Animals in Bahrain

Bahrain is an archipelago of 292 square miles in the Persian Gulf. There are varied environments throughout Bahrain including salt marshes, deserts, rocky barren areas, and irrigated cultivated areas.

The desert conditions tend to limit the amount of animals capable of living in Bahrain. The Goitered Gazelle is an ungulate who can live in the desert area. They received their name because the male's throat and neck swells during the mating season. On average they weigh between 40-75 pounds, and typically live between 10-12 years. The species is considered Vulnerable, because they are facing a high-risk of extinction.

The Asiatic, or Golden Jackal prefer dry open areas available in Bahrain. These jackals are truly monogamous, they live and hunt in mating pairs until one of them dies. They feed on the wide variety of desert lizards and rodents available in Bahrain. The Jerboas are long-tailed leaping rodents. They vary in color matching the ground on which they live. They can leap up to 10 feet, but when walking slowly often walk on their hind legs, or hop on all four legs. They typically get all the moisture they need from their food- which they forage for at night; seeds, succulent parts of plants, and insects.

Birdlife is limited except during the spring and autumn when they stop temporarily to rest during migration.

There are also several varieties of sea mammals in the surrounding waters of Bahrain. These include the Black Finless Porpoise, Chinese White Dolphin, and Dugong. Both the porpoise and the dolphin most often live in pods of less than 10 animals, but occasionally they can be much larger. The Black Finless Porpoise llacks a dorsal fin, and instead have a low ridge. They are pretty shy, and rather elusive. The Dugong, also called the sea cow, is endangered. The biggest threat to these marine mammals, is typically humans with commercial fishing.