The Yarmouk River Basin was selected to become a nature reserve due to its unique ecosystem and because it houses threatened species, Minister of Environment Khalid Irani said on Tuesday.

"The Yarmouk River nature reserve is rich in flora and fauna. It is home to 59 plants, 20 mammals, some of which are endangered, as well as 58 species of birds," he noted in a press statement.

The nature reserve, to be managed by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, will preserve trees and rare plants, as well as animals, particularly predators that are in danger of extinction both locally and regionally, the minister added.

He noted that the Yarmouk River Basin’s designation as a nature reserve will also revive tourist movement in the area, which includes several archaeological sites and old houses.

In 2007, the ministry announced plans to establish four new nature reserves in the Jordan Rift Valley as part of a JD13 million integrated ecosystem management project.

The reserves will be created over a total area of 570 square kilometres in the Yarmouk River Basin, Fifa in Ghor Safi, and Qatar and Jabal Masuda in Wadi Araba.