Background information: by edgardowelelo@yahoo.com
These are countries north of the Sahara and bordering the Mediterranean, usually refers to Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia: sometimes also includes Libya and Egypt. SAHEL is a Zone of driest savanna that borders the southern edge of the SAHARA from Mauritania east to Sudan.
Background information: by edgardowelelo@yahoo.com
Algeria, in northwestern Africa, is African largest country in continental Africa (2,381,741 Sq. km) after the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Sudan. It extends southward from the Mediterranean Sea over several mountain ranges and deep into the Sahara desert.
NORTHERN ALGERIA
The northern quarter of Algeria is relatively humid, with an average of 16 -32” (400 – 800 mm) of rain annually, failing mainly from October through April. Algiers, the capital city, is located on the central coast. Between the northeastern city of Annaba and Tunisia. Lake Kala National Park Biosphere Reserve (188,802 acres / 76,438 ha) and two nearby wetlands of note, Lake Oubeira and Lake Tonga, attract waterbirds. Inland there are many mountain ranges running east – west, dominated by the Tell Atlas. Elevations reach 7,600’ (2,300m), and snow is common in winter above 3,000” (900m). The native flora here is Mediterranean: macchia scrub, oaks, and cedars and other conifers. The Barbary macaque and Kabylie nuthatch live in the Grande and Petite Kabylie ranges, east of Algiers, and can be seen in Djurdjura National Park (45,820 acres / 18,550 ha) and Babor Nature Reserve (4,200 acres / 1,700 ha). South of the Tell Atlas, a plateau stretches south to the Saharan Atlas Mountains. This vast steppe, dotted with lake beds called chotts, is home to a few gazelles and small carnivores.
THE SAHARA
The southern three – quarters of Algeria are in the Sahara desert. The terrain consists of sand dunes and gravel or hardpan (compacted soil), with occasional freshwater oases with palms. Average highs are 113ᵒF (45ᵒC) in July, 70ᵒF (21ᵒC) in January; nighttime temperatures in winter are near or below freezing. Rainfall in some areas is less than 1” (25 mm) a year. The Tassili N’Ajjer National Park /World Heritage Site/ Biosphere Reserve (19,760, 000 acres / 8,000,000 ha), north of the town of Djanet, has fascinating stone towers, glacial debris, deep canyons, arches, and rounded mountains up to 7,100 (2,150 m) high. It protects some desert wildlife and has rock paintings from much wetter times after the last ice age, depicting hippos, giraffes, and antelopes. Tamanrasser, the largest town in the south, has an airport and lodgings. It serves a base for visits to Ahaggar National Park (11,115,000 acres / 4,500,000 ha), which has fabulous domed mountains. One trail leads to a hermitage on top of Assekram Peak (9,500’ / 2900m).
Background information: by edgardowelelo@yahoo.com
Egypt is located at the northeastern corner of Africa; Egypt (386,198 Sq. miles / 1,004,115 Sq. km) is bordered by the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. The very arid Sahara and Sinai deserts cover 95 percent of Egypt. Cairo, Egypt’s capital and the largest city in Africa, is just east of the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx. Cairo and most of Egypt receive less than 2” (50 mm) of rain a year. Cairo winters are pleasant, with average highs in the 60s F (18 - 21ᵒC). Summers are extremely hot, with average highs of nearly 100ᵒF (38ᵒC) from May through September.
THE NILE VALLEY
Rainwater from the highlands of Ethiopia and much of eastern Africa (south to Burundi) flows northward in the Nile River through South Sudan, Sudan and Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea. Most of the birds that migrate between Eurasia and Tropical Africa use this corridor twice a year. Qarun Lake, 66 mi (110 km) southwest of Cairo in the El Faiyun Oasis, hosts the little green bee – eater, Senegal coucal, and wintering waterfowl. Visitors who journey up the Nile River by felucca (a Nile sailboat) or river steamer or cover the Luxor, Aswan, and Abu Simbel touring circuit by road or rail have many opportunities to see birds, such as laughing doves, pied kingfishers, and crested hoopoes, but no large wild mammals. The Kharga and Dakhla oases, accessible by road west from Luxor, are home to desert birds, reptiles, and such mammals as the sand fox and fennec. East of Abu Simbel on Lake Nasser, Gebel Elba is a range of hills with relict stunted woodland and savanna, very unlike the barren hills elsewhere in Egypt, with a few sub – Saharan species of plants and animals. The area is administered by Sudan and is very difficult to visit.
