Aammiq Wetland
Encyclopedia
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, a remnant of much more extensive marshes and lakes that once existed in the Bekaa Valley. It has been designated an Important Bird Area
Important Bird Area
An Important Bird Area is an area recognized as being globally important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. Currently there are about 10,000 IBAs worldwide. The program was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife International...
in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
(Birdlife International
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
, 1994), is included in the Directory of Wetlands in the Middle East (IUCN, 1995), was declared Ramsar Convention
Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
site number 978 in 1999, and most recently (2005) was designated, with Al Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve
Al Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve
Al Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve is a nature reserve in the Chouf District of Lebanon. It is located on the slopes of Barouk mountain and has an area of 550 km², nearly 5.3% of the Lebanese territory....
, a “Biosphere reserve
Biosphere reserve
The Man and the Biosphere Programme of UNESCO was established in 1971 to promote interdisciplinary approaches to management, research and education in ecosystem conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.-Development:...
” by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
.
Description
The swamp lies on one of the most important bird migration routes in the world, and over 250 species of birds have been recorded in the area, including the globally vulnerable Greater spotted eagleGreater Spotted Eagle
The Greater Spotted Eagle , occasionally just called the spotted eagle, is a large bird of prey. Like all typical eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae...
(Aquila clanga), Eastern imperial eagle
Eastern Imperial Eagle
The Eastern Imperial Eagle is a large species of bird of prey that breeds from southeastern Europe to central Asia. Most populations are migratory and winter in northeastern Africa, and southern and eastern Asia. The Spanish Imperial Eagle, found in Spain and Portugal, was formerly lumped with...
(Aquila heliaca), and Lesser kestrel
Lesser Kestrel
The Lesser Kestrel is a small falcon. This species breeds from the Mediterranean across southern central Asia to China and Mongolia. It is a summer migrant, wintering in Africa and Pakistan and sometimes even to India and Iraq. It is rare north of its breeding range, and declining in its European...
(Falco naumanni). Records of globally near-threatened bird species at the wetland include Great snipe
Great Snipe
The Great Snipe, Gallinago media is a small stocky wader in the genus Gallinago.This bird's breeding habitat is marshes and wet meadows with short vegetation in north-eastern Europe including north-western Russia. Great Snipes are migratory, wintering in Africa...
(Gallinago media), Ferruginous duck
Ferruginous Duck
The Ferruginous Duck is a medium-sized diving duck from Eurasia. The species is known colloquially by birders as "Fudge Duck"....
(Aythya nyroca) and Pallid harrier
Pallid Harrier
The Pale or Pallid Harrier is a migratory bird of prey of the harrier family. It breeds in southern parts of eastern Europe and central Asia and winters mainly in India and southeast Asia...
(Circus macrourus). In addition to the great diversity of birds in the area, there are a wide variety of animals living in and around the marsh. Twenty-three species of mammals have been recorded, including Jungle cat
Jungle Cat
The jungle cat is a medium-sized cat and considered the largest remaining species of the wild cat genus Felis. The species is also called the swamp lynx but is not closely related to the lynxes....
(Felis chaus) and European Otter
European Otter
The European Otter , also known as the Eurasian otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter and Old World otter, is a European and Asian member of the Lutrinae or otter subfamily, and is typical of freshwater otters....
(Lutra lutra). Five species of amphibians and twelve species of reptiles have been recorded, and a two-year weekly butterfly survey found fifty-three species of butterflies in the area. The wetland lies 7 km SSW of the city of Qab Elias on the western edge of Mount Lebanon
Mount Lebanon
Mount Lebanon , as a geographic designation, is a Lebanese mountain range, averaging above 2,200 meters in height and receiving a substantial amount of precipitation, including snow, which averages around four meters deep. It extends across the whole country along about , parallel to the...
