Hai Bar Wildlife Preserve - Yotvata - Negev and Arava Travel Information

Negev and Arava

Hai-Bar Wildlife Preserve was founded in the beginning of the 70's to re-introduce wild animals that are mentioned in the Bible, and are now extinct or close to extinction. These animals reproduce, and some are released back to the wild where their ancestors used to live in the past. The reserve enables reproduction groups to increase in numbers in a controlled environment, as close as possible to their natural habitat. The animals in the preserve are free to roam the reserve (they are not kept in cages!).

The reserve is divided into two centers. The southern center, near Yotvata Kibbutz in the Arava, is for animals used to desert conditions, and the Northern center, on the Carmel Hills, is for animals of the Mediterranean climate.

Tour in the Hai-Bar wildlife Preserve

Animals that were returned to the Israeli landscape from the Hai-Bar reserve in Yotvata include the Onager (Asiatic wild ass) and the Arabian oryx.

A number of ostrich chicks who hatched during 2004, were taken to a separated fenced area, so they will not interact with humans. This way, these chicks will be released to the wild without knowing getting used to getting their food from humans. If this experiment will work, it is possible that the near future will see Ostriches roaming the Negev area, where they used to live before being exterminated due to massive hunting.

The reserve also contains additional sections: predators, snakes, and birds of prey. The animals in these sections are in cages. There is also a dark room, used to study nocturnal animals.

The route

A tour of the Hai-Bar wildlife preserve takes about an hour of driving your own car in the preserve on an unpaved road that goes through the areas where the animals live. The tour is done independantly, withour a guide.

During the months of July and August, there are also night activities in the Wildlife preserve, such as Bat feeding, Snake feeding, and sunset tours. The acrivities take place on Tuesdays, between 17:30-21:00. You may pre-arrange a predator feeding tour for groups, including local guides.

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