THE COASTS AND SINAI PENINSULA
Flamingos and large numbers of wintering geese and ducks frequent the Nile Delta and Egypt’s coastal lagoons, despite excessive hunting and pollution in the area. In the northern Sinai, east of the Suez Canal, are Bardawil Lake and Zaranikh Natural Protectorates (each 150,000 acres / 60,000 ha), both located between Port Said and El Arish. In the southern Sinai, visitors can make a four – hour round – trip hike up Mount Sinai from St. Catherine’s Monastery. The area is a natural protectorate with a very few Nubian ibexes, slender – horned gazelles, and leopards. There are many resorts along the Gulf of Aqaba on the eastern shore of the Sinai. A heavy concentration of migrating raptors and storks can be seen overhead from the southern tip of the Sinai. Just offshore, the clear waters of Ras Mohammed National Marine Park (48,700 acres / 19,700 ha) protect a fabulous underwater shelf. The waters here and elsewhere on Egypt’s Red Sea coast are a paradise of coral, colorful fish, sea turtles, and birds such as sooty and white – eyed gulls.
Background information; by edgardowelelo@yahoo.com
This predominantly Saharan country (679,358 Sq. miles / 1,759,537 Sq. km) has two somewhat cooler and greener areas in the north. Tripoli, the capital, located on the coast in the northwest, averages 15” (375 mm) of annual rain, which falls between October and March. Average highs are 61ᵒF (16ᵒC) IN January, 86ᵒF (30ᵒC) in July. The Jebel Nefusa Mountains to its south are wet enough to support olive groves. On the coast east of Tripoli are two areas with rare running streams and freshwater marshes that attract huge numbers of trans - Saharan bird migrants. One is the Garabulli protected area and Wadi Turghat. The other is Wadi Kaam, east of the great Roman ruins of Leptis Magna. Benghazi is the main city of the northeastern Cyrenaica region. To the north lie wetlands with many wintering greater flamingos and other waders. To the west, the Gulf of Sidra has important sea – grass beds with marine life. To the east lies Jebel Akhdar, which rises to 2,300” (700 m) and receives 24” (600 mm)of annual rain. Popular Kouf National Park ( 86,500 acres / 35,000 ha), just east of Benghazi, has relict Mediterranean woodland with waterfalls, resident blue tits, Juniper trees, and more than 100 endemic plants. In a band just to the north of the Sahara, there is a zone of hilly grassland steppes that is home to dorcas, dama and slender – horned gazelles, aoudads, and cheetahs. The area has been overhunted and overgrazed by camels and sheep, but reintroductions offer hope. In the Sahara, which covers three – quarters of the country, winter nights can get cold, while summer temperatures often exceed 122ᵒF (50ᵒC) at midday. Landscapes here vary from giant mobile sand dunes to stony deserts and plateaus, volcanic peaks, and palm – lined oases. One protected area is Zellaf Nature Reserve (247,000 acres / 100,000 ha), just northwest of Sebha oasis; the status of its fauna is unknown at this time.
Background information; by edgardowelelo@yahoo.com
This country comprises 2,170 mi (3,500 km) of Atlantic and Mediterranean coastline, four major mountain ranges, temperate forests, and Sahara desert. Its total area is 172,413 Sq. miles / 446,500 Sq. km). The rainy season is November through March, and pleasant weather prevails in spring and fall. Summers are comfortable in the Atlas Mountains, but the lowlands are very hot. Most larger mammals and bustards have been eliminated by hunting but the country offers excellent birding.
THE MEDITERRANEAN COAST
Just 9 mi (15 km) south of Spain at the Strait of Gibraltar, the north coast has a Mediterranean climate. The northern tip, between the ports of Tangier and Spanish Ceuta, has huge migrations of raptors, storks, and songbirds from March through May and from September through November. The major nesting site of the rare Audouin’s gull is on the Spanish Chafarinas Islands, 28 mi (45 km) east of the Spanish enclave of Melilla along the Mediterranean coast of Morocco. Bokkoyas Biological Reserve (106,200 acres/43,000 ha) is a marine reserve on Morocco’s northeastern coast, west of Al Hoceima, with common and bottle – nosed dolphins and the long – finned pilot whale.
THE ATLANTIC COAST
The cool Canaries Current moderates temperatures on the western coast, which is backed by lagoons important for waterbirds. Merdja Zerga Biological Reserve (17,300 acres / 7,000 ha), south of Moulay - Bousselham, is the largest lagoon, host to many wintering flamingos, spoonbills, ducks, coots, and waders, including a few slender – billed curlews. Further south is Rabat, the capital of Morocco, which receives 16” (400 mm) of annual rain and has average highs of 82ᵒF (28ᵒC) in August, 63°F (17°C) in January. Eleanora’s falcons breed on the Sal’e cliffs nearby. Lake Sidi Bouhaba, 19 mi (30 km) north, hosts wintering ducks such as the marbled teal. The natural cork oak woodlands south of Rabat are home to the double – spurred francolin and the Barbary partridge. The Mogador Islets off Essaouira are a restricted reserve, home to a pair of peregrines and 90 pairs of Eleanora’s falcons. The mouth of the Sous River, south of the seaport of Agadir, attracts many waterbirds, while the fertile valley inland has the tawny eagle, the dark chanting – goshawk, the black – shouldered Kite, the black – headed bush – shrike, and Moussier’s redstart. The waldrapp ibis has had colonies here. Sous – Massa National Park (83,500 acres / 33,800 ha), 25 mi (40 km) south of Agadir, protects another river - mouth lagoon with the plain sand martin, waldrapp ibis (at times), golden jackal, red fox, Egyptian cobra, and wintering European crane.
