From: Aziz N

Date:April 13, 2006

Subject: cave locations

Greetings to you guys,

    Your web site is really amazing. You guys can facilitate my work process tremendously since you have covered many caves across Saudi. I am a mammalogist who is primarily interested in studying bats. The caves you found can save me time searching for them and for bats in areas where caves are located. I am in the process of producing a mammals distribution map of Saudi Arabia. I am currently covering Al-Qassim region, so do you have any coordinates for all caves in that region? You said that you identified seven bat species. Can you tell me what they were and where you found them?

best regards,

Dr. Abdulaziz

REPLY:

Dear Dr. Abdulaziz,

Your study sounds really fascinating.  Yes, we can help you to visit caves which have bat populations. Please let us know in what part of Saudi Arabia you live so we can put you in contact with the nearest cave explorers. If you can give me your phone number that might speed things up.

We know of only one cave near Qassim, a strongly blowing hole that might be difficult to enter.   As for the number of species known, Dr. Iyad Nader mentioned 29 species of bats in Saudi Arabia in 2000. You can find his report at:

http://www.saudicaves.com/saudibats/index.htm

John Pint