. 1-17. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Sri_Lanka_Leopard.html

Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). Leopard Stamps from Zanzibar and Tanzania. Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 75, March 2008. pp. 1-4.
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

"Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin": Number 74 is out.

Regular Monthly Bulletin – Published in the United Arab Emirates.

Number 74 – Twenty-sixth Year – February 2008 CE – Muharram 1429 AH.

Publisher: Dr. Norman Ali Khalaf-von Jaffa,
P.O.Box 37038, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.


Contents:
1- The Zanzibar Leopard (Panthera pardus adersi, Pocock 1932).

2- Nimer Zanjibar (Zanzibar Leopard).

3- Zum 2. Todestag : Eine Persönlichkeit aus Jaffa, Palästina / The
Second Death Anniversary : A Personality from Jaffa, Palestine :
Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf (Abu Ali) (1938-2006).


References:
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). The Zanzibar Leopard (Panthera pardus adersi, Pocock 1932).
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 74, February
2008. pp. 1-13. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Zanzibar_Leopard.html

Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). Nimer Zanjibar (Zanzibar Leopard). Wikipedia, Al-Mawsu'a Al-
Hurra (The Free Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. Number 74, February 2008. Page 14. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. (Article in Arabic).
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%86%D9%85%D8%B1_%D8%B2%D9%86%D8%AC%
D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1

Khalaf, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2008). Zum 2.
Todestag : Eine Persönlichkeit aus Jaffa, Palästina / The Second
Death Anniversary : A Personality from Jaffa, Palestine : Bassam Ali
Taher Khalaf (Abu Ali) (1938-2006). Gazelle: Das Palästinensische
Biologische Bulletin. Nummer 74, Februar 2008, Muharram 1429 AH.
Seite 15.  Sharjah, Vereinigte Arabische Emirate.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Bassam_Khalaf.html

The Zanzibar Leopard (Panthera pardus adersi, Pocock 1932).

By: Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa.

Website: http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Zanzibar_Leopard.html

*Note: This Article was published in "Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin". Number 74, February 2008, pp. 1-13.

The Zanzibar Leopard (Panthera pardus adersi, Pocock 1932) is an
elusive and possibly extinct subspecies of leopard endemic to Unguja
Island in the Zanzibar archipelago, part of Tanzania. Increasing
conflict between people and leopards in the 20th century led to
their demonization and determined attempts to exterminate them.
Efforts to develop a leopard conservation programme in the mid-1990s
were shelved when wildlife researchers concluded that there was
little prospect for the animal's long-term survival.

Evolutionary History:
The evolutionary history of the Zanzibar Leopard parallels that of
other endemics on Unguja, including the Zanzibar Servaline Genet and
the Zanzibar Red Colobus. It is thought to have evolved in isolation
from the African Leopard since at least the end of the last ice age,
when the island was separated from mainland Tanzania by rising sea
levels. The founder effect and adaptation to local conditions
produced a smaller leopard than its continental relatives and one
which "changed its spots", or rather saw its more numerous rosettes
partially disintegrate into spots.

Subspecies and Physical Characteristics:
The Zanzibar Leopard (Panthera pardus adersi) with its local
Kiswahili name "Chui Konge" has a dark colour with a faint spot
pattern and is now thought to be extinct.

There is a second Zanzibar Leopard subspecies (Panthera pardus
tenius) with its local Kiswahili name "Chui Kisutu" and is also
living in Unguja.
Both the two types of leopard recorded are smaller in size than
those on the mainland.
"Chui Kisutu" is lighter in colour with a compact spot pattern and
is still occasionally seen, especially in Southern Unguja.

Biology and Behaviour:
The biology and behaviour of the Zanzibar Leopard are poorly
understood. Only five skins have been located in museums, including
the type specimen in the Natural History Museum, London, and a much-
faded mounted specimen in the Zanzibar Museum. The Zanzibar Leopard
has never been studied in the wild and the last time a researcher
claimed in print to have seen one was in the early 1980s. Most
zoologists presume the Zanzibar Leopard to be extinct or very nearly
so. The population size is totally not known. However, Zanzibar
government statistics indicate that leopards were still being killed
by hunters in the mid-1990s, and islanders continue to report
sightings and the predation of livestock.


Demonization and Extermination:
Rural Zanzibaris' descriptions of the leopard and its habits are
coloured by the widespread belief that a large number of these
carnivores are kept by witches and sent by them to harm or otherwise
harass their fellow villagers and scare them off their homes. This
belief comes together with an elaborate package of ideas about how
leopards are bred, trained, exchanged and sent to do the evil
bidding of their owners. For local farmers this supplies a neat
explanation for predation by leopards, and more generally for their
appearance "out of place" in the vicinity of farms and villages.


The growth of human population and agriculture in the 20th century
was largely responsible for this state of affairs, as people
encroached on the habitat of leopards and the animals they preyed
upon. Increasing conflict with leopards and the fear that this
generated led to a series of campaigns to exterminate them. These
were localized at first, but became island-wide after the Zanzibar
Revolution of 1964, when a combined anti-witchcraft and leopard-
killing campaign was launched under the leadership of Unguja's most
famous witch-finder, Kitanzi. The long-term result of this campaign
and the subsequent classification of leopards as "vermin" were to
bring them to the brink of extinction.
Zanzibar Leopards are associated by local people with witchcraft and
are also hunted for their skins. There are reports that witchdoctors
on the islands keep these leopards in captivity to assist them with
their magic-making and it is possible that "Chui Konge" may still
survive in this context, although it is impossible to substantiate.


Conservation and other Proposals:
Lajos Jozsa (1995) wrote: "The Zanzibar Leopard: Despite of much
ignorance around biologists, this is the world's rarest cat! When I
first heard about the situation of this cat and I saw the
footprints, I contacted the IUCN when I got home. 15 months later,
when the first biologists were finally sent to the Island for a
field-study, there were no more leopards left! The Zanzibar Leopard
at the Zanzibar Museum is the only Zanzibar-leopard that you can
see, and it is stuffed since 1945. There's not even one picture of a
living one! Special: Brown spots, eats fish and is very small!"

Serious attention was not paid to the Zanzibar leopard's plight
until the mid-1990s, by which time some authorities were already
listing it as extinct. A leopard conservation programme was drafted
by the CARE-funded Jozani-Chwaka Bay Conservation Project, but
abandoned in 1997 when wildlife researchers failed to find evidence
for the leopard's continuing presence in and around Jozani Forest.


Local wildlife officials, however, have remained more optimistic
about the leopard's survival, and some Zanzibaris have proposed
approaching alleged leopard keepers in order to ask them to display
their leopards to paying visitors. Villagers sometimes offer to take
tourists or researchers to see "domesticated" leopards in return for
cash, but so far none of these "kept leopard chases" has been known
to end in a successful sighting.


References:

