Ecosystems are being increasingly degraded worldwide. Protected areas are one of
the natural landscapes/resources and managing these protected areas is very
important for conserving ecosystems local and or endemic species. To halt the global
and local decline of biodiversity, habitats and its boundary need to be mapped and
monitored so that their condition can be assessed and suitable policies put in place to
improve the situation.
Uruq Bani Ma‘arid is a desert protected area (12787 square kilometres) in Saudi
Arabia. It is situated along the western edge of Ar-Rub‘ al-Khali (the Empty Quarter
Desert), which is widely considered the largest sand desert on Earth. The Uruq Bani
Ma‘arid contains greater biological diversity than any other part of the Empty Quarter,
with vegetated valleys, gravel plains, and inter-dune corridors. It is the last place that
the Arabian Oryx is reliably reported to have been observed in the wild (1979), and is
now the focus of an intensive and successful reintroduction program for Arabian Oryx,
Reem and Idmi Gazellas etc. This study will apply GIS and remotely sensed data to
identify the characteristics of habitats elements in the protected area and to assess
new potential habitats of its wildlife. Furthermore the results of indicators and historical
satellite data will be discussed to remap the boundary of Uruq Bani Ma‘arid.
Keywords: protected area|GIS|wildlife|habitats|Saudi Arabia
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