Description:
Irkaya Farm is located off the Abu Samra Road about 50 kilometers west of Doha in the south central plain of Qatar. Irkaya sits like a glowing emerald in the middle of the desert. It is home to many resident species and lies on the flight path of migratory birds and insects passing through Qatar. It can even be seen from space on satellite maps. The fields consist of sandy and loamy topsoil on a flat, sandy plain with water-worn pebbles. The rest of the terrain is low, rocky limestone upland with scattered boulders and sparse vegetation. All native species of plant at Irkaya benefit from the absence of grazing animals.
Location:
Species in this Nature Reserve
Arabian Horned Viper
Cerastes gasperettii
Bermuda Grass
Cynodon dactylon
Buck’s-horn Plantain
Plantago coronopus
Desert Monitor
Varanus griseus
Desert Thorn
Lycium shawii
Firebug
Pyrrhocoris apterus
Foxtail Grass
Cenchrus ciliaris
Handakoq Asfar
Melilotus indicus
Hooded Malpolon (False Cobra)
Malpolon moilensis
Least Mallow
Malva parviflora
Prickly Dock
Emex spinosa
Saadan
Neurada procumbens
Spiny-Tailed Agama
Uromastyx aegyptia microlepis
Wiregrass
Aristida abnormis
Black Percher
Diplacodes lefbvrei
Harriet
Salsola imbricata
Hamool, Arook
Cuscuta pedicellata
Wild Mustard
Sinapis arvensis
Gazelle’s Horn
Lotus halophilus
Clouded Yellow
Colias croceus
Convolvulus Hawk-moth
Agrius convolvuli
Yellow-Spotted Agama
Trapelus flavimaculatus
Honey Badger, Ratel
Mellivora capensis
Turnsole
Heliotropium bacciferum
House mouse
Mus musculus
Rüppell’s Sand Fox, Sand Fox
Vulpes rueppellii sabaea
Arabian Primrose
Arnebia hispidissima
Rocket
Eruca vesicaria
Rabbit-foot Grass
Polypogon monspeliensis
Blue Pansy
Junonia [= Precis] orithya
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes arabica
Selih
Erucaria hispanica
Lesser Jerboa
Jaculus jaculus
The Vagrant Emperor
Hemianax ephippiger
Plain Tiger
Danaus (Anosia) chrysippus
Desert Hare, Arabian Hare, Cape Hare
Lepus capensis
Painted Lady
Vanessa [=Cynthia] cardui
Ethiopian Hedgehog, Desert Hedgehog
Paraechinus aethiopicus