. The main area of reedbeds and open pools covers 253 ha, stretching east from the foot of the mountains to the Litani River
Litani River
The Litani River is an important water resource in southern Lebanon. The river rises in the fertile Beqaa Valley valley, west of Baalbek, and empties into the Mediterranean Sea north of Tyre. Exceeding 140 km in length, the Litani River is the longest river in Lebanon and provides an average...
in a long strip. Rain and snow falling on the high ridge of Barouk mountain to the west provide water for the wetland. Most rain falls between December and March, soaking quickly through layers of limestone in the mountains and emerging as springs in the valley floor. The water is particularly pure, as it has not been polluted by agricultural fertilizers, pesticides, etc. In recent years the marsh dried out by mid-July (with the exception of a few deep pools and ditches) and did not fill up again until January or February. However, the introduction by A Rocha
A Rocha
A Rocha is an international environmental organization with a Christian ethos. A Rocha, which means "the rock" in Portuguese , was founded in Portugal in 1983 by Anglican minister Peter Harris and his wife Miranda...
's involvement of improved management techniques, such as the reduced pumping of water for irrigation of nearby farmland, and changes to less “thirsty” crops, has helped the marsh remain wet throughout the year. This has resulted in a significant increase in wintering and breeding water birds since 2002. Surrounding the open water and reed bed are areas of rough grazing, cultivated land, drainage ditches, and an avenue of trees, all adding to the diversity of habitats in the area. On the nearby mountain slopes, small wooded areas and rocky shrubland give an even greater variety of habitats and species. Behind the nearby village of Aammiq are woods where Syrian woodpecker
Syrian Woodpecker
The Syrian Woodpecker is a member of the woodpecker family, the Picidae.-Distribution and habitat:The woodpecker is a resident breeding bird from southeastern Europe east to Iran. Its range has expanded further northwest into Europe in recent years...
(Dendrocopus syriacus) and Syrian Serin
Syrian Serin
The Syrian Serin is a brightly coloured small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae.- Description :The Syrian Serin is prettily coloured with bright yellow and pale grey feathers. The eyes are large and are surrounded by a bright yellow ring. The beak is grey and the legs are pale...
(Serinus syriacus) can be found. In spring and summer, shrubby hillsides are home to assorted buntings, wheatears, warblers and shrikes, and rocky gorges host Western rock nuthatch
Western Rock Nuthatch
The Western Rock Nuthatch, Sitta neumayer is a small passerine bird which breeds from Serbia east through Greece and Turkey to Iran. This nuthatch is largely resident apart from some post-breeding dispersal...
(Sitta neumayer) and Eurasian eagle owl
Eurasian Eagle Owl
The Eurasian Eagle-Owl is a species of eagle owl resident in much of Eurasia. It is also one of the largest types of owls.-Description:The Eagle Owl is a large and powerful bird, smaller than the Golden Eagle but larger than the Snowy Owl...
(Bubo bubo). Mammals present include Caucasian Squirrel
Caucasian Squirrel
The Caucasian squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus endemic to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey. Its natural habitat is temperate broadleaf and mixed forests....
, Wildcat
Wildcat
Wildcat is a small felid native to Europe, the western part of Asia, and Africa.-Animals:Wildcat may also refer to members of the genus Lynx:...
, Wild boar and the elusive Indian porcupine
Indian Porcupine
The Indian Crested Porcupine , or Indian Porcupine, is a member of the Old World porcupines. It is quite an adaptable rodent, found throughout southern Asia and the Middle East. It is tolerant of several different habitats: mountains, tropical and subtropical grasslands, scrublands, and forests...
.
The Aammiq Wetland and some of the surrounding area is in the process of being declared a National Reserve
National Reserve
A National Reserve is a land designation for protecting conservation values:-National Reserves by country:*National reserves of Chile*National Reserves of New Zealand*National Reserves of the United States...
. The main landowning family is fully engaged in the preservation of this very important ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
and initial plans to develop the area for ecotourism are underway.
Scientific studies
Since the founding of A RochaA Rocha
A Rocha is an international environmental organization with a Christian ethos. A Rocha, which means "the rock" in Portuguese , was founded in Portugal in 1983 by Anglican minister Peter Harris and his wife Miranda...