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(The Colouration of Animals). Al-Biology Bulletin. Number 1. January
1980, Safar 1401. Biological Society, Kuwait University, State of
Kuwait. pp. 4-5. (in Arabic).
Khalaf, Norman (1983). Al-Numour Fi Falestin (Leopards in
Palestine). Al-Khalisah Bulletin. The National Palestinian
Assemblage. Kuwait University, State of Kuwait. First Year. Number
3. April 1983. pp.18 -19. (in Arabic).
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (1985). Activity Patterns and Sexual
Behaviour of Snow Leopards, Panthera uncia (Schreber, 1775), at
Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust, Jersey Island. Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. United Kingdom. Number 7. Third
Year. September 1985. pp. 1-22.
Khalaf, Norman Ali B. (1986). The Siberian Tiger (Panthera tigris
altaica) in Saarbrücken Zoo, Germany. Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Federal Republic of Germany. Fourth Year.
Number 10. December 1986. pp. 1-9.
Khalaf, Norman Ali B. (1987). The Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) in
Saarbrücken Zoo, Germany. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. Federal Republic of Germany. Fifth Year. Number 11.
January 1987. pp. 1-10.
Khalaf, Norman (1987). Al-Numour Fi Falestin (The Leopards in
Palestine). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Rilchingen-
Hanweiler, Federal Republic of Germany. Fifth Year. Number 11,
Jamadi Alaula 1407 AH, January 1987 AD. pp. 12-13. (in Arabic).
Khalaf, Norman Ali B. (1987). The Sinai Leopard (Panthera pardus
jarvisi) in Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin.
Federal Republic of Germany. Fifth Year. Number 12. February 1987.
pp.1-9.
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (1987). A Trip to Kuwait Zoo, State of
Kuwait. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Rilchingen-
Hanweiler, Federal Republic of Germany. Fifth Year, Number 13,
Ramadan 1407 AH, April 1987 AD. pp. 1-5. (in Arabic).
Khalaf, Norman Ali B. (1988). Activity Patterns and Reproductive
Behaviour of Snow Leopards, Panthera uncia (Schreber, 1775) at
Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust, Jersey Island. International
Pedigree Book of Snow Leopards, Panthera uncia. Volume 5, pp. 61 -
71. Editor: Leif Blomqvist, Helsinki Zoo, Finland.
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (1989). Notes on the Caracal Lynx Caracal
caracal. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Bonn-Bad
Godesberg, Federal Republic of Germany. Number 19, Seventh Year,
December 1989. pp. 1-2. (in Arabic).
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam (1991). A Trip to Zoo Budapest,
Hungary. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Bonn-Bad
Godesberg, Federal Republic of Germany. Number 21, Ninth Year,
January 1991. pp. 1-4.
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam (1992). An Introduction to the
Animal Life in Palestine. Gazelle. Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Federal Republic of
Germany. Number 30, Tenth Year, October 1992. pp. 1-7. (in Arabic).
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam (1994). An Introduction to the
Animal Life in Palestine. Shqae'q Al-Nouma'n (Anemone coronaria). A
Quarterly Magazine Issued by the Program EAI (Education for
Awareness and for Involvement). Environmental Education / Children
for Nature Protection. In Cooperation with Dept. of General and
Higher Education. P.L.O., Palestine. Number 4. Huzairan (June) 1994.
pp. 16-21. (in Arabic).
Acquaintance Card: Majallet Al-Ghazzal (Gazelle Magazine): The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Bonn, Germany. Shqae'q Al-Nouma'n
(Anemone coronaria). A Quarterly Magazine Issued by the Program EAI
(Education for Awareness and for Involvement). Environmental
Education / Children for Nature Protection. In Cooperation with
Dept. of General and Higher Education. P.L.O., Palestine. Number 4.
Huzairan (June) 1994. pp. 51-52. (in Arabic).
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (2001). The Extinct and Endangered Animals
in Palestine. In: Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin Home
Page. Extinct and Endangered Animals and Reintroduction.
http://gazelle.8m.net/photo3.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (2001). Threatened Mammals. In: Gazelle:
The Palestinian Biological Bulletin Home Page. Extinct and
Endangered Animals and Reintroduction.
http://gazelle.8m.net/photo3.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (2001). Wild Cats in Palestine. In:
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin Homepage. / Gazelle:
Das Palästinensische Biologische Bulletin Webseite. (ISSN 0178-
6288). http://gazelle.8m.net/contact.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam (2001). Leopards in Palestine. In:
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin Homepage.
http://gazelle.8m.net/whats_new.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2004). Gazelle: Das Palästinensische
Biologische Bulletin. Eine Wissenschaftliche Reise in Palästina,
Arabien und Europa zwischen 1983 – 2004. Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. A Scientific Journey in Palestine, Arabia and
Europe between 1983 – 2004. Erste Auflage, Juli 2004: 452 Seiten.
Zweite erweiterte Auflage, August 2004: 460 Seiten. Norman Ali
Khalaf, Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Germany.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Gazelle_Bulletin.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). The Leopards of Palestine.
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. United Arab Emirates.
Number 41. Twenty Third Year. May 2005. pp. 1-9.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Palestine_Leopard.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). Der Arabische Leopard (Panthera
pardus nimr). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number
42. Twenty Third Year. June 2005. pp. 1-8. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates.  www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Arabischer_Leopard.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (Gründer) (seit Juni
2005). Raubkatzen. Der Treffpunkt für Raubkatzen-freunde. Yahoo!
Deutschland Groups.  http://de.groups.yahoo.com/group/Raubkatzen/
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). The Mammals in Dubai Zoo, Dubai
City, United Arab Emirates. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
bulletin. Number 45, September 2005. pp. 1-14. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates.
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). The Rafah Zoo in the Rafah
Refugee Camp, Gaza Strip, Palestine : A Story of Destruction by the
Israeli Occupation Army. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. Number 46, October 2005. pp. 1-11. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates.
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). The Qalqilia Zoo and the
Natural History Museum in the City of Qalqilia, West Bank, Occupied
Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 47,
November 2005. pp. 1-10. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam (Member of PALESTA) (2005).
Palestinian Scientists and Technologists Abroad (PALESTA). Gazelle:
The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 47, Twenty-third Year,
November 2005, Shawal 1426. pp. 11-12. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. (in Arabic).
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2005). The Arabian Carnivores in the
Arabia's Wildlife Centre, Sharjah Desert Park, United Arab Emirates.
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 48. December
2005. pp. 1-9. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (in Arabic).
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2006). Der Asiatische oder Persische
Löwe (Panthera leo persica). Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. Number 49, January 2006. pp. 1-5. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Asiatischer_Loewe.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2006). Felidae Palaestina: The Wild
Cats of Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin.
Number 52, April 2006. pp. 1-15. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Felidae_Palaestina.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2006). Der Asiatische oder Iranische
Gepard (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus). Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Number 53, May 2006. pp. 1-7. Sharjah, United
Arab Emirates.  www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Asiatischer_Gepard.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2006). Die Rohrkatze (Felis chaus).
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 54, June 2006.
pp. 1-8. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Rohrkatze.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2006). Mammalia
Palaestina: The Mammals of Palestine / Die Säugetiere Palästinas.
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 55, Twenty-
fourth Year, July 2006, Jumada Al-Thania 1427. pp. 1-46. Sharjah,
United Arab Emirates.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Mammalia_Palaestina1.html (Part 1) &
	  www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Mammalia_Palaestina2.html (Part
2) &
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Mammalia_Palaestina3.html (References).

Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali (2006). Mammalia Arabica. Eine
Zoologische Reise in Palästina, Arabien und Europa zwischen 1980-
2006 / Mammalia Arabica. A Zoological Journey in Palestine, Arabia
and Europe between 1980-2006. Erste Auflage, Juli 2006, 484 pp.
Norman Ali Khalaf, Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Deutschland & Sharjah,
United Arab Emirates.
	 www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Mammalia_Arabica.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2006). The Asiatic or
Persian Lion (Panthera leo persica) in Palestine. In: Mammalia
Arabica. A Zoological Journey in Palestine, Arabia and Europe
between 1980-2006. Erste Auflage, Juli 2006. Norman Ali Khalaf,
Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Deutschland und Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
pp. 147-149.   www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Lion_Palestine.html
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2006). Eine Persönlichkeit aus
Jaffa, Palästina / A Personality from Jaffa, Palestine: Bassam Ali
Taher Khalaf (Abu Ali) (1938-2006). Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Number 56, Twenty-fourth Year, August 2006. pp.
8-19. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Bassam_Khalaf.html
Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2006). The Asiatic or
Persian Lion (Panthera leo persica, Meyer 1826) in Palestine and the
Arabian and Islamic Region. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. Number 58, October 2006, Ramadan 1427 H. pp. 1-13.
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Asiatic_Lion.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2006). Ein
Besuch im Neunkircher Zoo, Neunkirchen, Saarland, Deutschland / A
Visit to Neunkirchen Zoo, Neunkirchen, Saarland, Germany. Gazelle:
The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 59, November 2006. pp.1-
25. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (in Arabisch / Arabic).
http://khalaf.homepage24.de/Ein%20Besuch%20im%20Neunkircher%20Zoo-%
20Neunkirchen-%20Saarland-%20Deutschland
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2006). 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. Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Number 60, December 2006. pp. 1-10. Sharjah,
United Arab Emirates.
	 www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Chinese_Leopard.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007).
Behavioural Observations on the Arabian Leopard (Panthera pardus
nimr, Hemprich & Ehrenberg 1833) in the Arabia's Wildlife Centre,
Desert Park, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Number 61, January 2007, Thu Al-Hijja 1427 AH.
pp. 1-14. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (Article in Arabic;
References in English and German).
http://khalaf.homepage24.de/Behavioural%20Observations%20on%20the%
20Arabian%20Leopard%20in%20the%20Arabia-s%20Wildlife%20Centre-%
20Sharjah-%20UAE
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Zum 1. Todestag : Eine
Persönlichkeit aus Jaffa, Palästina / The First Death Anniversary :
A Personality from Jaffa, Palestine : Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf (Abu
Ali) (1938-2006). Gazelle: Das Palästinensische Biologische
Bulletin. Nummer 62, Februar 2007, Muharram 1428 AH. Seite 11.
Sharjah, Vereinigte Arabische Emirate.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Bassam_Khalaf.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). A
Recent Record of the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita harrisoni,
Hemmer, Grubb and Groves 1976) from the Kuwaiti Desert, State of
Kuwait. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 64,
April 2007, Rabi'e Al-Awal 1428 AH. pp. 1-20. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. (Article in Arabic; Abstract in English, Kurzfassung in
Deutsch; References in English, German and Arabic).
http://khalaf.homepage24.de/A%20Recent%20Record%20of%20the%20Arabian%
20Sand%20Cat%20from%20the%20Kuwaiti%20Desert-%20State%20of%20Kuwait
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Qit
Sahrawi (Desert Cat or Sand Cat). Wikipedia, Al-Mawsu'a Al-Hurra
(The Free Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. Number 64, April 2007, Rabi'e Al-Awal 1428 AH. p. 21.
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (Article in Arabic).
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#1610;
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D9%88%D9%8A
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). The
First Sight Record of the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita
harrisoni, Hemmer, Grubb and Groves 1976) from the Gaza Strip,
Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 65,
May 2007, Rabi'e Al-Akher 1428 AH. pp. 1-19. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. (Article in English; Abstract in English and Arabic,
Kurzfassung in Deutsch; References in English, German and Arabic).
	  http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Gaza_Sand_Cat.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). The
Presence of the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita harrisoni) in the
State of Qatar. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number
65, May 2007, Rabi'e Al-Akher 1428 AH. p. 20. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Qatar_Sand_Cat.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Die
Sandkatze oder Wüstenkatze (Felis margarita, Loche 1858). Gazelle:
Das Palästinensische Biologische Bulletin. Nummer 66, Juni 2007,
Jamada Al-Ulla 1428 AH. Seiten 1-13. Sharjah, Vereinigte Arabische
Emirate. (Article in German; References in English, German and
Arabic).  http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Sandkatze.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007).
Haywanat Filistin (The Animals of Palestine). Wikipedia, Al-Mawsu'a
Al-Hurra (The Free Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. 2007.  http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/
حيوانات_فلسط&#\
1610;ن
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%AD%D9%8A%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%
AA_%D9%81%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B7%D9%8A%D9%86
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007).
Sanuriyat (Felidae). Wikipedia, Al-Mawsu'a Al-Hurra (The Free
Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. 2007.
(Article in Arabic).
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http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B3%D9%86%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%
AA
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Der
Karakal oder Wüstenluchs (Caracal caracal, von Schreber 1776).
Gazelle: Das Palästinensische Biologische Bulletin. Nummer 67, Juli
2007, Jamada Al-Akhera 1428 AH. Seiten 1-12. Sharjah, Vereinigte
Arabische Emirate. (Article in German; References in English, German
and Arabic). http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Karakal.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Um
Rishat (Caracal or Desert Lynx). Wikipedia, Al-Mawsu'a Al-Hurra (The
Free Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin.
2007. (Article in Arabic).
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/أم_ريشات
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D8%AA
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). The
Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita harrisoni, Hemmer, Grubb and
Groves 1976) in Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. 2007.
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Palestine_Sand_Cat.html

Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Die
Sandkatze oder Wüstenkatze (Felis margarita, Loche 1858). Gazelle:
Das Palästinensische Biologische Bulletin. 2007. (Article in German;
References in English, German and Arabic).
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Sandkatze.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007).
Behavioural Observations on the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita
harrisoni, Hemmer, Grubb and Groves 1976) at Al Ain Zoo, Al Ain,
United Arab Emirates. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin.
2007. (Article in Arabic; References in English and German). Khalaf-
Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007).
Behavioural Observations on the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita
harrisoni, Hemmer, Grubb and Groves 1976) at the Arabia's Wildlife
Centre, Desert Park, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. 2007. (Article in Arabic;
References in English and German).
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007).
Felidae Arabica. A Zoological Journey in Palestine, Arabia and
Europe between 1980-2007 / Felidae Arabica. Eine Zoologische Reise
in Palaestina, Arabien und Europa zwischen 1980-2007. Erste Auflage
(First Edition), Juli 2007, 300 pp. Norman Ali Khalaf, Rilchingen-
Hanweiler, Deutschland & Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (in Arabic,
German and English).
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Felidae_Arabica.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). The Story of Sabrina, the Gaza Zoo Lioness. Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 73, January 2008. pp. 1-20.
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Gaza_Lioness_Sabrina.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(Text) and Nora Norman Ali Bassam Khalaf (Drawings) (2008). Qisset
Al-Labu'a Sabrina fi Hadiqet Haywanat Ghaza (The Story of Sabrina,
the Gaza Zoo Lioness). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin.
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (Story in Arabic).
http://khalaf.homepage24.de/The%20Story%20of%20Sabrina,%20the%20Gaza%
20Zoo%20Lioness
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(Text) and Nora Norman Ali Bassam Khalaf (Drawings) (2008). Qisset
Al-Labu'a Sabrina fi Hadiqet Haywanat Ghaza / The Story of Sabrina,
the Gaza Zoo Lioness. First Edition. Dr. Norman Ali Khalaf-von
Jaffa, Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Germany & Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. (Publication in Summer 2008, in Arabic and English). ISBN
978-9948-03-603-6. English article Website:
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Gaza_Lioness_Sabrina.html &
Arabic Story Website: http://khalaf.homepage24.de/The%20Story%20of%
20Sabrina,%20the%20Gaza%20Zoo%20Lioness
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). The Zanzibar Leopard (Panthera pardus adersi, Pocock 1932).
Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 74, February
2008. pp. 1-13. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Zanzibar_Leopard.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). Nimer Zanjibar (Zanzibar Leopard). Wikipedia, Al-Mawsu'a Al-
Hurra (The Free Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. Number 74, February 2008. Page 14. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. (Article in Arabic).
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%86%D9%85%D8%B1_%D8%B2%D9%86%D8%AC%
D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1
Khalaf, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2008). Zum 2.
Todestag : Eine Persönlichkeit aus Jaffa, Palästina / The Second
Death Anniversary : A Personality from Jaffa, Palestine : Bassam Ali
Taher Khalaf (Abu Ali) (1938-2006). Gazelle: Das Palästinensische
Biologische Bulletin. Nummer 74, Februar 2008, Muharram 1429 AH.
Seite 15.  Sharjah, Vereinigte Arabische Emirate.
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The Story of Sabrina, the Gaza Zoo Lioness.*

By: Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa.

Website:
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Gaza_Lioness_Sabrina.html


*Note: This Article was published in "Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin". Number 73, January 2008, pp. 1-20.


On Sunday, the 27th of November 2005 the world media brought a story
about some masked gunmen who raided the only Palestinian zoo in the
Gaza Strip, and stole the four-month-old lion cub, Sabrina.

Zoo manager Sa'oud Al-Shawwa announced a $1,000 reward for anyone
who provides information that could help find the lion cub and a
pair of parrots that were also stolen.

The lion cub is reported to weigh about 20kg (44lb), and can eat her
way through several kilograms of meat each day.
When fully grown, lionesses can reach 130kg (287lb) or more.

As well as lions and parrots, the zoo is home to squirrels, monkeys,
an ostrich and some household pets.

Police originally asked the zoo to keep the theft a secret so as not
to hamper their investigation. But two weeks later they have heard
nothing of Sabrina and hope that the publicity will help track her
down.

"Thousands of people visit the zoo and they will miss these animals,
especially the lion," Al-Shawwa said. "We have different species of
animals here and we urge the Palestinian security forces to help us
find the stolen animals."

Sources in Gaza City said at least four gunmen armed with
Kalashnikov guns broke into the zoo late at night. After they
handcuffed the guard and locked him up in the cafeteria, the thieves
first stole two white and grey parrots that speak a few words in
Arabic.
The thieves managed to seize the lion cub after throwing a blanket
over its head. Their attempt to capture her cage mate "Sakher"
failed after the animal showed fierce resistance.

"The whole operation lasted less than 30 minutes," Al-Shawwa
added. "The thieves must have visited the zoo before to examine the
place. The zoo was officially opened two months ago."
The manager said it was unclear to him why anyone would want to
steal a lion that consumes at least three kilograms of meat every
day. "This lion can't be bought or sold [in the black market]," he
noted.
"Now you see we are forced to put armed guards at this zoo to
protect our animals and birds," Al-Shawwa told the media.

Police believe the animals have not been taken out of the Gaza
Strip, and are being imprisoned, perhaps by a Mafia-style gang.
There are suspicions that Sabrina was kidnapped to be kept as a show
of strength by a criminal gang.
They have received intelligence suggesting that Sabrina is still
alive, but appear no closer to catching the kidnappers.

Sakher has been traumatized by the loss of Sabrina, refusing to eat
his meat and acting listless, Al-Shawwa said.

