Azraq means blue in Arabic, and the name refers to the startling wetlands that stands out in the middle of the desert. Located in the heart of the Eastern Black Desert, Azraq Wetland Reserve is a large oasis of spring-fed marshes and pools, with seasonally flooded mudflats.
Surrounded by arid desert, the Reserve is a haven for wildlife, providing sheleter for both endemic and migratory species. In the past, the ecosystem of the Wetland has sufferered as nearby towns have drained the fresh water, making the wetland increasingly brakish and less atractive to birds. Innrecent years, a programme of renovation of the wetlands has been undertaken to dredge the lakes and pump fresh water back into the oasis, and the wildlife is starting to return.
The Azaraq Wetland Reserve is managed by Jordan’s Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, who maintain a visitors centre and trail through the marshes to observation platforms. You can also learn about the people living in this important oasis which has for centuries been an important stopping place on the pilgramage route to Mecca.
