The ancient land of Israel has weathered centuries of metaphoric changes. This small country, about the size of Rhode Island, has seen human negligence towards its only permanent territorial dwellers destroy and eradicate them. The location, aspect, and climate of Israel has enabled it to play host to the amount of varied flora and fauna whole continents normally support. Israel lies at the crossroads to three major land masses-the African, European and Asian sub-continents. The northern and western coastal plains and mountains have a Mediterranean climate which once saw mammals ranging from bears to crocodiles. The two major deserts of the south once welcomed such beasts as lions, cheetahs and leopards.9 The ever shifting current of events whether political or social, have depleted Israel's unique environment of many indigenous species bringing the onset of extinction.1 An organization called the Nature Reserves Authority created the Hai Bar reserves to combat the rapid extinction increase. In 1956, they began a project to reintroduce about 8 large mammals back to Israel which had be extirpated from the region.2 Their efforts have been a paradigm of how human restoration can

In the 1950's, the Persian Fallow Deer was thought not only to be extinct from Israel (on a account of carnivores such as hyenas, wolves and a few leopards) but from any where in the world.2 They are in fact reported to be one of the rarest mammalian species in the world.5 To biologists surprise, a herd of about 25 deer, was located roaming wild in Iran.2 Members of the herd where relocated to zoo's and reserves in Europe until 1976 when the Hai Bar purchased and brought 6 deer to the reserve on the western Carmel mountain range.2 Diligent workers found great success and where able to revive the once thought lost species to almost 150 members by 1998. Twice a year the reserve released 10 deer through a carefully executed procedure into the surrounding wild.2 The released deer were planted with radio collars, allowing conservationists to track migratory patterns, behavioral activities and breeding. Scientists predict by the year 2005 there will be 400 Persian Fallow deer alive, 200 of which in the wild, assuring the preservationists hopes of reintroducing the deer back in to the hills of Jerusalem.5 These amazing statistics are a model of success for preservationists and conservationists world wide.

The Ibex, or Mountain goat, have become a symbol of Israel's wildlife. It is not uncommon to see a herd of ibex grazing by the highway heading south through the Negev. The Ibex, whose pronounced elongated horns which serve as effective fighting tools, have thrived in the reintroduction projects, now estimated at a number over a 1000 members in the wild.5 The Hai Bar reserves have also attempted introducing ostriches and African Wild Ass into the Negev, however due to the rarity and low-breeding rates of the species attempts have been temporarily delayed.6

Some common words found in the essay are:
Hai Bar, White Oryx, European Asian, Ass Negev, Persian Fallow, Rhode Island, Fallow Deer, Lebanon Syria, Roe Deer, Arabian Oryx, hai bar, bar reserve, hai bar reserve, roe deer, hai bar reserves, arabian white, bar reserves, arabian white oryx, white oryx, indigenous species, scientists predict, bar reserve negev, persian fallow deer, purchased brought, fallow deer,
Approximate Word count = 1201
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)