THE ATLAS MOUNTAINS
The Atlas Mountains comprise four (4) ranges: the Mediterranean Rif between Tangier and Fez; the well – forested Middle Atlas south of Fez; the taller High Atlas southeast of Marrakech; and the drier Anti – Atlas between Agadir and the Sahara. There are still large tracts of Pine, Cedar, and evergreen oak in parts of these ranges. Ifrane, at 5,350’ (1,630 m) elevation, and nearby Azrou are resort towns in the Middle Atlas south of Fez. The tall cedar forests nearby are home to many Barbary macaques and a few leopards, as well as Levaillant’s green woodpeckers and Moussier’s red starts. Red – knobbed coots and a few demoiselle cranes are found near small lakes east of Ifrane. The best time to visit is from April through July, after the snow has melted. Marrakech, which lies at the northern base of the High Atlas, gets only 9” (225 mm) of rain yearly, while the mountains get considerably more, with snow lasting into summer. Toubkal National Park (88,900 acres / 36,000 ha) is reachable via two roads south of the city. Those wishing to climb Morocco’s tallest peak, Mount Toubkal (13,671” / 4,167 m), drive to Imlil village. The other park road (to the southeast) passes through the Ourika Valley, which has the southernmost Barbary macaques. It rises through Oak and Juniper forest before reaching alpine scrub at the Oukaimeden ski resort. This area is home to the Barbary ground – squirrel, golden eagle, lammergeier, alpine accentor, and alpine chough.
THE SAHARA
There are superb views south and east into the Sahara from the Tizi – n- Tichka pass in the High Atlas between Marrakech and the town of Ouarzazate, the gateway to the desert. Desert birds may be seen en route to ancient Kasbah of Air Benhaddou, 19 mi (30 km) northwest of Ouarzazate. The reservoir to the east of Ouarzazate has spotted and black – bellied sandgrouse, plus wintering ruddy shelducks. The Dades Gorge, 71 mi (115 km) to the east, and the Todra Gorge, 34 mi (55 km) farther east, are future parks, with many raptors, the crested hoopoe, and the crimson – winged finch. Near the town of Erfoud, 186 mi (310 km) from Ouarzazate, sand dunes, stony desert, and palm groves are habitats for small mammals, sandgrouse, larks, wheatears, and reptiles of the Sahara. Morocco has got to have governed the former Spanish territory of Western Sahara in the past, which is very arid desert stretching south to Mauritania (currently is independent nation). There may be a few surviving gazelles and ostriches inland. Whales, dolphins, seabirds, green sea turtles, and a few Mediterranean monk – seals live in the rich waters offshore
Background information; by edgardowelelo@yahoo.com
The Atlantic Ocean meets the western edge of the Sahel and the Sahara in Mauritania, whose total area is 397, 955 Sq. miles (1,030,703 Sq. km) Most of the country is pure Sahara desert, with rocky plains and sand dunes, broken in places by hills and oases. The scant summer rainfall supports grassland and light Sahel woodland in the south. About 330 species of birds occur in Mauritania, but larger mammals have been eliminated.
THE COAST
Mauritania’s 505 – mi (815 – km) coastline is backed by a broad coastal plain. Nouakchott, the capital, sits on the coast. Rainfall in the region is erratic, averaging 6” (150 mm), most of which falls in August. The port of Nouadhibou, on the Cap Blanc Peninsula in the far north, receives only 2” (50 mm) of rain yearly. Highs on the coast, tempered by sea breezes, average 84 - 93ᵒF (29 – 34 Degrees Centigrade). Baie du Levrier Integral Reserve (765,700 acres / 310,000 ha), off Cap Blanc, protects the rare Mediterranean monk – seal. Banc d’Arguin National Park (2,897,300 acres/ 1,173,000 ha) lies to the east and south, where upwellings and a clash of cool and warm currents mix and flood over shallow waters with extensive sea – grass beds. Vast tidal mudflats are winter and / or migration homes for millions of shorebirds, especially the bar – tailed godwit, dunlin, Knot, and curlew sandpiper. Offshore 14 islands host many pairs of breeding herons, cormorants, flamingos, pelicans, spoonbills, and terns. Green and loggerhead sea turtles and bottle – nosed and Atlantic hump – backed dolphins are regularly seen. The Imraguen fishermen take visitors out by boat from Iwik, a town that is a six – hour, four – wheel – drive trip from either Nouakchott or Nouadhibou.
