CAIRO: I’m a city girl, born and bred. Needless to say, I have not had much chance, or inclination, to commune with nature. My interaction is limited to the domesticated house pets I come upon, and the much-feared encounter with insects. I have taken note of the pesky pigeons that roost on the air conditioner compressors outside my window. But recently, I have been looking around the concrete jungle and wondering if Mother Nature has turned her back on this man-made environment, or have we turned our back on her? Have we turned a blind eye to the natural wildlife that finds the city so inhospitable?
In search for answers, I sought out Cairo’s local naturalist guru, Richard Hoath.Aside from being a professor at the American University in Cairo, he authors a nature column in Egypt Today, and has served for two years as an ornithological consultant to the Egypt Exploration Society at the Sacred Animal Necropolis in Sakkara.He has worked with the Born Free Foundation to improve conditions at the Giza,Tanta and Alexandria zoos.
“We as a species need nature, said Hoath. “Great cities often define themselves, not just by their architecture, their buildings, their history, but also by their open spaces. I mean,New York wouldn’t be New York without their Central Park.
What would we consider Cairo’s open spaces? A few areas come to mind: Orman Gardens, Al Azhar Park and the Fish Gardens. Some have been closed to the public, allegedly from fear of vandalism. Other parks that are accessible are so crowded during the weekend that spending a day there is taxing on the nerves.
But as Hoath clearly points out,we seem to be drawn to nature. “One of the reasons the zoo [for example] is so crowded is that green areas, for the poor people, are so rare in Cairo to the extent that during the feasts, Sham El Nessim for instance, they are forced to have their picnics on sidewalks and roundabouts, etc. Green areas are precious.
“A great deal is talked about in school about Egypt’s historical heritage: the pyramids, the Sphinx, tombs, etc. [These], undeniably, are absolutely fabulous.
And a great deal is spent, rightly so, on preserving them, said Hoath. “Why isn’t Egypt’s natural heritage, which is far, far older, celebrated in the same way?
We might have sidelined our natural heritage. But, with so many social and economic issues facing us, is it really a priority? In the larger scheme of things, nurturing an interest in our natural heritage may seem somewhat trivial. “This is an argument that is so often used: There are so many human problems, particularly in the city, so why are we interested in the birds and animals? I think if we, as the human species, try to divorce ourselves completely from the natural world than our life will be poorer, countered Hoath.
For the most part, there are not many avenues for us to become involved in revitalizing an interest in Egypt’s natural heritage. There are so few nongovernmental organizations that are concerned with the environment. That isn’t to say that the cause has been completely deserted. The Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA), since its inception in 1994, as “the highest authority in Egypt responsible for promoting and protecting the environment, has been making strides in protecting our natural heritage.
Within the framework of Law 102 of year 1983, some 24 protectorates have been declared around the country.Approximately 98,500 square kilometers have been established as a safe haven for our precious wildlife to roam free, and protected from hunters and poachers.
Establishing nature protectorates does not necessarily alienate the human population in the area.”The EEAA does detailed surveys, have environmental assessment plans drawn up, [undergo] environmental impact plans, as well as management places which also relate to the local people living there.Because you can’t have effective conservation without taking the people into account as well, explained Hoath.
“One of the best examples is that of St. Catherine’s. The Bedouin are now employed to help patrol and protect the animals of the region, and to act as guides for the visitors. So they gain from the protection of the environment, said Hoath. As a result, the area is rich in wildlife: “In the monastery garden, you can see Tristram’s Grackle, a beautiful, glossy black bird with chestnut wings. You can see the Palestine Sun Bird, Sinai Rose Finch, and Chakkas … wild partridge. As Hoath continues describing the spectacular birds that frequent the area, it’s hard not to catch on to his enthusiasm.
“If you go to the wadi on the other side of St. Catherine’s, Wadi Arbaeen, there’s a Bedouin there called Ramadan who has some hyraxes. They look a bit like a rabbit, but its closest relative is the elephant, and it’s found in the rocky slopes around St. Catherine’s. A rabbit descended from an elephant? My curiosity was definitely peaked.
“A natural sense of curiosity is clearly what drew Hoath to nature. And you don’t necessarily have to venture far from your normal haunts to appease that interest.”For instance, sitting down on my balcony watching the egrets flap down to the Nile, I ask ‘Where are they coming from?’ ‘Where are they going to?’ and ‘Why?’ And once you start asking yourself these questions, and trying to find out the answers, it gets interesting, said Hoath.
According to the EEAA, birds are one of the most notable elements of Egypt’s biodiversity. We are blessed with a wide range of habitats, each home to a unique bird life. Also, as the only land bridge between Eurasia and Africa, Egypt acts as one of the key migratory routes in the world, with hundreds of millions of birds passing through every spring and autumn. Many bird species winter in the country’s wetlands. A total of 16 threatened species are present in Egypt. The uniqueness of our vantage point in the natural world only makes it more surprising that we are not taking an interest in promoting or preserving it.
Hoath has lured many toward nature with his passion and enthusiasm. His monthly column in Egypt Today’s “Nature Notes has raised awareness among its readers. He has recently published A Field Guide to the Mammals of Egypt, noted as “the first comprehensive field guide to every mammal species recorded in contemporary Egypt, from the gazelle to gerbil, from porpoise to porcupine.
But he regrets that his reach is limited.”I really wish there was someone writing those columns in Arabic, he said. What Egypt lacks, in his opinion, is an Egyptian who can rally the public’s interest in our natural heritage, “an environmental Zahi Hawass, someone who can project enthusiasm and excitement.
According to Hoath, “We do relate to [nature], especially as children we have a natural curiosity for the natural world. “As we grow older, most people lose that sort of childhood connection.
Some of us, however, still manage to hang on to that natural curiosity. Sara El Sayed, an avid birdwatcher, demonstrates that zeal for nature she developed while studying biology. “Nature is all around us, you just have to look for it. She admits that nature is not “the most accessible thing in the city, but if you are on the lookout, you can spot nature and sometimes in the most unlikely of places.
On an evening quest, El Sayed spotted a large barn owl in a tree on top of the Jazz Club amidst the bustle of El Mohandiseen’s streets. A walk under Zamalek’s bridges, and she can catch a glimpse of fruit bats, which she claims is “really cool because they look like rodents.
“I’m woken up every morning by a flock of birds, bright, bright green parakeets, El Sayed said. It seems that the parakeets, which are not native to Egypt, were escaped pets that enjoyed the climate and stayed on. Now quite a large population have made there home in and around El Gezera in Zamalek.
“A world without nature is meaningless. In this smoggy city, it’s nice to connect with nature. Crucial, not nice, El Sayed asserted.
And, as El Sayed demonstrated, there are so many simple ways we can reconnect with nature.We can go horseback
riding in the desert by the Pyramids and if we’re lucky be accompanied by a fox or two. Wadi Degla and the Petrified Forrest, though small protectorates, are only minutes outside of the city’s outskirts. Or we can take a short trip to Ain El Sokhna and snorkel in the coral reefs,watch the skyline for migratory birds, or look out to sea for schools of bottle-nosed dolphins. And for those of us who are feeling more adventurous, there’s Ras Mohamed National Park with its rich, varied marine life; Lake Qarun and Wadi El Rayan in El Fayoum; and Abu Galum protectorate in South Sinai to name a few.
Even from the confines of the city’s concrete jungle, we can, as Hoath suggests, sit on our balconies and simply watch the birdlife appreciatively.
