Turaif's Qaziz Al-Naam Mountain Preserves the Memory of Extinct Arabian Ostriches

A Monument to Lost Wildlife

The geography of the Kingdom holds the deep history of its vanished wildlife. Qaziz Al-Naam Mountain, standing tall east of the Turaif Governorate in the Northern Borders Region, is inextricably linked to the popular folklore passed down by local bedouins. The striking mountain is one of the region's most prominent natural landmarks, distinguished by its sudden elevation above the vast, flat surrounding desert.

The Land of the Ostrich

The mountain’s name tells a tragic ecological story. According to stories passed down by elderly residents, the mountain derived its name from the massive flocks of wild ostriches ("Naam" in Arabic) that heavily frequented the site roughly 50 to 70 years ago. Nasser Al-Majlad, Chairman of the Aman Environmental Association in the Northern Borders Region, noted that the native Arabian ostrich once thrived across these vast northern deserts, where the terrain and grazing areas were absolutely perfect for its natural habitat.

An Extinct Species

Tragically, overhunting and environmental changes wiped the bird out entirely. The Arabian ostrich is now officially classified as a globally extinct wildlife species. Today, Qaziz Al-Naam Mountain stands as a silent, rocky memorial to the magnificent wildlife that once roamed freely across the northern frontier of the Arabian Peninsula.

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