THE SOUTH
Southern Mauritania is greener, receiving up to 15” (375 mm) of rain annually. Semi – desert shrub land blends into sparse acacia woodland in the far south near the Senegal and Mali borders. The Senegal River, the first river south of the Sahara, forms the Mauritania – Senegal border. Floods in the second half of the year fill wetlands at Aftour – es – Sahel, Lake Rkiz, and the Diawling (Diaouling) National Park (32,100 acres/ 13,000 ha), all of which are located on the north bank of the river, just to the north of Senegal’s Djoud) National Park in the delta region. African birds such as the hammerkop, fish - eagle, dark chanting goshawk, double – spurred francolin, red – billed oxpecker, and red – cheeked cordonbleu are found here. Further east, just north of where Senegal and Mali meet, is El Agher Partial Faunal Reserve (617,500 acres / 250,000 ha), which has lost all of its elephants to guns.
Background information; by edgardowelelo@yahoo.com
A landlocked country on the southern edge of the Sahara, Mali has a total area of 478,652 square miles (1,239,709 Sq.km). Its chief source of wealth is the Niger River, whose headwaters are in the rainy highlands of Guinea’s Fouta Djallon Mountains. Overhunting, overgrazing, fuel – wood gathering, and drought have eliminated most of Mali’s wildlife.
THE SOUTHWEST
Bamako, the capital, is located on the Niger River. It gets up to 44” (1,100 mm) of rain annually, chiefly in July and August. Average high temperatures are lowest in the summer wet season, reaching 88ᵒF (31ᵒC) in August; they climb to 102ᵒF (39ᵒC) in April. In hilly western Mali there is an area of moist evergreen forest in the south near the Guinea – Ivory Coast border. The country’s only national park is northwest of Bamako. Boucle du Baoul’e National Park (864,500 acres/ 350,000 ha). The area has wooded grassland and dense riverine forest, but they have been severely degraded. Elephants, giraffes, hippos, roans, waterbucks, elands, hartebeests, warthogs, leopards, lions, cheetahs, baboons, and vervet and patas monkeys have resided here in the past.
CENTRAL MALI
The waters of the Niger River flow northeastward through Mali, forming the Niger Inland Delta. Mopti is a small city and transport hub in the heart of the delta. Summer and autumn rains cause flooding of vast areas of the delta each autumn, followed by the drying out of most areas during the increasing heat in the arid late winter and spring. Great herds of antelopes, associated predators, and countless waterbirds (including Eurasian winterers) formerly coexisted with humans here. These waters fueled the medieval riches of Timbuktu, a city at the northern end of the wetlands where the river begins to bend eastward and then southward. Timbuktu is near the northern limit of the summer rain belt and may get only 9” (225 mm) a year. Its average high in May is 109ᵒF (43ᵒC). Decades of drought combined with water diversion and irrigation schemes have depleted the annual floods, causing great economic suffering and loss of most of the wildlife. Gourma Elephant Faunal Reserve (2,964,000 acres / 1,200,000 ha), northeast of Mopti, may have the last elephants in Mali. Falaise de Bandiagara World Heritage Site (988,000 acres / 400,000 ha), 45 mi (75 km) southeast of Mopti, is home to the classic hill villages of the Dogon people. North of the river port of Gao there is an area of stark hills, with slightly higher rainfall; this is Adrar des Iforas, an extension of the Ahaggar Mountains of southern Algeria. Northern Mali is covered with the bone – dry, shifting sand dunes of the Sahara desert.
Background information; by edgardowelelo@yahoo.com
This country, which stretches from the Sahara desert south to the Niger River and Lake Chad, has a total area of 459,073 Sq. miles (1,188,999 Sq. km). It contains the interesting Air Mountains and several savanna reserves.
THE SOUTH
Niamey, the capital, located on the Niger River, receives 22” (560 mm) of annual rainfall, mainly between May and September. It is generally hot, with highs near or above 90ᵒF (32ᵒC), except in July and August, during the rains. Northward toward the Sahara from the Benin and Nigeria borders, the landscape changes from Sudan Wooded Savanna to a belt of semi – arid scrubland to degraded grassland before becoming true desert. These areas of scattered trees and wind –eroded fields south of the Sahara are known as the Sahel, an area suffering from the southward march of desertification. Wdu Niger National Park (543,400 acres / 220,000 ha) and Tamou Nature Reserve (192,020 acres / 77,740 ha) are located 78 mi (125 km) south of Niamey. Adjacent to parks in Benin and Burkina Faso, they occupy the west bank of the Niger River. The Tapoa and Mekrou rivers join the Niger here with a series of beautiful gorges and rapids. An annual rainfall of 28” (700 mm) supports dense woodland, gallery forest, and seasonal marshes; washed - out roads often make these parks inaccessible between June and December. Resident hoofed mammals include the buffalo, waterbuck, Kob, topi, roan, hartebeest, bushbuck, reedbuck, and red – fronted gazelle. Elephants, lions, leopards, cheetahs, spotted hyenas, servals, caracals, baboons, and patas monkeys also live here. Hippos and crocodiles inhabit the waters. Birds are plentiful, among them martial eagles and ground – hornbills. East of the Niger River are areas with a few nomadic giraffes. Gadabedji Faunal Reserve (187, 700 acres / 76,000 ha), 90 mi (150 km) north of the town of Maradi, is now a gazelle sanctuary, but was set up to save the very rare scimitar – horned oryx, which was hunted out of this area.
