Every spring and autumn, the inhabitants of the Dead Sea awaken to the sound of the wings of half a billion birds that migrate north over the Great Syrian-African Valley, which is overrun by the Dead Sea.
Large birds, which often land in private yards, also rest on the shores of this great salt lake and stop here to rest and oases, after a hard journey through the deserts, on a flight from Africa to Europe and back.
The Dead Sea and the Judean Desert are the most important areas for birds in the area and provide an extensive and rich landing base for flocks of birds. This is an extreme desert region with many oases, impressive cliffs, curved canyons, mountain ranges and extremely low lands.
The area has a wide range of bird habitats, high-quality observations of the phenomenon of migratory birds, which combine research and a variety of habitats and conservation, as well as strengthen human ties with industry and the environment.
These conditions make the Dead Sea and the Judean Desert a unique center for research, education, and tourism, in particular for migratory birds and the observation of desert birds.
Currently, a new Interdisciplinary Training Center is planned for several Dead Sea and grand research funds.
The area of the Dead Sea in its various aspects is of great importance for regional, national and international relations. The Dead Sea and its surroundings are a unique phenomenon: there is a rare combination of unique conditions and extreme geographical aspects - physical, geology, climate, animals, plants, minerals, cultural heritage, etc. This area is part of the Great Section (Great Rift Valley). - African) - the cradle of civilization and the longest geological phenomenon - 07.20 km in 22 countries.
"The Dead Sea Research Center for the Great Rift Valley is intended to be the center of a unique multidisciplinary study that examines the integrative, various aspects of the existing rewarded relationship between them and the marine environment - splitting the Dead Sea in order to understand and preserve the unique natural resource, a way that will contribute development and prosperity of the region.
The center is based on cooperation between two main factors: the Dead Sea R & D (Institute for Research, Development and Training of the Dead Sea), as well as the Dead Sea and Arava, which operates as part of the regional R & D s Ministry of Science and is sponsored by the Academy at Negev University Tel Aviv University, Dead Sea Research Center and various university departments.
Project assistance and other partners: Regional Council for the Tamar, Negev and Galilee Ministries of Development, Ministry of Science and Nature Protection.
The activities of the Center will be conducted in close cooperation with the Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Parks and will be open to the participation of various organizations, universities and research funds in Israel and abroad. Special attention will be paid to transboundary cooperation projects.
The center will be based in Masada and will include rooms for researchers, laboratories, computer rooms, training rooms, an auditorium, etc. Meanwhile, we are also considering the creation of a secondary school in the Ein Gedi field school, which will serve as the visitor center and the observatory. as well as a geophysical measuring center with a focus on earth sciences under the guidance of Professor Zvi Ben-Avraham.
Ein Gedi Field School is located north of the David reserve, overlooking the reserve and the Dead Sea, and is an ideal point of view for bird migration studies, as well as the great rift.
The center, located in the Ein Gedi field school and headed by Dr. Yossi Leshem, is expected to become part of a national park of poultry-farming centers with 15 stations and will focus on research, education and conservation of birds, as well as on growth and open existing links with parallels in the Palestinian The administration in Jericho and Wadi Mujib Jib in Jordan. The center should also focus on the development of surveillance of immigration using satellite transmitters and providing visitors with the opportunity to follow the migration from Europe and Asia through the Great Rift to South Africa.
The area is also inhabited by many birds and animals that live here constantly, including the Arabian bird song (scientific name: Turdoides squamiceps). Their uniqueness is the group life that is maintained throughout the year, including the same group of birds that protect their territory.
The social behavior of the bubbler population has been studied since the early 1970s, and research has led to the discovery of the "handicap principle" that explains the evolutionary development of altruism and other social phenomena in animals and humans: during the day, the bubblers are guarded by groups from a high point of observation with male and female leaders female, who reserve for a long time (handicap principle). The whole group is raising children, not even biological parents. In many cases (without this group there is only one woman or man), it is impossible to know exactly who are the biological parents.
This behavior is reminiscent of the life of groups around the Dead Sea over the centuries: members of the sect of the Judean desert, known as the Essenes living in Qumran, had life as a group, and most of the settlements in the vicinity today are kibbutzim or cooperative unions. may be the result of the harsh physical conditions of the desert for those who want to live in it.
Periodic bird activities regularly occur for continuous bird watching, including many species of desert birds, such as eagles, falcons, and more.
Local people are working to preserve nature and the environment, protect the population of plants and animals, research and data collection, develop and popularize "green" activities, strengthen the relationship between man and nature, and involve the local population in environmental activities. , and the education of the younger generation for their love of the earth and nature, through special projects, such as the wetland project, working at the AHAVA cosmetics factory in the Regional Council of Dead Scrolls of the sea.
AHAVA, the only cosmetic plant found in its natural environment - the dead sea, is working on an unforgettable secret bump of minerals on the skin. A consistent scientific approach that led to AHAVA’s unparalleled experience in this field, culminating in the development of an international network and ongoing research.
Loyal supporters of the AHAVA philosophy protect the beauty and resources of the region inherent in it, the factories' leaders nourish love relationships and care for the Dead Sea, which work and live along its shores.
The company's activities based on environmental protection and preservation relate to the delicate balance of pure elements in the Dead Sea. The crystal collection of minerals, Dead Sea mud minerals and desert plants growing in the clean air of this magical region answer: the plant accepts only what is necessary so that nature can replenish without hindrance.
Production processes are not aware of the needs of environmental pollutants. The plant does not experiment on animals, and the products - a stuffed phone, recyclable bottles and cans.
The plant is located on the alluvial plywood of Nahal Degrees Wahkon, along the access road to Kibbutz Mitzpe Shalem, Vgerevitadtibi, the topographical advantages of an innovative project for wastewater treatment using special vegetation.
The cleaning process is transported in accordance with the principles of wetlands (wet lines of credit), in which water passes through several pools of water - each with different ingredients that get rid of waste, as well as the incubation effects of mosquitoes.
Custom automotive chemical plants and wastewater in the region. At the end of the process was done in the water used for irrigation of local trees, which are a collection of desert plants, an ecological lung, bird attraction, the center of the base, if different activities are connected with nature, man and the environment. Among other things, you can find here an extinct plant called “hairy stimulus”, extinct as a result of anthropogenic activities, and efforts are being made to replace the “imported” vegetation with local vegetation.
Levy Kochav, a project manager at Mitzpe Shalem, sees a new green light and thickening of the vegetation of an ecological bubble made this place a suitable place to stop for migratory birds.
The Dead Sea is always full of surprises, and birds often show that Vnudien provides a rare phenomenon: during the Great Migration in May 2009, for example, on the coastal cliffs of the northern Dead Sea of the Ayanotsky Nature Reserve was immortalized by beautiful flamingos, probably the Flamingo breed rarely visits Israel during his travels across continents.
An exciting waterbird hiding between feathers combining hot pink and black, and therefore won the special name Flamingo (“burning flame” in Portuguese), didn’t visit Israel, mainly in Eilat salt ponds, and perhaps he decided to deviate from the habit of recognizing the invariant Sea - the Dead Sea, which you can wade into natural mineral pools containing fresh water and catch a small oasis of peace and magic.
Shiran Ben Yaacov works at INPA, a reserve of Ayanot Rocks, has managed to capture flamingo moments of relaxation with his camera, even if you did it on one foot ..
