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
Arabian Primrose
Arnebia hispidissima
Bermuda Grass
Cynodon dactylon
Black Percher
Diplacodes lefbvrei
Blue Pansy
Junonia [= Precis] orithya
Buck’s-horn Plantain
Plantago coronopus
Clouded Yellow
Colias croceus
Convolvulus Hawk-moth
Agrius convolvuli
Desert Hare, Arabian Hare, Cape Hare
Lepus capensis
Desert Monitor
Varanus griseus
Desert Thorn
Lycium shawii
Ethiopian Hedgehog, Desert Hedgehog
Paraechinus aethiopicus
Firebug
Pyrrhocoris apterus
Foxtail Grass
Cenchrus ciliaris
Gazelle’s Horn
Lotus halophilus
Hamool, Arook
Cuscuta pedicellata
Handakoq Asfar
Melilotus indicus
Harriet
Salsola imbricata
Honey Badger, Ratel
Mellivora capensis
Hooded Malpolon (False Cobra)
Malpolon moilensis
House mouse
Mus musculus
Least Mallow
Malva parviflora
Lesser Jerboa
Jaculus jaculus
Painted Lady
Vanessa [=Cynthia] cardui
Plain Tiger
Danaus (Anosia) chrysippus
Prickly Dock
Emex spinosa
Rabbit-foot Grass
Polypogon monspeliensis
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes arabica
Rocket
Eruca vesicaria
Rüppell’s Sand Fox, Sand Fox
Vulpes rueppellii sabaea
Saadan
Neurada procumbens
Selih
Erucaria hispanica
Spiny-Tailed Agama
Uromastyx aegyptia microlepis
The Vagrant Emperor
Hemianax ephippiger
Turnsole
Heliotropium bacciferum
Wild Mustard
Sinapis arvensis
Wiregrass
Aristida abnormis
Yellow-Spotted Agama
Trapelus flavimaculatus