THE SAHARA
Most of the Niger is in the Southern Sahara, and rainfall in some areas reaches only 0.2” (5 mm) a year. Other areas, particularly in the mountains, get occasional summer storms and flash floods. There is a paved road to the ancient town of Agadez and north to the mines at Arlit. Tuareg people with herds of camels and goats live in the area. Air and T’ene’ re National – Strict Nature Reserve (19,107,900 acres / 7,736,000 ha) and, within it, the core Addax Sanctuary Strict Nature Reserve (3,162,800 acres / 1,280,500 ha) were set up in 1988. The latter closed area protects the very rare addax from the mechanized vehicles of hunters and tourists that formerly chased them. The Air Mountains are a continuation of Algeria’s Ahaggar Mountains that end northeast of Agadez at Mount Banguezane (6,234” / 1,900 m); these granitic and volcanic peaks get 6” (150 mm) of annual rain, and there are clumps of trees in the valleys and palm canyons, and little pools of water in the gorges. To the east liethe vast T’ene’re’ sand dunes. The park’s mammals include addaxes, cheetahs, aoudads, baboons, stripped hyenas, and dorcas, loder’s, and dama gazelles. Lanner falcons feed on the many trans – Sahara songbird migrants attracted to the bits of greenery. The park is the last ostrich stronghold in West Africa, and the scimitar – horned oryx maybe reintroduced. It is hoped that the numbers of area’s once rich - wildlife, now hunted down to a very few shy remnants, will return.
Background information; by edgardowelelo@yahoo.com
This land – locked country stretches 1,090 mi (1,760 km) from the Swampy Savannas of the south to the heart of the Sahara desert in the north; its total area is 495,752 Sq. miles (1,283, 998 Sq. km). Its two national parks and several faunal reserves cover 9 percent of the country.
THE SOUTH
With 40” (1,000 mm) of rain annually, this area is the greenest in the country. Sudanese woodland, acacia savanna, and tall grassland flank the floodplains of the rivers that drain northwest to Lake Chad. Elephants were widespread in many uninhabited zones until recently. Zakouma National Park (741,000 acres / 300,000 ha) protects an immense floodplain, two rivers, woodland, and rocky outcrops southwest of Am Timan. There are an airstrip and lodging at Bahr Tinga just outside the park. Zakouma used to have – and may still have – the elephant, black rhino, greater Kudu, and Derby eland. Other animals that can be found here are giraffes, buffalos, oribis, waterbucks, bushbucks, roans, topis, Kobs, hartebeests, red – fronted gazelles, warthogs, baboons, vervet and patas monkeys, crocodiles, and many bird species. Carnivores include the lion, leopard, cheetah, caracal, serval, and spotted hyena. Manda National Park (281,600 acres / 114,000 ha), along the Chari River northwest of Sarh, lacks lodging; its bushy savanna hosts elephants, hippos, Derby elands, roans, buffalos, and lions.
THE CENTER
N’Djamena, the capital, lies beside the wide Chari River. It gets 30” (750 mm) of rain, chiefly between June and September. Average highs are 88ᵒF (31ᵒC) in August, but reach 108ᵒF (42ᵒC) in April, late in the dry season. Lake Chad once covered 115,800 Sq. miles (300,000 Sq. km), but had shrunk to 10,800 Sq. miles (28,000 Sq. km) by the 1950s. With drought and water diversion, it is down to about 4,000 Sq miles (10,000 Sq. km) and is only 16.5” (5 m) at its deepest. Flanked by papyrus swamp and marsh, it has been home to elephants, hippos, sitatungas, crocodiles, and myriad resident and wintering birds. There is a wetland reserve at Lake Fitri (481,700 acres / 195,000 ha), a permanent lake east of Lake Chad that is fed by the seasonal Batha River. To the north, Ouadi Rime – Ouadi Achim Faunal Reserve (19,760,000 acres / 8,000,000 ha) once was the largest in Africa but has suffered from massive overgrazing by domestic animals and uncontrolled shooting. This had been a stronghold of the scimitar – horned oryx (formerly seen in herds of thousands) and the addax. Other highlights are dorcas, dama, and red – fronted gazelles, the cheetah, and the ostrich.