Lebanon in 1996, a great deal of scientific study has been undertaken and much has been learned about the flora
Flora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
and fauna
Fauna
Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
of Lebanon and in particular the West Bekaa. Research has been conducted in the form of preliminary studies, short- and long-term projects and an ongoing monitoring program. A number of short-term research projects have been carried out which have greatly increased the knowledge of bird life in Lebanon, such as an autumn migrant bird survey (1998), a survey of birds on the mountain slopes above Aammiq (1999/2000), and a study of the autumn routes of migrating raptor
Bird of prey
Birds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as birds that primarily hunt vertebrates, including other birds. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh....
s and other soaring birds in Lebanon (2000). Various archaeological
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
studies have been carried out on the site of Aammiq
Aammiq
Aamiq or Aammiq II is an archaeological site southwest of Zahle in the Aammiq Wetland, Beqaa Valley, Lebanon.It was first excavated by Jacques Cauvin in 1963, then again by M. Cavalier in 1964, 1965 by Lorraine Copeland and Peter Wescombe and Jacques Besançon & Francis Hours in 1971.Two periods of...
including pollen core analysis.
Fauna
Mammals:The following descriptions of mammals of the Ammiq wetlands have all been recorded by A RochaA Rocha
A Rocha is an international environmental organization with a Christian ethos. A Rocha, which means "the rock" in Portuguese , was founded in Portugal in 1983 by Anglican minister Peter Harris and his wife Miranda...
personnel in the Aammiq region from 1997 onwards. The region covered includes not just the valley floor wetlands but also the adjacent farmlands and the slopes of Mount Barouk. In addition to these, other mammal species are probably present but have not yet been positively identified. One mammal of interest is the European otter
European Otter
The European Otter , also known as the Eurasian otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter and Old World otter, is a European and Asian member of the Lutrinae or otter subfamily, and is typical of freshwater otters....
Lutra lutra which was reported in the Aammiq wetlands prior to 1975; its reappearance was confirmed in June 2003. Water buffalos were introduced to the swamp in order to maintain the health of the vegetation cover and the swamp itself, since buffalo graze wetlands in a more efficient way than other herbivores. The mammals recorded in the region include: Southern White-breasted Hedgehog (Erinaceus concolor), Cape hare
Cape Hare
The Cape, Common or Brown Hare is a hare natively found throughout Africa, and has spread to many parts of the Europe, Middle East and Asia. The Cape Hare is a nocturnal herbivore.They are fast...
(Lepus capensis), Caucasian Squirrel
Caucasian Squirrel
The Caucasian squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus endemic to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey. Its natural habitat is temperate broadleaf and mixed forests....
(Sciurus anomalus), Indian porcupine
Indian Porcupine
The Indian Crested Porcupine , or Indian Porcupine, is a member of the Old World porcupines. It is quite an adaptable rodent, found throughout southern Asia and the Middle East. It is tolerant of several different habitats: mountains, tropical and subtropical grasslands, scrublands, and forests...
(Hystrix indica), Gray wolf
Gray Wolf
The gray wolf , also known as the wolf, is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family...
(Canis lupus), Red fox
Red Fox
The red fox is the largest of the true foxes, as well as being the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America, and the steppes of Asia...
(Vulpes vulpes), European otter
European Otter
The European Otter , also known as the Eurasian otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter and Old World otter, is a European and Asian member of the Lutrinae or otter subfamily, and is typical of freshwater otters....
(Lutra lutra), European badger (Meles meles), Striped hyena
Striped Hyena
The Striped Hyena is a species of true hyena native to North and East Africa, the Caucasus, the Middle East, Middle and Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent...
(Hyaena hyaena), Mountain gazelle
Mountain Gazelle
The mountain gazelle is a species of gazelle that is widely but unevenly distributed across the Arabian Peninsula. It inhabits mountains, foothills and coastal plains. Its range coincides closely with that of the acacia trees that grow in these areas. It is mainly a grazing species, though this...