The Gaza zoo opened in October 2005 - a sign of normalization for
many Palestinians looking for improvement in their lives after
Israel withdrew from the coastal strip in September 2005. The
strip's previous zoo in the border town of Rafah was destroyed in an
Israeli army operation in May 2004.

There was no news about Sabrina's whereabouts for more than 20
months, and there had been growing concern about her safety; but on
Monday, the 9th of July 2007 the world media brought the good news.

Hamas officials in Gaza managed to return the lioness "Sabrina' to
its home in the Gaza private zoo, more than 20 months after it was
stolen at gunpoint.

Members of Hamas' executive force located the big cat that was taken
from its Gaza home in November 2005 during a raid on a reputed crime
family's home.
Local authorities also seized a significant amount of weapons and
drugs during the police raid and after exchanging fire with the
gunmen. There was no word on the Arabic-speaking parrots.

Zoo officials said the animal's captors had been using Sabrina as a
prop, charging people five shekels ($1.40) to be photographed with
her.
The lioness was found malnourished and missing the tip of her tail,
along with four teeth and several claws.
"The thieves had cut off the end of her tail, the black hair that is
considered to be the symbol of pride of African lions. I am very sad
for her, She must have felt very humiliated," said zoo veterinarian
Sa'oud Al-Shawwa.
Vets who examined Sabrina said she looked in poor health and shows
signs of traumatic stress disorder and maybe mistreatment.
Sa'oud Al-Shawwa, who owns the zoo the lioness was forcibly taken
from, said the feline would receive immediate medical care to nurse
it back to health.
"We will start a long, arduous treatment to ensure she can survive.
She will only eat minced meat from now on, so we feel sorry for
her," he told the media. "They should punish the criminals who did
this."

Sabrina was stolen soon after she and her brother, Sakher, were
brought to Gaza from Egypt as cubs. She was found during a Hamas
raid on the compound of a Gaza clan.
The Hassanein family lives in a large compound that houses dozens of
families and can call on hundreds of gunmen in disputes. A group of
gunmen overpowered the zoo's night watchmen and threw blankets over
Sabrina.
They also tried to take Sakher, but he managed to scare them off.

The lioness, the only one of its species in the entire Gaza Strip,
was stolen by members of the powerful Hassanein clan, which is known
for its involvement in weapons and drug trafficking.
Although the Palestinian Authority security forces knew the identity
of the thieves, they never made an attempt to restore the lioness.
Even when members of the clan strolled the streets of Gaza City with
their "pet", Palestinian Authority policemen never tried to arrest
them.

Sources in Gaza City said some 50 members of Hamas's paramilitary
Executive Force on Sunday (8 July 2007) night raided the homes of
some of the Hassanein clan in the Shajaiyeh neighborhood and
confiscated the lioness, which was suffering from malnutrition and
exhaustion.

The sources said the leaders of the clan were known for their close
ties with senior Fatah political and security officials in the Gaza
Strip. During the raid, the Hamas militiamen also confiscated
various types of drugs and dozens of rifles and pistols.
The raid on the homes of the Hassaneins was part of a major
crackdown on large and influential clans in the Gaza Strip whose
members have been responsible for the anarchy and lawlessness.

Sabrina had last been seen during a recent Muslim holiday at a Gaza
photography studio where her captors charged about a dollar for a
picture with the lioness.

Sabrina and Sakher were bought from Egypt soon after their birth in
2005. The zoo had been closed for years but reopened in October 2005
after Israel's withdrawal from the coastal strip.

"Sabrina is very tired and very sick," he said. "I do not think her
teeth will come in again, so we'll have to feed her minced meat and
give her medicine."
Sabrina was given a big bubble bath on her return to the Zoo and a
good rub down by keepers before a giant sack of catnip was placed in
her sleeping quarters along with other local herbal extracts that
Palestinian-domiciled lions appear to be so fond of and which seem
to send them off into a very peaceful restorative sleep.

Zoo officials said Sakher had roared inconsolably when his sister
was stolen. Reunited, he instantly recognized Sabrina, and nuzzled
her neck and started pawing her in controllably and drooling all
over her unkempt and manky coat; both were `overjoyed' and the two
siblings began to play. The two playfully swatted each other in the
face and chased each other. When a zoo guard tried to pet Sabrina,
Sakher crouched as if ready to pounce on him.

The feline's fate was brighter than that of other game animals in
Palestinian zoos. In May 2004 several animals were killed when the
strip's previous zoo in the border town of Rafah was destroyed in an
Israeli army operation.

In the West Bank town of Qalqiliya in 2002, three zebras died of
tear gas inhalation and a giraffe was killed during a riot against
Israeli security forces.
Later that year, the West Bank zoo received a gift of three lions,
two zebras and three ibexes from Israel.



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Neunkirchen, Saarland, Deutschland. Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Number 60, December 2006. pp. 1-10. Sharjah,
United Arab Emirates.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Chinese_Leopard.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007).
Behavioural Observations on the Arabian Leopard (Panthera pardus
nimr, Hemprich & Ehrenberg 1833) in the Arabia's Wildlife Centre,
Desert Park, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Number 61, January 2007, Thu Al-Hijja 1427 AH.
pp. 1-14. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (Article in Arabic;
References in English and German).
http://khalaf.homepage24.de/text_88839638_12069970_59480041_deutsch.h
tml
Khalaf, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Zum 1. Todestag : Eine
Persِnlichkeit aus Jaffa, Palنstina / The First Death Anniversary :
A
Personality from Jaffa, Palestine : Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf (Abu
Ali) (1938-2006). Gazelle: Das Palaestinensische Biologische
Bulletin. Nummer 62, Februar 2007, Muharram 1428 AH. Seite 11.
Sharjah, Vereinigte Arabische Emirate.
www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Bassam_Khalaf.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). A
Recent Record of the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita harrisoni,
Hemmer, Grubb and Groves 1976) from the Kuwaiti Desert, State of
Kuwait. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 64,
April 2007, Rabi'e Al-Awal 1428 AH. pp. 1-20. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. (Article in Arabic; Abstract in English, Kurzfassung in
Deutsch; References in English, German and Arabic).
http://khalaf.homepage24.de/text_88839638_13318445_59480041_deutsch.h
tml
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Qit
Sahrawi (Desert Cat or Sand Cat). Wikipedia, Al-Mawsu'a Al-Hurra
(The Free Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. Number 64, April 2007, Rabi'e Al-Awal 1428 AH. p. 21.
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (Article in Arabic).
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/قط_صحر&#15
75;وي
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%82%D8%B7_%D8%B5%D8%AD%D8%B1%D8%A7%
D9%88%D9%8A
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). The
First Sight Record of the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita
harrisoni, Hemmer, Grubb and Groves 1976) from the Gaza Strip,
Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 65,
May 2007, Rabi'e Al-Akher 1428 AH. pp. 1-19. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. (Article in English; Abstract in English and Arabic,
Kurzfassung in Deutsch; References in English, German and Arabic).
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Gaza_Sand_Cat.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). The
Presence of the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita harrisoni) in the
State of Qatar. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number
65, May 2007, Rabi'e Al-Akher 1428 AH. p. 20. Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Qatar_Sand_Cat.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Die
Sandkatze oder Wüstenkatze (Felis margarita, Loche 1858). Gazelle:
Das Palنstinensische Biologische Bulletin. Nummer 66, Juni 2007,
Jamada Al-Ulla 1428 AH. Seiten 1-13. Sharjah, Vereinigte Arabische
Emirate. (Article in German; References in English, German and
Arabic). http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Sandkatze.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007).
Haywanat Filistin (The Animals of Palestine). Wikipedia, Al-Mawsu'a
Al-Hurra (The Free Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. 2007.
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/حيوان&#157
5;ت_فلسطين
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%AD%D9%8A%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%
AA_%D9%81%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B7%D9%8A%D9%86
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007).
Sanuriyat (Felidae). Wikipedia, Al-Mawsu'a Al-Hurra (The Free
Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. 2007.
(Article in Arabic).
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/سنوري&#157
5;ت
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B3%D9%86%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%
AA
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Der
Karakal oder Wüstenluchs (Caracal caracal, von Schreber 1776).
Gazelle: Das Palنstinensische Biologische Bulletin. Nummer 67, Juli
2007, Jamada Al-Akhera 1428 AH. Seiten 1-12. Sharjah, Vereinigte
Arabische Emirate. (Article in German; References in English, German
and Arabic). http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Karakal.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Um
Rishat (Caracal or Desert Lynx). Wikipedia, Al-Mawsu'a Al-Hurra (The
Free Encyclopedia). Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin.
2007. (Article in Arabic).
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/أم_ريش&#15
75;ت
http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A3%D9%85_%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%B4%D8%A7%
D8%AA
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). The
Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita harrisoni, Hemmer, Grubb and
Groves 1976) in Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. 2007.
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Palestine_Sand_Cat.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Die
Sandkatze oder Wüstenkatze (Felis margarita, Loche 1858). Gazelle:
Das Palaestinensische Biologische Bulletin. 2007. (Article in
German; References in English, German and Arabic).
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Sandkatze.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007).
Behavioural Observations on the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita
harrisoni, Hemmer, Grubb and Groves 1976) at Al Ain Zoo, Al Ain,
United Arab Emirates. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin.
2007. (Article in Arabic; References in English and German). Khalaf-
Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007).
Behavioural Observations on the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita
harrisoni, Hemmer, Grubb and Groves 1976) at the Arabia's Wildlife
Centre, Desert Park, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. 2007. (Article in Arabic;
References in English and German).
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007).
Felidae Arabica. A Zoological Journey in Palestine, Arabia and
Europe between 1980-2007 / Felidae Arabica. Eine Zoologische Reise
in Palaestina, Arabien und Europa zwischen 1980-2007. Erste Auflage
(First Edition), Juli 2007, 300 pp. Norman Ali Khalaf, Rilchingen-
Hanweiler, Deutschland & Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (in Arabic,
German and English). www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Felidae_Arabica.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). The Story of Sabrina, the Gaza Zoo Lioness. Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 73, January 2008. pp. 1-20.
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Gaza_Lioness_Sabrina.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(Text) and Nora Norman Ali Bassam Khalaf (Drawings) (2008). Qisset
Al-Labu'a Sabrina fi Hadiqet Haywanat Ghaza (The Story of the
Lioness Sabrina at the Gaza Zoo). Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (in Arabic).
http://khalaf.homepage24.de/The%20Story%20of%20Sabrina,%20the%20Gaza%
20Zoo%20Lioness
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(Text) and Nora Norman Ali Bassam Khalaf (Drawings) (2008). Qisset
Al-Labu'a Sabrina fi Hadiqet Haywanat Ghaza / The Story of Sabrina,
the Gaza Zoo Lioness. First Edition. Dr. Norman Ali Khalaf-von
Jaffa, Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Germany & Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. (Publication in Summer 2008, in Arabic and English). ISBN
978-9948-03-603-6. English article Website:
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Gaza_Lioness_Sabrina.html &
Arabic Story Website: http://khalaf.homepage24.de/The%20Story%20of%
20Sabrina,%20the%20Gaza%20Zoo%20Lioness
Los Angeles Times. In Gaza, a lion's return brings hope.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-
gazaguns17aug17,1,7438090.story?coll=la-headlines-
world&ctrack=1&cset=true
Santa Fe New Mexican. Masked gunmen steal lion cub, parrots from
Gaza zoo. http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/35662.html
Science Daily. Kidnapped lioness freed by Hamas in Gaza.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/upi/index.php?feed=TopNews&article=UPI-1-
20070710-16390700-bc-mideast-lioness.xml
Sky News. Lioness in Gaza.
http://news.sky.com/skynews/picture_gallery/picture_gallery/0,,30200-
1274516-1,00.html
The Age. Hamas rescues captive robbed of pride.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/hamas-rescues-captive-robbed-of-
pride/2007/07/10/1183833516204.html
The First Post. The Gaza Lioness.
http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/index.php?storyID=7680 The
Independent. Hamas returns kidnapped lioness to zoo in Gaza City.
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article2750477.ece
The Jerusalem Post. Hamas takes pride in freeing lion.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?
pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1183980034462
The Spoof. Gaza lioness freed after two years, reunited with
brother. http://www.thespoof.com/news/spoof.cfm?headline=s3i21644
Washington Post. Hamas Force Returns Lion Stolen in Gaza.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
dyn/content/article/2007/07/09/AR2007070900888.html