THE SAHARA
Northern Chad is a land of sandy desert and camel caravans. The Ennedi Mountains have spectacular gorges and receives 8” (200 mm) of rain annually. Aoudads live in the hills, while Nile crocodiles survive in remnant water holes. The oasis town of Faya to the north receives O.7” (18 mm) of rain a year. Average highs exceed 100ᵒF (38ᵒC) from April through October, but drop to 82ᵒF (28ᵒC) in December. Just to Faya’s north are the vast, spectacularly scenic TIBESTI MOUNTAINS. This is a recent volcanic massif, as evidenced by the Trou au Natton caldera, southwest of the town of Bardai; it is 5 mi (8 km) wide, with black craters, steaming vents, and white soda deposits. The Tibesti feature ancient rock carvings, steep cliffs, narrow gorges, and pink sandstone mountains, as well as the highest peak in the Sahara, Mount Koussi, which reaches 11,204” (3,415 m). Palm groves grow in canyons, while the somewhat cooler and wetter mountain slopes have a unique Saharan montane flora. The Tibesti range would make a fascinating national park.
Background information; by edgardowelelo@yahoo.com.
Historical Background
Currently the third largest country in Africa after Algeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Formerly Sudan was the largest country in African continent (967,500 Sq. miles / 2,505,825 Sq. km) but today after being separated and divided with independent South Sudan, its total area decreased to 1,886,068 square kilometers / 728,215 square miles. Sudan contains much of the flat Nile basin and is flanked by peripheral highlands on some borders. With Sahara desert in the north, semi – arid Sahel in the center, and Sudan wooded savanna in the South, rainfall increases southward.
THE NORTH
Khartoum, the capital, lies at the confluence of the White Nile and the Blue Nile in an area that receives only 6” (150 mm) of annual rain. Average highs range from 99ᵒF(37ᵒC) in January to 108ᵒF (42ᵒC) in May. Saharan sand dunes cover most of northwestern Sudan. The Wadi Howar area near the Chad border is not protected but has harbored the addax, the scimitar – horned oryx, and several desert gazelles. The volcanic peak Jebel Mara, 80 mi (130 km) northwest of the town of Nyala in the Darfur region, at the southern end of the Sahara, deserves to be a park. Woodland and waterfalls flank this volcano, which reaches 10,073” (3,070 m). Radom National Park (3,087,500 acres / 1,250,000 ha), flanking two rivers, is on the Central African Republic border in wooded savanna. It has elephants, hippos, giraffes, and many antelopes. East of the Nile, the Nubian Desert rises gradually up into the Red Sea hills, where elevations reach 7,412” (2,259 m). The hills have some vegetation and mammals such as ibexes, but no parks. Port Sudan, on the Red sea, receives 4” (100 mm) of rain yearly. The coastline has mangroves and coastal marshes in places. Some islands and reefs are protected in Sanganeb Atoll Marine National Park (64,200 acres / 26,000 ha), southeast of Port Sudan. Dinder National Park / Biosphere Reserve (2,198,300 acres / 890,000 ha) is on the Ethiopia border east of the Blue Nile and about 300 mi (500 km) southeast of Khartoum. It encompasses acacia savanna, seasonal floodplain marshes, and gallery forest, which have harbored such animals as the elephant, black rhino, giraffe, buffalo, roan, greater kudu, tora race of hartebeest, Soemmering’s gazelle, lion, and ostrich. The park is closed in the wet season (May through October), when it receives – 28” (700 mm) of rain.
Background information; by edgardowelelo@yahoo.com.
Ethiopia is often called the “roof” of Africa; this fascinating country (471,775 Sq. miles / 1,221,897 Sq. km) has two vast areas of mountain and plateau split by the rift valley, and a great variety of vegetation and endemic wildlife. When making and confirming flight and hotel reservations, travelers should note that the months and years on the Ethiopian calendar differ from those used in most other countries.
