SPC student records triple digit temps at Mt. Negev in Israel

Israel, Israel 2023, Study Abroad

Sunrise and a mountain in the Negev Desert, and nurturing endangered animals during study abroad in Israel.

– Ben Culbreth, SPC Student, Israel Program, May 2019

The early bird catches the worm. Waking up at 5:30 am was a struggle but surely also a reward. Watching the sun creep up over the cliff’s edge was truly a sight to see. As the creatures of the night head back to their homes and a new day begins, the desert sun illuminates the Ramon Crater–a vast and beautiful landmark of the Negev Desert.

Sunrise at the Ramon Crater. Photo by Ben Culbreth.

After experiencing the breathtaking moment and taking countless photos, we head back for breakfast to fuel up for the days mission. A couple miles from the Mitzpe Ramon hostel, we stopped at Mt. Negev. In groups of three, we observed the surface temperature of the mountain for every 10 meters, from the base to the peak. A difference of 97F to 102F. The eastern side of the mountain has been in direct sunlight for about 2 hours, and has already reached triple-digit numbers.

After recording data , we departed for the city of Eilat, making a couple pit stops along the way, of course. We stopped at the Yotvata market for a snack break, located 40 kilometers north of Eilat. Some students bought souvenirs, and others tasted delicious homemade original ice cream. After having a little sugar rush, we made a spontaneous decision to stop by the Hai Bar nature preserve.

An ostrich at the Yotvata Hai-Bar Nature Reserve. Photo by Ben Culbreth.

The purpose of the Yotvata Hai-Bar Nature Reserve is to breed and nurture endangered and locally extinct animals and then reintroduce them to the Negev Desert. There is a focus on animals mentioned in the Bible but the animals are not exclusively from Israel or the Middle East. The reserve also cares for, and breeds animals from other habitats around the world. Some of the animals who make Yotvata their home are the oryx, ostrich, sand cat, gazelle, Arabian wolf and birds of prey like the Griffon vulture.

Only 30 minutes from the nature preserve is Eilat. When we first arrived, we had lunch and shopped at the Ice mall. After lunch, we arrived at our hostel and stayed in for the night…

– Ben Culbreth, SPC Student, Israel Program, May 2019

Thank you for sharing Ben!

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