Author & Webmaster: Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-
Sakerfalke von Jaffa. (2008).

Tigernachwuchs wurde eingeschläfert.

Anlass: Vater der Jungen war kein reinrassiger Sibirischer Tiger.

Magdeburg/dpa. Weil der Vater entgegen bisheriger Annahmen kein
reinrassiger Sibirischer Tiger ist, hat der Magdeburger Zoo seinen
Tigernachwuchs eingeschläfert. Die nicht näher bezifferten Tiere
seien direkt nach der Geburt getötet worden, teilte der Zoo am
Montag mit. Das Elternpaar sei vor zwei Jahren über das Europäische
Erhaltungszuchtprogramm (EEP) nach Magdeburg gekommen, um für
Nachwuchs zu sorgen. Nach einer schwierigen Gewöhnungsphase sei die
Katze im Januar schließlich trächtig gewesen.

Im Februar sei der Zoo vom EEP informiert worden, dass der Kater
kein reinrassiger Sibirischer Tiger sei, sondern einen Sumatra-Tiger
als Vorfahren gehabt habe. Von solch einer «Hiobsbotschaft» seien 31
weitere Tiger in europäischen Zoos betroffen, teilte der Zoo mit.
Das Tier wurde sofort von der Zucht ausgeschlossen; allerdings war
der Nachwuchs bereits unterwegs.

Da die Zucht reinrassiger und vor allem sehr seltener Tiere eines
der obersten Ziele der Zoogemeinschaft sei, habe eine Kommission aus
Zoodirektor, Zootierarzt, Zooinspektor und Tierpfleger entschieden,
die Jungtiere einzuschläfern. Mischlinge blockierten den
eingeschränkten Platz für die wichtige Erhaltungszucht und seien an
verantwortliche Halter kaum zu vermitteln. «Wir sehen es nicht als
Option an, diese Tiere an Zirkusunternehmen oder sogar an
undurchsichtige Tierhändler weiterzugeben», hieß es in der
Mitteilung des Zoos. Europaweit sind rund 260 Sibirische Tiger
registriert, die in 95 Zoologischen Gärten gehalten werden.

  http://www.mz-web.de/servlet/ContentServer?
pagename=ksta/page&atype=ksArtikel&aid=1209966423568&openMenu=9874901
65154&calledPageId=987490165154&listid=994342720546

Allein unter Tigern.
Ein Film von Mike Herd und Bill Markham.

Als der Tierfilmer Mike Herd eine Expedition nach Bangladesh
unternimmt, besucht er auch die Sundarbans, den größten
Mangrovendschungel der Welt. In diesen unwirtlichen Sümpfen am Golf
von Bengalen begegnet er einem gefürchteten Raubtier: dem
Königstiger. Die Einheimischen leben in ständiger Furcht vor ihm.
Denn in den Sundarbans haben besonders viele Tiger Geschmack an
Menschenfleisch gefunden. Die Gründe dafür liegen noch im Dunkeln.
Etwa 100 Menschen fallen den Raubkatzen im Jahr zum Opfer. In den
Mangrovensümpfen am bengalischen Golf leben etwa 400 von ihnen; das
ist die höchste Tigerdichte der Welt. Doch Filmaufnahmen von den
heimlichen Raubkatzen gab es bislang nicht. Mike ist Feuer und
Flamme. Sein Entschluss steht fest: Er will den ersten Film über die
Tiger der Sundarbans drehen.

Um den Tigern auf die Spur zu kommen, muss Mike tief in den
Dschungel vordringen. Nur vom gut getarnten Hochsitz aus kann Mike
hoffen, die scheuen Raubkatzen vor die Linse zu bekommen. Ein
gefährliches Unterfangen. Ein ausgewachsener Tiger ist etwa drei
Meter lang. Mikes Mut und Geduld werden belohnt. Eine große
Tigerfamilie, eine Mutter mit drei Jungtieren, taucht auf und die
ersten Filmaufnahmen entstehen. Doch die Beobachtungshütte muss
mehrfach gewechselt werden, denn Mike ist nicht leicht
zufriedenzustellen: Im dichten Dschungel verdecken Bäume die freie
Sicht auf die Tiere. Schließlich wagt er sich auf einen Ansitz in
einem Flussarm, der fast in gleicher Höhe mit dem Wasserspiegel
liegt. Eine zweite Tigerfamilie zeigt sich. Auge in Auge mit den
Tigern der Sundarbans gelingen Mike Bilder, wie sie noch nie zuvor
gezeigt werden konnten.

http://www.mdr.de/tv/programm/prog_detail+43207000259132.html

HERZLICH WILLKOMMEN ! Dies ist ein Club für alle Giraffen-freunde.
Entdecken sie hier die Faszinierende Welt der Giraffen, mit
Interessante Infos, Fotos und Links. Viel Spass im Club. WELCOME to
the amazing and fascinating World of the Giraffe. I hope you have a
pleasant and informative stay. AHLAN WA SAHLAN fi 'Alam Al-Zarafat.