THE NORTH AND WEST
Addis Ababa, the capital, is located at 8,000” (2,440 m) in the western highlands. It gets 48” (1,200 mm) of rain, chiefly between April and September. Average highs are only 70 - 77ᵒF (21 - 25ᵒC), average lows 41 - 50ᵒF (5 -10ᵒC). The highlands were once covered with coniferous forest, but most of it has been cut down. A remnant Podocarpus woodland, habitat of the white – cheeked turaco, is found in the Menagesha Forest, 42 mi (68 km) west of Addis Ababa. In the Mountains of Kefa Province in the west are wet montane forests that receive 80” (2,000 mm) of rain annually. Lake Tana, a large lake at 6,000” (1830 m) elevation in the northwest, is the source of the Blue Nile River. A grebe – like waterbird lives in the river between the lake and the impressive Blue Nile Falls to the southeast. Simen (Simien) Mountain National Park / World Heritage Site (44,200 acres / 17,900 ha), in the Simen Mountains, is a wonderland of extremely deep gorges and grassy plateaus. Ras Dashan, at 15,158’ (4,620 m) the tallest mountain in Ethiopia, has frequent snowfall. Mammals in the area include the Ethiopian wolf (also called the Simien Jackal), walia ibex, gelada and hamadryas baboons, and serval. Among the 400 species of birds are the wattled ibis, lammergeyer, and thick – billed raven. Visitors to Simen Park and Ras Dashan (just outside the park) must travel by foot or horseback. Safaris leave from the town of Debarek, reachable by road northeast of the city of GONDER /GONDAR.
THE RIFT VALLEY
Running northeast to southwest, the rift valley lowlands of Ethiopia are hot and dry. In the northeast, the valley is a wide arid plain dotted with volcanic cones and colorful alkaline lakes. Yangudi Rassa National Park (1,168,310 acres / 473,000 ha), in the Danakil Desert, hosts the wild ass and the beisa oryx. Awash National Park (186,700 acres / 75,600 ha), which lies along the Awash River, features waterfalls, hot springs, palm groves, grassy plains, and a semi – dormant volcano. It has lodging and is easily reached via paved road east from Addis Ababa. Mammals here include the beisa oryx, waterbuck, Soemmering’s gazelle, Swayne’s hartebeest, lesser and greater kudus, dik – kids, Grevy’s zebra, and hamadryas and savanna baboons. Among the 392 species of birds are the ostrich, carmine bee – eater, and Abyssinian roller. To the south of Addis Ababa there is a string of eight (8) lakes, many reached via good roads; some are salty, while others, are fresh, fed by rivers and springs from the highlands. Fresh water Lake Zwai hosts the hippo and the saddle – billed stork. Lake Langano is a brown freshwater lake, with Hemprich’s hornbill residing in nearby cliffs. Abijatta – Shalla Lakes National Park (219,100 acres / 88,700 ha) is in deep bowl flanked by tall cliffs. Abijatta provides rich feeding grounds for countless waterbirds, especially Eurasian migrants. Nearby Lake Shalla is a deep – water, blue salt lake with large nesting colonies of pelicans and flamingos. The freshwater Lake Awasa, south of the city of Awasa, has the goliath heron, wattled ibis, and pygmy goose. Swayne’s hartebeests and zebras are protected in Nechisar National Park (127,000 acres / 51,400 ha), east of Lake Chamo. West of the rift valley, the Omo River, whose waters and banks are home to crocodiles, hippos, and various antelopes, runs south into Lake Turkana (most of which is in Kenya). River - rafting excursions are offered in this wild area, which is served by a lodge. Visitors may encounter Surma women, who wear lip and ear plates. Omo National Park (1,004,800 acres / 406,800 ha) and Mago National Park (534,000 acres / 216,200 ha) protect plains, bushland, and gallery forest along the Omo. In addition to the many mammals here – among them elephants, giraffes, buffalos, elands, Kudus, oryxes, lions, and leopards – early human fossils have been found. This is hot country, with rains from April through July.
THE EAST
East of the rift valley are a number of towering green mountain ranges. A road from Shashamane in the rift valley winds up to the town of Goba on the northern edge of Bale Mountain National Park (610,300 acres / 247,100 ha). Major efforts are being made to protect this tableland of alpine lakes, giant heath, bamboo forests, and woodland such as the Harenna Forest. The park’s Mount Batu reaches an elevation of 14,130’ (4,307 m). This park is the chief protected home of the mountain nyala (Mountain Kudu), an Ethiopian endemic. Other mammals include the Ethiopian wolf, leopard, caracal, and Menelik’s race of bushbuck. Twelve of Ethiopia’s 23 endemic bird species, including the blue – winged goose, live here. South of the city of Dire Dawa, isolated groups of elephants live in the Babile Elephant Sanctuary (1,724,100 acres / 698, 000 ha). The status of such ungulates as the beira antelopes, dibatag, wild ass, and Speke’s and Pelzeln’s gazelles at Babile and in the Ogaden Desert to the east and south is unknown.
Background information; by edgardowelelo@yahoo.com
Historical Background
This country (45,405 Sq. miles / 117,599 Sq. km) regained its independence from neighboring Ethiopia in 1993. Asmara, the capital, is located in the relatively green central highlands, where the tallest peaks exceed 9,840” (3,000 m). The highlands are subject to erratic summer rains, while hot temperatures prevail in the lowlands. December and January are the cooler months. The long Red Sea coastline has mangrove swamps, tidal mudflats, salt marshes, and beaches, which are important habitats for the Eurasian spoonbill, osprey, crabplover, White eyed and sooty gulls, terns, wintering Eurasian waders, and breeding sea turtles. Dahlak Islands Marine Park protects marvelous coral formations off the 126 islands of an archipelago east of the port of Mits’iwa (Massawa) .
