Zaclaria: Difference between revisions

The Burhaniyah is a broad expanse of hyper-arid gravel, gravel with no moisture, plains and dunes that stretches throughout the interior of Zaclaria, which varies in width between 100 and many hundreds of kilometres. Areas within the Burhaniyah include the Sevre-Les, Tanavi, and Siveira. Several rivers and streams run through the Burhaniyah, although all of the rivers south of the Vandra River and north of the Malkot River are ephemeral and rarely or never reach the ocean The Burhaniyah is one of the most mineral-rich regions of the world, serving as an important location of minerals such as andalusite, chromium, fluorspar, platinum and vanadium. It also contains a large portion of the world's reserves of mining of tungsten, salt and diamonds.

The Duradiyah is one of Zaclaria's most well-known geographical features. It is a sub-tropical woodland ecoregion, with elevation varying from 750 to 1,400 m and the annual rainfall from 350 mm to 600 mm. The Duradiyah is mainly well-grassed plains are dotted by dense clusters of trees and tall shrubs. The grasses found here are generally tall and turn brown or pale in winter, which is the dry season throughout most of Zaclaria. This region is home to many large mammal species including white rhino, black rhino, giraffe, blue wildebeest, kudu, impala and a variety of species and other game.There are three significant mountain ranges in this region, the Kacevaz Mountains to the north, the Esmorieh Mountains in the south, and the Qazairabad escarpment in the east. As most of the region tends to be dry, the Duradiyah is mostly beef cattle and game farming country, with only a few drought-resistant crops such as sorghum and millet being farmed, usually under irrigation.

===Biodiversity===

[[File:Arabian oryx (oryx leucoryx).jpg|thumb|The Audonian oryx are found in the deserts|left]]

Wildlife includes the Audonian leopard, wolf, striped hyena, mongoose, baboon, hare, sand cat, and jerboa. Animals such as gazelles, oryx, leopards and cheetahs were relatively numerous until the 19th century, when extensive hunting reduced these animals almost to extinction. Birds include falcons (which are caught and trained for hunting), eagles, hawks, vultures, sandgrouse, and bulbuls. There are several species of snakes, many of which are venomous. Domesticated animals include the legendary Audonian horse, Arabian camel, sheep, goats, cows, donkeys, chickens etc. Reflecting the country's dominant desert conditions, Zaclaria's plant life mostly consists of herbs, plants and shrubs that require little water. The date palm (''Phoenix dactylifera'') is widespread.

Zaclaria is home to a rich marine life. The Bahari Sea in particular is a rich and diverse ecosystem. More than 1200 species of fish have been recorded in the Bahari Sea, and around 10 percent of these are found nowhere else. This also includes 42 species of deepwater fish. The rich diversity is in part due to the 2,000 km (1,240 mi) of coral reef extending along its coastline; these fringing reefs are 5000–7000 years old and are largely formed of stony acropora and porites corals. The reefs form platforms and sometimes lagoons along the coast and occasional other features such as cylinders. These coastal reefs are also visited by pelagic species of Bahari Sea fish, including some of the 44 species of shark. The Bahari Sea also contains many offshore reefs including several true atolls. Many of the unusual offshore reef formations defy classic (i.e., Darwinian) coral reef classification schemes, and are generally attributed to the high levels of tectonic activity that characterize the area.

The Derit lion, hunted to extinction in the wild, was a subspecies native to Zaclaria and is a national emblem. The last Derit lion in the wild was shot in the Kacevaz Mountains in 1922. The other two primary predators of northern Africa, the Khasse bear and Derit leopard, are now extinct and critically endangered, respectively. Relict populations of the South Audonian crocodile persisted in the Yeşille river until the 20th century. The Derit macaque, a primate endemic to Zaclaria and south Audonia, is also facing extinction due to offtake for trade human interruption, urbanisation, wood and real estate expansion that diminish forested area – the macaque's habitat.