Euer / Yours
Dr. Sc. Zool. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa

http://de.groups.yahoo.com/group/Giraffe_Giraffa_Zarafa/

Leopard in visit to Israeli home.


An Israeli wildlife guide has overpowered an ageing leopard that
jumped into his bed during the night.

Clad only in his night clothes, Arthur Du Mosch lunged at the big
cat and grabbed its neck, pinning it down for 20 minutes until help
arrived.

"This kind of thing doesn't happen every day," the 49-year-old
said. "I wasn't thinking, I just acted."

Leopards usually enter villages after they become too weak to hunt
in the wild. They are little threat to humans.

The uninvited guest is thought to have been trying to catch the
family's domestic cat, which had also been lying in the bed.

Mr Du Mosch, who emigrated to Israel from the Netherlands in 1985,
said he took the whole experience in his stride, "but the kids were
excited".

Israel nature and parks protection officials answered Mr Du Mosch's
emergency call and came quickly to collect the leopard.

Spokesman Raviv Shapira said a group of leopards had been observed
near Mr Du Mosch's small community of Sde Boker in southern Israel's
Negev desert.

"But we have never heard of a leopard coming into a private home,"
Mr Shapira said.

Mr Du Mosch admitted he might not have fared so well if the leopard
had been in better physical condition.

The animal was taken to Beit Dagan veterinary hospital near Tel Aviv
for tests and was expected to be released into the wild with an
electronic tag.

Last Updated: Monday, 28 May 2007, 17:27 GMT 18:27 UK.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6699039.stm

SIS helps to save Arabian leopard.

Posted in: Sports, Health & Lifestyle
Written By: Huda al-Kibsi
Article Date: Nov 20, 2007 - 7:14:24 AM



The 1st annual Sana'a International School Walk to Save the Arabian
leopard took place on Sunday at the SIS campus near Shamlan.

More than 200 students and adults from SIS covered a total of 2450
kilometers on foot. Every walker had sponsors that will pay him or
her for each kilometer walked. At the end of the walk, this money
will be collected to support and help the Arabian leopard reproduce
in Sana'a and Taiz zoos. "Students have not finished collecting the
money they raised, but we expect individuals to have raised as much
as $4,000 for conservation," said David Stanton, a teacher at the
SIS.

Students at SIS have walked in the World Wildlife Fund Walk for
Wildlife every year for the past ten years.  The WWF is no longer
sponsoring a walk, so the school is continuing the tradition with
the focus of fundraising efforts being something with local
relevance—the Arabian leopard.

This animal is almost extinct in the wild, with one or two small
populations still perservering in the Wada'a area of Sa'ada and
perhaps the Hawf Protected Area on the border with Oman.  "From a
population of thousands of leopards in the past we now have a
population of about ten or less in Yemen," said Stanton. "If people
don't act quickly to save the Arabian leopard it will certainly
become extinct like the dodo, passenger pigeon and many thousands of
other species."

"I will walk as far as I can to collect money and help save the
Arabian leopard's life because it is becoming an extinct and
endangered animal," said Ahmed al-Akwa'a, 8.

The Arabian leopard is the second most endangered large cat in the
world, with fewer than 100 of these magnificent animals in
existence. Nine of these beautiful creatures are held in the Sana'a
and Taiz zoos where they are underfed, overcrowded, and receive
inadequate veterinary care, according to the Arabian Leopard Club of
the Sana'a International School.

They breed, but the offspring invariably die making these nine
animals useless to the continuation of their species. The long-term
goal is to ensure the survival of Arabian leopards in the wild. The
immediate aims are to improve the conditions in which the nine
captive leopards in Yemen are kept, and to initiate a publicity
campaign to gain support for leopards and their desperate situation.

The advantage of the initiative by SIS is that it is entirely
voluntary, so that 100 percent of the money raised will go towards
meeting the goals.

The Arabian leopard (Panthera pardus) is a smaller subspecies of
leopard than that of its cousins in Asia and Africa. This subspecies
is critically endangered and their populations are still declining.
Historically they have been persecuted and killed for pest control,
as well as hunted and it is still going on today.

A spate of killings by hunters in the early 1990's triggered a
conservation effort, spearheaded by the Arabian Leopard Trust, which
aims at preserving the mountain habitat and all its wildlife. On the
Arabian Peninsula the population is only around 100 leopards, and no
subpopulation is greater than 50 individuals.

In Palestine, there is between 15-18 leopards in all the Negev and
the Arava. The Arabian leopard lives in Palestine, Saudi Arabia,
UAE, Yemen, and Oman.

http://www.yobserver.com/sports-health-and-lifestyle/10013297.html

Quarantäne kann jetzt genutzt werden.

Limbach-Oberfrohna. Eine neue Quarantänestation steht jetzt dem
Limbacher Tierpark zur Verfügung. Zwei kleine Leoparden waren die
ersten Gäste.

Limbach-Oberfrohna (UW). Rund 130.000 Euro investierte die Stadt in
den Bau einer neuen Quarantänestation mit Behandlungsraum für die
Tiere im Tierpark. Der Station werden nicht nur neue oder
abzugebende Tiere kurzzeitig untergebracht, sondern auch kranke
Tierparktiere. Im modernen Behandlungsraum können auch
Routineuntersuchungen durchgeführt werden.

Wie Oberbürgermeister Hans-Christian Rickauer sagte begannen die
Bauarbeiten im Mai. Ende November sei der Bau fertig gewesen. "Jetzt
stehen die Räume dem Tierpark zur Verfügung", so der
Verwaltungschef. "Der Tierpark ist jetzt noch besser ausgestattet
und somit noch attraktiver."
Nach Worten von Uwe Dempewolf, Leiter des Limbacher Tierparks stehen
nun Ställe für die Raubtiere und auch für die Huftiere in der
Quarantänestation zur Verfügung. "Auch durch das Regierungspräsidium
beschlagnahmte Tiere können wir nun kurzzeitig unterbringen",
informierte Dempewolf. "Es gab schon sehr oft Anfragen durch die
Behörde. Aber bisher konnten wir da nicht helfen."

Auch Fundtiere können nun für kurze Zeit aufgenommen werden. Zur
Einweihung der Station konnten sich die Besucher nicht nur in den
Räumen umsehen und erhielten die erforderlichen Erläuterungen. Die
Gäste konnten auch mit erleben, wie zwei der drei kleinen Leoparden
gewogen wurden. Cita brachte zehn Kilogramm und Chira acht Kilogramm
auf die Waage. Anschließend mussten die kleinen Racker auf den
Behandlungstisch, um sich von den Gästen bestaunen zu lassen.

Eine Neue "Fauna Arabica" Yahoo! Deutschland Gruppe...A New "Fauna
Arabica" Yahoo! Germany Group.

under:
http://de.groups.yahoo.com/group/Fauna_Arabica/

HERZLICH WILLKOMMEN ! Dies ist ein Treffpunkt für alle, die etwas
mit "FAUNA von ARABIEN" am Hut haben. Entdecken sie hier die
Faszinierende Welt der Tiere in Arabien, mit Interessante Infos,
Fotos
und Links. Viel Spass im Club.

WELCOME to the amazing and fascinating World of the "FAUNA of
ARABIA".
I hope you will have a pleasant and informative stay.

Euer / Yours
Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Zoologe /
Zoologist.

Leopardenbabys im Walter Zoo.

Gossau. Im Walter Zoo in Gossau sind drei Amur-Leopardenbabys auf
die Welt gekommen. Die Kleinen sind wohlauf und gedeihen prächtig.
Es ist dies der erste Nachwuchs dieser seltenen und vom Aussterben
stark bedrohten Grosskatzenart in der Schweiz. Amurleoparden
(Panthera pardus orientalis) gehören mit zu den meist gefährdeten
Grosskatzen. Die aus dem Dreiländereck Russland, China und Nordkorea
stammenden Tiere sind die nördlichsten Verwandten dieser Spezies.
Infolge Wilderei und Lebensraumzerstörung sind die natürlichen
Bestände bis auf maximal 34 Tiere (gemäss WWF) dezimiert worden.