Background information; by edgardowelelo@yahoo.com.
A small country (8,880 Sq. miles / 23,000 Sq. km), Djibouti is located 25 mi (40 km) southwest of Yemen, where the Red Sea meets the Gulf of Aden. Djibouti, the capital, is a refueling port and French naval base; it receives 5” (125 mm) of rain per year, and has average highs of 84ᵒF (29ᵒC) in January, 106ᵒF (41ᵒC) in July. There are superb Coral reefs just north of the capital in the offshore Musha (Mouscha) Islands Marine National Park. Migrant raptors cross to and from Yemen over the Ras Siyan Peninsula and the Sept Fre’res Islands in north eastern Djibouti. In southern Djibouti the rift valley meets the sea; volcanoes, multi – colored soda lakes, and low plains occur at the southern end of the Danakil Depression, an arid valley that in places is below sea level. Lake Abbe, on the Ethiopia border, has limestone needles 40’ (12 m) tall and colorful hot springs of steam and sulfur. Much of Djibouti is lowland plains of rock or sand sparsely covered with small thorny trees and short grasses. Sandgrouse and small birds are common, while Waller’s and Soemmerring’s gazelles, cheetahs, and ostriches are rare. Annual rainfall increases to 20” (500 mm) in Day Forest National Park (24,700 acres / 10,000 ha), which protects juniper trees, wild olives, and montane evergreen thickets on the eastern face of the Goda Mountains. The hill town of Randa is located nearby, below a peak that reaches 5,774’ (1,760 m). The hamadryas baboon and the endemic Djibouti francolin occur here and in the Mabla Mountains, northeast of the port of Tadjoura.
Background information; by edgardowelelo@yahoo.com.
Somalia, which occupies most of the Horn of Africa, is the centerpiece of a vast area of arid country, known as the Somali – Maasai arid zone, that stretches from southern Eritrea south to northeastern Tanzania. As one of the few dry areas on the equator, most of the country gets less than 10” (250 mm) of rain annually, and vast areas are desert scrub. Somalia has perhaps the least spoiled coastline in Africa, hosting major nesting colonies of crabplovers. The country’s total area is 246,154 Sq. miles (637,539 Sq. km).
THE SOUTH
Mogadishu, the capital, gets 18” (450 mm) of rain yearly, chiefly between April and November. The Scebeli River, which runs parallel to the coast inland from Mogadishu, is one of two rivers that enter Somalia from the Ethiopian highlands. Balcad Nature Reserve (470 acres / 190 ha) protects an area of riverine forest and grassland 19 mi (30 km) north of the city. More than 200 birds occur, including the goliath heron, carmine bee – eater, golden weaver, and sulphur – breasted bush – shrike. Alifuuto Nature Reserve (444,600 acres / 180,000 ha) is a swampy area along the river 110 mi (170 km) north of Mogadishu that has been home to the elephant, giraffe, hippo, buffalo, many antelopes, and the ostrich. The Juba River, farther south, has also had much wildlife in the past. Bush – Bush – Lake Badana Game Reserve (825,000 acres / 334,000 ha), in the far south, has a mix of habitats, including woodland, acacia savanna, seasonal lakes, and coastline. Native mammals here include the elephant, buffalo, lesser Kudu, beisa oryx, reticulated giraffe (Somali giraffe), Peter’s race of Grant’s gazelle, Hunter’s hartebeest, lion, cheetah, and leopard. Offshore, the Badjouini (Bajuni) Archipelago stretches from the city of Kismayu south to Kenya. The coral reefs and idyllic islands here support a rich variety of marine life, including dugongs.
THE NORTH
The Gulf of Aden coast is cooled by cold offshore currents in winter. Berbera, the main port city, gets 2” (50 mm) of rain in its relatively cool winter, when highs, average 88ᵒF (31ᵒC). In summer there is no rain and highs average 106ᵒF (41ᵒC). Pelzeln’s gazelles live on the coastal lowlands along the gulf. The Yemen islands of Kuri and Socotra, off the tip of the Horn, are rich in endemic species. Inland, a great range of mountains with peaks exceeding 7,000” (2,100 m) runs east – west. The mountains, which receive more rain than lowland areas, have bushland and remnants of juniper forest: several proposed parks have endemic birds. To the south of the mountains, the stark landscape of the low plateau drained by the Nogal River is home to the wild ass and a number of rare antelopes, such as Speke’s gazelle, the dibatag, and the beira.
