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Mujib Nature Reserve

Jordan’s Mujib Nature Reserve consists of rocky ravines and sandstone cliffs and Wadi Mujib, a deep canyon which cuts through the hills. The hills span an elevation drop of over 1,200 meters: from 900m above sea level to 400m below. The dramatic change in altitude and the presence of several flowing rivers allow for many different habitats, the Reserve supports a wide variety of plants and animals. Seasonal streams that flow through the wadi drain into the Dead Sea.

The Reserve was created in 1987 and is the second largest Reserve in Jordan, covering over 212 sq km. At the Reserve is a enclosure which is being used to breed the Nubian ibex for reintroduction into the wild.

Many carnivores inhabit the various vegetation zones in Mujib. The striped hyena, the Syrian wolf, and the Caracal, a medium sized cat with black and white ear tufts, live in rocky wadis. The caracal is a powerful and agile hunter with great jumping power, known to catch birds in flight.

The reserve is important as a stop-over for migratory birds and has a resident bird population of lesser Kestrel, Imperial eagle, Bonelli`s eagle and griffon vulture, all of which are declining in numbers throughout the world.


The threat to Wadi Mujib Nature Reserve is water shortage: water from the lower Mujib River has been diverted to supply the nearby tourist resorts.