Der langhaarige Amurleopard wurde von der Weltnaturschutzunion
(UICN) als «höchst bedroht» eingestuft. In Zoos leben weltweit noch
etwa 160 Amurleoparden, welche allesamt von neun «Gründertieren»
abstammen. Der Walter Zoo ist der einzige Zoo in der Schweiz,
welcher diese seltene Leoparden-Unterart hält und sich an dem vom
Zoo London koordinierten Europäischen Erhaltungszuchtprogramm (EEP)
beteiligt. Die drei noch namenlosen Jungtiere sind noch nicht zu
sehen. Sie befinden sich, zusammen mit der Mutter, in den
Innenräumlichkeiten bis sie gross genug sind, um nicht durch die
Gittermaschen zu entwischen. Gezeigt werden die kleinen Leoparden
der Öffentlichkeit, wenn sie das erste Mal geimpft werden, was in
den nächsten Wochen geschehen wird. Das Datum wird frühzeitig
mitgeteilt und auf der Zoo-Homepage www.walterzoo.ch veröffentlicht.

http://stadt24.ch/page/4771/17

Rangers don't know what to do with tiger bodies.

VietNamNet Bridge – An official of the Forest Protection Agency said
that this organisation didn't know how to deal with the two frozen
tigers that were confiscated in Hanoi on September 4.

According to the official, Nguyen Phi Truyen, the agency is
considering two measures: destroying the tiger bodies under
government rules or selling them to make tiger bone glue.



However, the agency will need the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development's approval in either case.



The two frozen tigers are now being kept at the Hanoi Forest
Protection Department pending examination by the Institute for
Ecology and Fauna-Floral Resources to serve the police's
investigation.



Mr. Truyen said there had been no registered tigers in Vietnam
cooked into bone glue so far. If the animals die, their owners have
to report to the local forest protection department.



Related to the tiger case in Hanoi, not only individuals directly
involved in this ring but also the people who contributed money to
buy the tigers to make bone glue will be punished. According to
Article 190 of the Penal Code of Vietnam, this action may result in
2-7 years in prison and a fine from VND5-50 million (US$300-3,000).



According to the official, there are many networks purchasing tigers
to make bone glue in Vietnam that have not been discovered yet. The
forest protection force will work with police to attack those
networks in the coming time.



The Hanoi Police Agency on September 5 broke open the tiger case in
Thanh Xuan, Hanoi. Police are now detaining four individuals for
investigation.

Environmental group says Tibetans responding to calls to abandon
tiger, leopard skins.



BEIJING: An environmental group says Tibetans are responding to
calls to abandon the wearing of poached tiger and leopard skins, as
evidenced by a decline in the practice at a major festival and
markets in the region.

As recently as two years ago, hundreds of performers and honored
guests at the annual horse festival in Lithang could be seen wearing
robes adorned with the skins of endangered big cats and otters, the
Environmental Investigation Agency said in a statement Wednesday.

However, this year, not a single such garment was observed by staff
from the EIA and the Wildlife Protection Society of India, said the
group, based in London and Washington, D.C.

Markets in Tibet's capital, Lhasa, also showed a decline in the
number of skins on sale, it said.

"The dramatic fall in the use of skins in the Tibetan region
represents a major localized success story," the group said.

Trade in such skins is prohibited under both international and
Chinese law, but the ban had been slackly enforced amid reports that
Chinese officials encouraged the practice as a tourist draw.

However, a two-year public awareness program targeting the skins
seems to have reversed their popularity, the groups said. Tibet's
exiled Buddhist leader, the Dalai Lama, has also spoken out against
wearing skins, sparking public gatherings to burn them that were
eventually outlawed by Chinese authorities.

"Targeted awareness campaigns really do appear to have changed
attitudes, but investigations show it is essential that these are
backed up by intelligence-led enforcement to stop the skin traders
and criminal gangs," said Debbie Banks, head of EIA's Tiger Campaign.

Despite the apparent success, tiger populations remain under intense
pressure, with only about 3,000 left in the wild, half of them in
India.

AP. Published: September 5, 2007.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/09/05/asia/AS-GEN-China-Tibet-
Tiger-Skins.php

Deep frozen tiger and monkey skull soup found by cops in crackdown
on wildlife butchers.

By Paula Murray.

A MONKEY skull was found in a soup pot and a whole tiger in a
freezer by police in Vietnam.

The sickening haul came in raids in Hanoi on homes and shops
suspected of being involved in the lucrative trade in exotic
animals.

It also included bear limbs, elephant tusks and the horns and heads
of bull and deer.

Nguyen Thi Thanh, 40, the suspected ringleader, admitted she was
producing tiger paste - a traditional remedy said to cure male
impotence and other ailments.

Three others, including two people caught stewing tiger bones, are
being questioned by cops.

Police believe the animals were poached in either Myanmar or central
Vietnam and transferred to Hanoi for processing.


The tiger paste sells for £200 for only 100g - less than four
ounces.

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Zoologist.

«Kiaras» neuer Freund soll «Karim» heißen

Tigermännchen getauft - Als Geschenk bekommt die Raubkatze drei
Stücke Rindfleisch
erstellt 25.07.07, 14:59h, aktualisiert 26.07.07, 10:34h


Neuer weißer Tiger in Aschersleben erhält Namen (Foto: dpa)
Aschersleben/dpa. Das neue weiße Tigermännchen im Zoo Aschersleben
ist am Mittwoch auf den Namen Karim getauft worden. «Der Name kommt
aus dem Arabischen und bedeutet 'der Edle' oder 'der Großzügige'»,
sagte Zoo-Leiter Dietmar Reisky. Den Namen habe der Sponsor, der das
Geld für den Kauf des weißen Bengaltigers aufbrachte und der
ungenannt bleiben wolle, ausgesucht. Die Wahl sei auf Karim
gefallen, weil dies zu Kiara passe. So heißt das zweijährige
Tigerweibchen, das seit Juni 2006 im Zoo Aschersleben lebt.

Als Taufgeschenk habe Karim drei Stücke Rindfleisch bekommen. «Das
entspricht einer Tagesration und ist insofern etwas Besonderes, weil
die Tiger heute Fastentag haben», sagte Reisky. Sachsen-Anhalts
Landwirtschaftsministerin Petra Wernicke (CDU), die den weißen Tiger
taufte, sei nun seine Ehrenpatin.

Karim ist eineinhalb Jahre alt, stammt aus einem Tierpark in
Nordrhein-Westfalen und kam im Juni nach Aschersleben. Er soll der
Lebensgefährte von Tigerdame Kiara werden. Die beiden Raubkatzen
sind die einzigen ihrer Art in den neuen Bundesländern. In ungefähr
zwei Jahren, wenn beide Raubkatzen geschlechtsreif sind, hofft der
Zoo auf Nachwuchs.

Als in Deutschland Riesenlöwen jagten.

von Ernst Probst.

Als am Rhein und Main die Riesenlöwen jagten.

http://www.geoberg.de/text/geology/04080102.php

Vor mehr als 500000 Jahren lebten in Deutschland etliche Großkatzen
Nicht der schwarze Mann in Afrika jagte einst die größten Löwen
aller Zeiten, sondern sein roter Bruder in Nordamerika. Dort, wo
heute Los Angeles liegt, lebten vor etwa 10000 Jahren, als das
Eiszeitalter zu Ende ging, noch Löwen, die größer als alle bisher
bekannten Artgenossen waren. Aber auch auf heute deutschem Boden
machten stattliche Großkatzen ihre Beutezüge.

Bereits seit dem 19. Jahrhundert ist man in den kalifornischen
Asphaltsümpfen bei Los Angeles immer wieder auf Überreste von Löwen
gestoßen, und bis heute hat man Hunderte ihrer Skelette bergen
können. Dass es sich dabei um Löwen handelte, war allerdings die
erste und die richtige, doch nicht die letzte Vermutung. Denn 1941
beschrieb der amerikanische Paläontologe George Gaylord Simpson ein
derartiges Skelett als das eines Riesenjaguars und setzte damit
einen Irrtum in die Welt, der erst 1971 korrigiert wurde, als der
russische Forscher N. K. Wereschtschagin und der Mainzer Zoologe
Helmut Hemmer unabhängig voneinander zu dem Schluß kamen, daß
diese "nordamerikanische Pantherkatze" doch ein Löwe ist.

Ähnlich prächtige Großkatzen wie bei Los Angeles lebten vor mehr als
500000 Jahren auch dort, wo heute Wiesbaden liegt. Dies zeigen
fossile Skelettreste von Löwen der Unterart "Panthera leo fossilis",
die 1906 erstmals von dem Mainzer Paläontologen Wilhelm von
Reichenau beschrieben wurden. Derartige Löwenreste werden im
Naturhistorischen Museum Mainz aufbewahrt. Sie stammen aus den
sogenannten Mosbacher Sanden. Dabei handelt es sich um Ablagerungen
des Rheins, des Mains und von Taunusbächen, die von den Forschern
nach dem kleineren, später in Wiesbaden eingemeindeten Ort Mosbach
benannt worden sind.