(Gazella gazella), Wild boar (Sus scrofa). The area was probably also the home of some extinct mammals from Lebanon such as the Asiatic lion
Asiatic Lion
The Asiatic lion also known as the Indian lion, Persian lion and Eurasian Lion is a subspecies of lion. The only place in the wild where the lion is found is in the Gir Forest of Gujarat, India...
(Panthera leo persica), and the Asiatic Cheetah
Asiatic Cheetah
The Asiatic Cheetah is now also known as the Iranian Cheetah, as the world's last few are known to survive mostly in Iran. Although recently presumed to be extinct in India, it is also known as the Indian Cheetah...
(Acinonyx jubatus venaticus).
Birds:Nearly 260 bird species have been recorded in the Aammiq region either by A Rocha
A Rocha
A Rocha is an international environmental organization with a Christian ethos. A Rocha, which means "the rock" in Portuguese , was founded in Portugal in 1983 by Anglican minister Peter Harris and his wife Miranda...
personnel or people working with A Rocha
A Rocha
A Rocha is an international environmental organization with a Christian ethos. A Rocha, which means "the rock" in Portuguese , was founded in Portugal in 1983 by Anglican minister Peter Harris and his wife Miranda...
from 1996 onwards. The Aammiq region includes not just the valley floor wetlands but also the adjacent farmlands and the sometimes wooded rocky slopes of Mount Barouk.
The listing of these birds does not give any idea of their abundance or status. While some of the birds recorded below are residents, others are passage migrants. Some of these, such as the White stork
White Stork
The White Stork is a large bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. Its plumage is mainly white, with black on its wings. Adults have long red legs and long pointed red beaks, and measure on average from beak tip to end of tail, with a wingspan...
and the Lesser spotted eagle
Lesser Spotted Eagle
The Lesser Spotted Eagle is a large Eastern European bird of prey. Like all typical eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae...
, may pass over Aammiq in flocks of hundreds at a time. Other migrants fly over in far smaller numbers. Species include: Pygmy cormorant
Pygmy Cormorant
The Pygmy Cormorant is a member of the cormorant family of seabirds. It breeds in southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia. It is partially migratory, with northern populations wintering further south, mostly within in its breeding range...
(Phalacrocorax pygmeus), White pelican
White Pelican
The Great White Pelican, Pelecanus onocrotalus also known as the Eastern White Pelican or White Pelican is a bird in the pelican family...
(Pelecanus onocrotalus), Greater flamingo
Greater Flamingo
The Greater Flamingo is the most widespread species of the flamingo family. It is found in parts of Africa, southern Asia , and southern Europe...
(Phoenicopterus rubber), Ferruginous duck
Ferruginous Duck
The Ferruginous Duck is a medium-sized diving duck from Eurasia. The species is known colloquially by birders as "Fudge Duck"....
(Aythya nyroca), Osprey
Osprey
The Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and across the wings...
(Pandion haliaetus), Verreaux's eagle
Verreaux's Eagle
Verreaux's Eagle , alternatively known as the Black Eagle , is a large bird of prey. This eagle lives in hilly and mountaineous regions of southern and eastern Africa , and very locally in Western Asia.- Description :It is long. Males weigh and females weigh...
(Aquila verreauxii), Peregrine falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
(Falco peregrinus), Common crane
Common Crane
The Common Crane , also known as the Eurasian Crane, is a bird of the family Gruidae, the cranes.It is a large, stately bird and a medium-sized crane at 100–130 cm long, with a 180–240 cm wingspan and a weight of 4.5–6 kg...
(Grus grus), Rock pigeon
Rock Pigeon
The Rock Dove or Rock Pigeon, is a member of the bird family Columbidae . In common usage, this bird is often simply referred to as the "pigeon"....
(Columba livia).
