The Palestinian Terrestrial Vertebrate Fauna Preserved at the Biology Exhibitions of the Universities of the Gaza Strip

Authors

  • Abdel Fattah N. Abd Rabou Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip,Palestine
  • Nour J Musallam Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip,Palestine
  • Eman J Musallam Department of English, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip, Palestine
  • Kamal E Elkahlout Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip,Palestine
  • Kamal J Elnabris Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip,Palestine
  • Tarek A El-Bashiti Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip,Palestine
  • Ismail I Abdel Aziz Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip,Palestine
  • Reham M Ishneiwra Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip,Palestine
  • Eqbal S Radwan Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip,Palestine
  • Hana S Saada Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip,Palestine
  • Ashraf A Shafei Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip,Palestine
  • Nedal A Fayyad Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip,Palestine
  • Saleh N Mwafy Department of Biology, Al-Azhar University, Gaza Strip, Palestine
  • Huda E Abu Amra Department of Biology, Al-Aqsa University, Gaza Strip, Palestine
  • Ramy A Abu Alajeen Department of Geography, Al-Aqsa University, Gaza Strip, Palestine
  • Mohammed F Abu Owda Department of Curricula and Teaching Methods, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip, Palestine
  • Randa N Alfarra Department of Curricula and Teaching Methods, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip, Palestine
  • Haifaa A Hassouna Department of Curricula and Teaching Methods, Ministry of Education, Gaza Strip, Palestine
  • Reem A Hassouna Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Palestine, Gaza Strip, Palestine
  • Mohammed R Al-Agha Department of Environment and Earth Sciences, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip, Palestine
  • Mohammed A Abd Rabou Department of Environment and Earth Sciences, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip, Palestine;Department of Information Technology, University College of Applied Sciences, Gaza Strip, Palestine

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/re.v2i4.2512

Abstract

The Gaza Strip (365 km2 ) of Palestine (27,000 km2 ) is home to a wealth of terrestrial vertebrate fauna. Some of these faunistic species find their ways to preservation at the local universities. Hence, the current study comes to document the Palestinian terrestrial vertebrate fauna acquired by the biology exhibitions (BEs) of Al-Azhar University, Islamic University of Gaza and Al-Aqsa University that are located at the Gaza City of the Gaza Strip. The amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals preserved at BEs of the universities in question were surveyed and scientifically classified during a three-month period extending from January to March, 2012. The study showed that all BEs of local universities are underdeveloped, lacking attention and suffer from specimen scarcity and good preservation. The BE at Al-Azhar University is the best in the arrangement and preservation of bird specimens. A total number of 200 specimens belonging to 54 terrestrial vertebrate fauna species, 39 families and 17 orders was recorded at BEs. Reptiles constituted 40.7% of the total species recorded, followed by birds (38.9%), mammals (14.8%) and amphibians (5.6%). The Islamic University of Gaza was considered the best in terms of the number of preserved species (39.8%), followed by Al-Azhar University (36.3%) and Al-Aqsa University (23.9%). The Common Toad (Bufo viridis) was the most preserved among the amphibian species recorded. Squamata was the biggest reptilian order, comprising 20 species (8 lizards and 12 snakes), with the Syrian Black Snake (Coluber jugularis asianus) was the commonest. The Palestine Viper (Vipera palaestinae) is endemic to Palestine and most venomous and dangerous to human health. The Great White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus) was the largest Palestinian bird preserved at BE of Al-Azhar University. The Egyptian Mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon) and the Common Badger (Meles meles) were the biggest mammalian specimens preserved, while the Palestine Mole-rat (Spalax leucodon ehrenbergi) was the only Palestine endemic species encountered among the preserved mammals. Finally, the improvement of BEs of local universities and the construction of a Central Museum of Natural History is highly recommended in order to change the Palestinians’ attitudes toward a sustainable ecological conservation in the Gaza Strip.

Keywords:

Terrestrial vertebrate fauna; Preservation; Biology exhibitions; Gaza universities; Gaza Strip; Palestine

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N. Abd Rabou, A. F., Musallam, N. J., Musallam, E. J., Elkahlout, K. E., Elnabris, K. J., El-Bashiti, T. A., Abdel Aziz, I. I., Ishneiwra, R. M., Radwan, E. S., Saada, H. S., Shafei, A. A., Fayyad, N. A., Mwafy, S. N., Abu Amra, H. E., Abu Alajeen, R. A., Abu Owda, M. F., Alfarra, R. N., Hassouna, H. A., Hassouna, R. A., Al-Agha, M. R., & Abd Rabou, M. A. (2020). The Palestinian Terrestrial Vertebrate Fauna Preserved at the Biology Exhibitions of the Universities of the Gaza Strip. Research in Ecology, 2(4), 9–21. https://doi.org/10.30564/re.v2i4.2512

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Vol. 2 , Iss. 4 (December 2020)

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