Die "Wiesbadener Riesenlöwen" lebten in einer klimatisch milden
Phase des Eiszeitalters, die nach einem englischen Fundort als
Cromer-Warmzeit bezeichnet wird. Damals gab es bei Wiesbaden auch
Säbelzahnkatzen ("Homotherium crenatidens"), Europäische Jaguare
("Panthera gombaszoegensis") und Geparden ("Acinonyx pardinensis").
An den Ufern des Neckars unweit von Mauer bei Heidelberg jagten zur
gleichen Zeit auch Leoparden der Unterart "Panthera pardus
sickenbergi". Letztere wurden 1969 nach einem Fund bei Mauer durch
Helmut Hemmer und die damals in Mainz tätige Paläontologin Gerda
Schütt publiziert; im Namen dieser Raubkatze wird an den
Hannoveraner Geologen Otto Sickenberg erinnert.

Die kalifornischen Riesenlöwen aus der Zeit vor 10000 Jahren werden
als Amerikanische Höhlenlöwen bezeichnet und der Unterart "Panthera
leo atrox" zugerechnet. Die Benennung dieser Unterart geht auf den
amerikanischen Forscher Joseph Leidy zurück, der schon 1854
derartige Skelettreste untersucht hatte. "Panthera leo atrox" hatte
eine Körperlänge von 2,40 Meter, zu der noch ein mindestens 1,20
Meter langer Schwanz hinzugerechnet werden muß. Ein Vergleich mit
Löwen, die vom Jahre 1700 bis heute erlegt wurden, zeigt auf, dass
diese allenfalls eine Gesamtlänge von 3,25 Meter (Kapland) oder 3,33
Meter (Ostafrika) hatten, doch waren das Rekord- und keine
Durchschnittsgrößen. Gegenüber "normalen" Löwen hatten die
kalifornischen Großkatzen also einen um einen halben Meter längeren
Körper, der dem des sibirischen Tigers - der größten Katze, die
gegenwärtig auf der Erde existiert - entspricht.

Daß die riesigen Raubtiere in Kalifornien zu Zeiten lebten, in denen
die Indianer bereits von Nordamerika Besitz ergriffen hatten, bewies
der Fund einer Säbelzahnkatze, in deren Knochen eine Pfeilspitze
steckte. Und eben jene Säbelzahnkatze war aus einem Asphaltloch
geborgen worden, in dem auch Löwenteile lagen.

Der Löwe ist einst nach Südkalifornien eingewandert. Seine Urheimat
liegt nach heutigem Wissen in Afrika. Dort sind die \\"ältesten\\"
Löwen in den berühmten Fossilfundstellen um den Rudolfsee
ausgegraben worden, wo einst auch der Australopithecus-Vormensch
lebte. Diese Löwenfunde auf dem Schwarzen Erdteil sind etwa zwei
Millionen Jahre alt. In Europa tauchte der Löwe vor etwa 700000
Jahren auf. Außerdem machten sich die Löwen nach Asien und Sibirien
auf und verbreiteten sich von dort aus über die ganze Welt. Sie
gelangten bis nach Ceylon und Indien, und vor etwa 250000 Jahren,
als eine Vereisungsphase den Meeresspiegel absinken ließ, über
die "Beringbrücke", die heute von der Beringsee bedeckt wird, auch
nach Nordamerika.

Dort verbreiteten sie sich rasch über den gesamten Halbkontinent und
erreichten zudem das nördliche Südamerika. Fast gleichzeitig wie
ihre Artgenossen in Europa sind sie dann dort vor etwa 10000 Jahren
zum Ende des Eiszeitalters ausgestorben. Die letzten eiszeitlichen
Großkatzen heißen Höhlenlöwen ("Panthera leo spelaea"), weil ihre
Reste häufig in Höhlen zum Vorschein kamen. Sie waren jedoch keine
ausschließlichen Höhlenbewohner. Die Bezeichnung "Panthera leo
spelaea" geht auf den Bonner Arzt Georg August Goldfuß zurück, der
1810 einen Schädelfund aus einer Höhle in Oberfranken beschrieb.

Das Verschwinden der Löwen in Amerika, Europa und Asien wurde nach
Ansicht von Helmut Hemmer vermutlich dadurch ausgelöst, daß die
Beutetiere ausstarben. Zum Ende des Eiszeitalters wuchsen nämlich
da, wo vorher Graslandschaft gewesen war, wieder die Wälder. Das
Aussterben der an Futternot leidenden Huftiere könnte den großen
Raubtieren ebenfalls die Nahrungsbasis entzogen haben.

In Europa sind die letzten Löwen übrigens von den Alten Griechen
gesichtet worden, der Schriftsteller Herodot berichtet noch über
sie. Doch dann hat man diese Großkatzen heftig bejagt, bis sie
schließlich ausgerottet waren. Denn der Löwe war für den Menschen
von der Zeit an zum erklärten Feind geworden, als der begann, sich
Haustiere zu halten. Deshalb ist diese Großkatze auch im Vorderen
Orient, in dem sich die Bauernkulturen am frühesten entwickelten, am
raschesten verschwunden.

⇑ top

© 01.08.2004 Ernst Probst (Mainz-Kostheim) ⇒ kontaktieren

Dieser Text unterliegt dem alleinigen Urheberrecht des Autors.
Jedoch ist es gestattet, diese Veröffentlichung komplett unverändert
bzw. in unveränderten Ausschnitten und unter Angabe des Autors sowie
unter Nennung von geoberg.de als Quelle, zu verwenden.

First domestic cat purred in Middle East.

Laurent Thomet

Agençe France-Presse

Friday, 29 June 2007



The first cats became domesticated in the grain-growing regions of
the Middle East. They grew fat on the mice at the grain stores and
slowly became used to humans (Image: iStockphoto)
The first domestic cat was a fierce mouser that struck an enduring
friendship with farmers who settled in the Middle East 10,000 years
ago, researchers say.

Through DNA technology, the researchers say they traced the domestic
feline's ancestry back to the Near Eastern wildcat (Felis silvestris
lybica) that roamed what is today Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Israel.

The wildcat emerged from the woods as the early farmers began
settling down and developing grain stores that attracted rodents.

But it was friendlier than other members of the felidae family, says
senior author Dr Stephen O'Brien of the US National Cancer Institute.

"The felidae family is well known as a successful predator: very
deadly, very ferocious, very threatening to all species including
humankind," says O'Brien.

"But this little guy actually chose not to be that. He actually
chose to be a little bit friendly and also was a very good mouser."

The wildcat brought "two very valuable commodities" to these early
farmers, O'Brien says.

"One is, he helped dispatch the thousand or so rodents that were
living on the grain stores and second he probably provided some
amusement to the early families and their children by being
friendly," he says.

"So that was the beginning of one of the most successful biological
experiments ever undertaken, where a nasty, ferocious, deadly
predator changed its attitude and became friendly with humans."

The researchers, who publish their work today in the journal
Science, were also able to trace back the Adam and Eve of cats to
some 100,000 years ago.

O'Brien says, however, there is no archaeological evidence to show
that humans were already domesticating cats at the time.

Preserved remains show that cats were valued by Egyptians, and one
skeleton unearthed in Cyprus in 2004 showed that people were keeping
cats as pets more than 9000 years ago.


This wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica) was trapped in Israel as part
of the author's research into the origin of cat domestication. Cats
similar to this one were the likely ancestor of the domestic cat
(Image: Science)
The researchers used DNA samples from 979 cats to study the
evolutionary ties between the domestic feline and five wildcat
subspecies from three continents, including the Near Eastern
wildcat.

The researchers were able to rule out the European wildcat, the
Central Asian wildcat, the southern African wildcat and the Chinese
desert cat as the domestic feline's ancestor.

The authors found that each subspecies and domestic cats fell into a
group, or clade that was genetically distinct.

One clade includes the domestic cat and his Middle East relative,
suggesting this group stems from the ancestral founder population of
the house cat, they say.

Its descendants were then taken across the world by humans.

"All domestic cats seem to have a single common ancestor," says
Carlos Driscoll, the study's lead author and a doctoral student at
the University of Oxford.

Today's Near Eastern wildcat, which lives in the remote deserts of
Israel, Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries, probably
looks similar to its ancestor, Driscoll says.

It has the same shape as a feral cat, shares its shy, reclusive
behaviour and has a taste for birds and mice, he says.

The research started as a conservation project in the UK. It drew
the interest of the National Cancer Institute because domestic cats
are a model for genetic diseases, says Driscoll.