WADI DEGLA, Egypt: A lot of people wonder why Wadi Degla – located a few kilometers outside the area of Maadi – was ever given natural protectorate status. While it may appear to some to be nothing but a barren valley, Wadi Degla is in fact home to quite a large number of mammal, bird, reptile, insect and plant species as well as 60 million year old fossils. Ask any enthusiastic hiker or cycler who visits the valley regularly and you are bound to hear exciting stories of encounters with very shy or evasive yet beautiful animals. One of the most important species that helped grant the valley its protected status is the mountain-dwelling Nubian Ibex Capra ibex nubiana. This majestic goat-like mammal (also found in the mountains of Sinai) is famous for its huge backswept horns that are particularly large in males. They are light-brown in colour with white underparts and distinctive black patches above and below the knees. Adult males also have long black beards. If you are incredibly lucky, you may come across a herd of ibex in Wadi Degla and it may contain a mixture of adults and young. The reason why it is rather difficult to come across an ibex anywhere within the 60 km2 of Wadi Degla is that ibex are usually active very early in the morning and in late afternoon, and, if motionless, are almost impossible to spot against the rocky background of the valley. Yet sightings have been made! Cape Hares (Lepus capensis) are more often encountered than ibex and gazelles in the valley. Although largely nocturnal avoiding the heat of day, these powerful runners have been sighted many times by regular visitors to the valley in late afternoons and sometimes even during the day. They are fairly large lagomorphs (not rodents) that may be yellowish brown or grayish in colour, have large eyes surrounded by white rings, large hind legs and long ears that are erect when alert. While resting, they usually lie in small hollows in the ground (known as forms) which they dig. They are generally hard to see unless on the move. Another creature often seen in Wadi Degla, particularly around the visitors' center, is the Fennec Fox Vulpes zerda – the smallest fox found in Egypt. This timid creature is about the size of a cat, very pale in colour and has extremely large bat-like ears. Again, as most wildlife in the valley, the fennec is mostly nocturnal. It emerges at dusk (and rarely also during the day) to hunt insects, lizards, small mammals, birds or feed on the available vegetation. They then remain hidden in shallow burrows during the day. If you are a hiking enthusiast and you take a walk at night with a flashlight, you may be able to see the eye-shine of a fennec or other nocturnal creatures. These shy creatures are also known to sometimes approach campers if they detect the smell of cooked meat. Interestingly, fennecs almost never drink water and don't seem to need to. However, they will drink if water is available. Red foxes are also sometimes seen in Wadi Degla. Among the more easily seen animals in Wadi Degla are the Lesser-Tailed Bats Rhinopoma hardwickii. These small mammals range in length from 10 to somewhat more than 14 cm, and yet, despite their relatively small size compared to the ibex, hares or foxes, are quite easy to see if you are interested in visiting their caves. There are several caves in Wadi Degla that are home to colonies of these insect-eating creatures. Unlike other bats, the lesser rat-tailed bats produce sounds at frequencies audible to human ears. Inside the caves, you can both hear the bats as well as see them – with the aid of a flashlight – walking on the cave walls. However, the dark and narrow caves are an exciting experience only for non-claustrophobic nature lovers. If you are uncomfortable in dark and narrow spaces, you may still see the bats when they start to become active at dusk and fly out of their caves in search for insects. Mammals are of course not the only kind of animals found in Wadi Degla. Many birds found there are not nocturnal and can be seen quite easily during the day. One of my personal favourites is the white-crowned black wheatear, which is a relatively small black bird with a white “crown” and rump. If you listen carefully during the day, you may be lucky to hear their beautiful song. Sand Partridges may also be seen as well as Blue Rock Thrushes which can be found on the walls of the valley or inside cracks. Ravens are also spotted but, by my experience, are less common than the white-crowned wheatears. Nocturnal birds like Eagle Owls also contribute to the secretive night-life of Wadi Degla and feed usually by hunting small mammals. As for reptiles: vipers, lizards and geckos have been encountered by many visitors. The extremely beautiful Carpet Viper may be seen beneath rocky ledges or on top of rocky shelves inside the caves. The Horned Viper, though very rare, has also been sighted in Wadi Degla and can be recognized by the two distinctive “horns” located on the head and the rasping sound it may produce if disturbed or threatened. Though both vipers are magnificent in shape, they are highly venomous, and so, it is not advisable that you turn over large rocks, stick your hand in thick bushes of desert plants or harass or corner them if you are lucky to sight them. You will also see many lizards even during the day, and, if you are lucky, you may come across a fan-footed gecko making its way through the rocky habitat. These are only some of the many species of wildlife found in Wadi Degla – there are many more! We have not even started to mention any of the tens of species of desert plants found there or any of the insects and arachnids. If you ever thought the place was lifeless, think again, look and listen more closely, visit more often and search at the right time of day. Sooner or later, you are bound to start having memorable encounters with many of these creatures. And when you visit the protected valley, remember to “take nothing with you and leave nothing behind.” Eco Options Egypt
