The Arabian Tahr, a goat-like mammal, endemic to the UAE. It is the smallest in the Tahr family, but its strength and agility should not be misjudged.
They lived in the Hajar Mountains and Jabal Hafeet in Al Ain. These species could be found at high elevations (1,000 to 1,800 metres) on steep slopes where rainfall is relatively high and vegetation is fairly diverse.
The Arabian Tahr (Arabitragus jayakari) is endangered, with fewer than 2,500 adults in the wild. Both species face threats from hunting and habitat loss because of development. Accordingly to Panda organization.
Unfortunately, the Arabian Tahr population is declining and these species are currently extremely endangered due to several reasons:
- Intense overgrazing
- Poaching, which is the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals
- Habitat loss and degradation due to construction of roads, buildings and mineral extraction – habitat fragmentation can isolate small groups of Tahr and ultimately threaten their survival due to limited genetic variation
- Increased competition from domestic goats becoming feral, which means becoming wild, and searching or hunting for food within the Tahr’s habitat range
- Climate change-related drought, further threatening the species as they are highly dependent upon a regular supply of water
- Hunting – for meat and sport
Why are they important in the environment, natural heritage, to humans?
Tahrs are considered browsers, feeding on grass, shrubs, leaves and tree fruits. They also impact vegetation communities through their browsing. What’s interesting about the Arabian Tahr is that they are an indicator of the condition of their habitat, which means their presence helps determine the overall health of the ecosystem they live in. Their presence is important for Arabian leopards, which prey on them.
Wadi Wuraya is a haven for some of the rarest species found in the United Arab Emirates providing refuge from this harsh climate. These species are of ecological importance to the Arabian peninsula and the world. Over the past years, surveys have revealed to us that there are:
- 13 species of mammals (out of 21 in UAE)
- 94 species of birds (out of 475 in UAE)
- 15 species of reptiles (out of 53 in UAE)
- 2 species of amphibian
- 2 species of freshwater fish
- 208 species of Plants
- 74 family of terrestrial invertebrates (65 species of them new to the country and some of them new to science)
- 24 species of dragonflies
Arabian Tahr used to roam free in the mountains but is now limited to isolated zones in the Hajar mountains.