Amphibians and reptiles:The amphibians and reptiles listed below have been recorded in the Aammiq region either by A Rocha
A Rocha
A Rocha is an international environmental organization with a Christian ethos. A Rocha, which means "the rock" in Portuguese , was founded in Portugal in 1983 by Anglican minister Peter Harris and his wife Miranda...
personnel or people working with A Rocha
A Rocha
A Rocha is an international environmental organization with a Christian ethos. A Rocha, which means "the rock" in Portuguese , was founded in Portugal in 1983 by Anglican minister Peter Harris and his wife Miranda...
from 1996 onwards. As with the other species lists, the Aammiq region is here taken to include not just the valley floor wetlands, which are very rich in reptiles, but also the adjacent farmlands and the rocky slopes of Mount Barouk. Herpetology, the study of reptiles and amphibians, is a specialised field and as yet there has been no systematic A Rocha
A Rocha
A Rocha is an international environmental organization with a Christian ethos. A Rocha, which means "the rock" in Portuguese , was founded in Portugal in 1983 by Anglican minister Peter Harris and his wife Miranda...
herpetological survey of this area. Far more species are known to exist in the area than the ones reported. Species include: European green toad
European Green Toad
The species group of the green toads is an anuran group toad found in mainland Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa. They live in many areas, including steppes, mountainous areas, semi-deserts, and urban areas...
(Bufo viridis), Levantine frog (Rana bedriagae), Levant green lizard (Lacerta media), European worm snake (Typhlops vermicularis), Levant viper (Macrovipera lebetina).
Moths, Butterflies, and Dragonflies:
As with many other groups, the moths of the Aammiq region are poorly known. The list below represents an incomplete and provisional list of species so far recorded, though the Aammiq region is rich in butterflies. A Rocha
A Rocha
A Rocha is an international environmental organization with a Christian ethos. A Rocha, which means "the rock" in Portuguese , was founded in Portugal in 1983 by Anglican minister Peter Harris and his wife Miranda...
personnel recorded several new records of species since 1998 such as: Oriental marbled skipper (Carcharodus boeticus), Swallowtail
Swallowtail butterfly
Swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful butterflies that form the family Papilionidae. There are over 550 species, and though the majority are tropical, members of the family are found on all continents except Antarctica...
(Papilio machaon), Scarce swallowtail
Scarce Swallowtail
The Scarce Swallowtail is a Palearctic swallowtail butterfly found in gardens, fields and open woodlands. First described by Linnaeus in 1758, it is found in places with sloe thickets and particularly orchards. It is also called Sail Swallowtail or Pear-tree Swallowtail...
(Iphiclides podalirius), False Apollo (Archon apollinus), Large White
Large White
The Large White , also called Cabbage Butterfly, Cabbage White, or in India the Large Cabbage White, White cabbage butterfly is a butterfly in the family Pieridae.-Distribution:...
(Pieris brassicae), Plain tiger (Danaus chrysippus), Long-tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus).
Azure Damselfly
The Azure Damselfly is a species of damselfly found in most of Europe. It is notable for its distinctive black and blue colouring.-Males:...
(Coenagrion puella), Blue-tailed Damselfly
Blue-tailed Damselfly
The Blue-tailed Damselfly, Ischnura elegans, is a European damselfly.Adult male Blue-tailed Damselflies have a head and thorax patterned with blue and black. They have a largely black abdomen with very narrow pale markings where each segment joins the next...
(Ischnura elegans), Emperor dragonfly (Anax imperator), Southern darter (Sympetrum meridionale), Scarlet Dragonfly
Scarlet Dragonfly
The Crocothemis erythraea is a member of the dragonfly genus Crocothemis. Its common names include Broad Scarlet, Common Scarlet-darter, Scarlet Darter and Scarlet Dragonfly.-Description:...
(Crocothemis erythraea).
Environmental education
A RochaA Rocha
A Rocha is an international environmental organization with a Christian ethos. A Rocha, which means "the rock" in Portuguese , was founded in Portugal in 1983 by Anglican minister Peter Harris and his wife Miranda...
Lebanon has run the environmental education programme at the Aammiq Wetland since 1998. Aimed at school and university students, it has seen nearly 6000 young people come through the program to date. The program is tied in with the Lebanese schools' national curriculum and provides an opportunity for students to learn about wetland ecosystems first hand. Supporting learning in the classroom is important, but an educational visit to the marsh aims to provide students with "hands on" experiences for them to get a physical appreciation of the beauty and complexity of this unique environment.