Jeddah Jungle, a nature preserve in the southwestern part of Jeddah Kingdom, is a green oasis with rolling hills, vast tracts of mangroves, and a large number of wide-ranging and diverse species. Nowadays there are many ways to discover this magnificent place, such as by hiking through its enchanting landscape or kayaking in its calm lakes.
At the Jeddah Jungle, there are different areas where children can play, like the adventure park and playground at the visitor center. Along with children’s trees, games and equipment. So that they can have fun and make themselves much happier by slowly writing a journey in memory. The point of interest is located in the northern section of the Jeddah Jungle, on the first road leading to the Al-Shoaiba area, north of Jeddah city, 10 kilometers away from downtown. Jeddah Wildlife Centre is one of the branches affiliated with the King Abdulaziz Centre for Science and Technology (KACST) in Saudi Arabia. You can visit Jeddah Jungle through flights from Kuwait to Jeddah.
How many species of animals and plants are in the Jeddah Jungle, besides birds and butterflies?
The Jeddah Jungle, which is about 17,000 acres large, contains 33 different types of rare plants, including some 1,100 species of trees; 514 species of animals; and 170 species of insects. Near the entrance, there are some 25 different types of birds, a dozen butterflies and eight mammals that include small rabbits and foxes. Hundreds of other varieties are found throughout the park. About 1,500 species of plants are found in the Jeddah Jungle. The types of plants vary according to the level of humidity and temperature inside the jungle.
What kind of animals inhabit Jeddah Jungle?
The animals in the Jeddah Jungle are classified into four major groups: The first is insects, such as beetles, ants and grasshoppers; then there are reptiles, like snakes; followed by mammals, such as monkeys, squirrels and foxes; and finally there are birds, such as crows and kingfishers. When you visit the jungle in spring (and fall) all these four groups can be seen at once.
Why did Jeddah Jungle become a wildlife preserve?
If you look at the history of Jeddah, you will find that it was one of the first cities to be built in Saudi Arabia, over 700 years ago. Its prosperity and growth on the other hand followed a rapid surge during the 20th century. When it was founded over 700 years ago, Jeddah was a small port city with little public space available and no areas that were natural or wild. The growth in population led to demands for more public space for recreation and sports.
The direction of this growth was concentrated towards the north, away from the city center, and in doing so left some areas untouched by development. As a result of this pressure to expand northward and because of the relative lack of public space within the city, some green spaces were created as water reservoirs, such as Al-Shoaib area. This part of Jeddah is relatively close to the city center (about 10 km) and has been used for many years for recreation purposes due to its trees and mangroves.
How are Jeddah’s beaches affected by heavy rains?
Rainstorms can be destructive for a city that has no effective sewage disposal system. As a result, sewage has polluted the entire Jeddah shoreline. Beach erosion has widened steadily in Jeddah, from 0.5 meters in the 1970s to more than 15 meters by 1988. The erosion can be seen here with as much as 100 meters of beach lost over a period of 20 years.
Is there a lot of pollution in Jeddah?
Of course, there is some pollution in Jeddah, but it is not so serious that people cannot live in this city. However, we will have to try hard to control it for the sake of our children and our future generations.
What more do you like about Jeddah’s beaches?
The last thing I would like to mention is that, apart from the beaches, we also have some natural lakes in Jeddah. These lakes will provide a great place to see and swim.
Why doesn’t Jeddah have plants and wildlife?
Many people wonder why we don’t have any animals and plants in Jeddah. To tell you the truth, this may stem from one or more of 3 reasons: First of all, no one wants to take care of them. Secondly, we still have some empty spaces in Jeddah that are not being used. Thirdly, our city is still growing and there is not much room for such wildlife anymore. Also, Jeddah does have a park called the Saudi Wildlife Centre – but it is a bit far from the city center.
How do we reintroduce plants and animals to Jeddah?
The first step towards the reintroduction of wildlife to Jeddah’s environment is simple awareness. People must understand that they can help bring new life to their city. After they are aware of what can be done, there must be some sort of planning and execution phase in addressing the problem at hand.
The second step – which is the most difficult – is to reach out and establish a relationship with those who will benefit from this action. And the third step is to implement that plan. Once this effort is in place, it can begin to be seen as “normal” by people that live in Jeddah, and they will no longer question its existence or wonder why they have not seen such behavior before.
What is the situation now?
As it is now, animals are so rare in Jeddah that they are considered a sort of “gadget”. People tend to be interested only when they see some unusual behavior – a monkey here or an elephant there. They become more excited or even begin to feel nostalgic when they remember their last trip outside the city for sightseeing. But as soon as this event passes, the excitement fades, and people carry on with their lives without thinking about what we can do to introduce animals into our city. More…
Why don’t we have animals and plants in Jeddah?
There are some empty spaces in Jeddah that are not being used. And when the city was founded over 700 years ago, it was a small port town with little public space available and no areas that were natural or wild. In the last century, Jeddah grew considerably and became an important industrial and commercial center.
Which parks should we preserve? How can we preserve them?
There are as many as 35 parks in different areas of Jeddah City, from big ones to smaller ones. Actually, all of them are important, as they represent some place for relaxation and recreation. The parks include Al-Khalidiyah Park (Kuwait), Al-Shoaib Park (Jeddah), Buraidah Park, Al-Taif National Park, Al-Safari Wildlife Sanctuary, Al-Meena National Park and (Al)Manaar National Park.
