NAME Ahaggar National Park

MANAGEMENT CATEGORY II

BIOGEOGRAPHICAL PROVINCE 2.18.07 (Sahara)

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION The site is situated in the south of Algeria in the southern Sahara. It covers the central Ahaggar massif and all surrounding mountains and desert.

The town of Tamanrasset lies to the south. To the north west is the Tassili n' Ajjer mountain range and National Park. It is in the wilaya of Tamanrasset. 22°50'N/5°20'E

DATE AND HISTORY OF ESTABLISHMENT The site was declared a National Park in 1987.

AREA 4,500,000ha.

LAND TENURE State.

ALTITUDE Rises to 2,918m at the peak of Mount Tahat.

PHYSICAL FEATURES Ahaggar has a pattern of relief with huge plains at heights up to 1000-1400m, deep valleys and mountains reaching to nearly 3,000 meters, such as Mount Tahat (2,918m), Mount Serkout (2,906m) and Mount Assekrem (2728m). The mountains are of volcanic origin. There are many gueltas, permanent water-holes all protected from the sun in narrow gorges.

CLIMATE The Ahaggar experiences a modified form of desert climate. It is a climatic island, receiving more moisture than the surrounding desert because of the higher altitude. At altitudes above 2,400m rain may fall in any season, and in the winter, snow occasionally appears on the highest peaks. At Tamanrasset sunshine hours per day average 10.1 increasing slightly in July to 11.5, and decreasing in december to 8.8. The mean daily maximum temperature at Tamanrasset is 28°C, and the mean daily minimum temperature here is 13°C. Absolute maximum temperature is 39°C; absolute minimum temperature is -7°C. Relative humidity (mean monthly) is 17% at 13:00 hours in July, and 21% at the same time in December. The north east trade wind is the dominant wind (Cloudsley-Thompson, 1984).

VEGETATION The flora of Ahaggar is important because of the slightly wetter climatic conditions. The vegetation has Saharo-mediterranean elements. There are three vegetational zones, the tropical zone from the base of the massif up to approximately 1,800 - 1,900m, a lower mediterranean zone from 1,900 m to 2,300 - 2,400m and an upper mediterranean zone from 2,400 to the highest summits. Trees and larger shrubs such as Tamarix are restricted in the channels of the dry river valleys. The majority of the vegetation in Ahaggar is steppe. In the rocks and desert areas are Bergia mairei, Convolvulus glomeratus, C sagittatus, Heliotropium strigosum, Aptosimum pumilum, Scrophularia arguta, Tibestina lanuginosa, Andryala rothia ssp. costrensis (Zeraia, 1983). By the edge of the oueds and beds of oued are Ficus ingens, Silene kiliani, Acacia laeta, A. scorpioides, Convolvulus fatmensis, Cordia rochii, Anticharis glandulosa and Bumea gariepina (Zeraia, 1983). There are also somepasture lands, barrages, fields and date groves within the massif (Cloudsley-Thompson, 1984).

FAUNA The Ahaggar mountains are important resting areas for migrating Palaearctic birds such as Ixobrychus minutus, Nycticorax nycticorax, Egretta garzetta, Ardea purpurea, Ciconia ciconia, Plegadis falcinellus, Porzana porzana, Gallinago media, Otus scops, Upupa epops and Jynx torquilla (Ledant, 1985). A rich mammal fauna includes barbary sheep Ammotragus lervia (VU), the hyrax Heterohyrax antineae (VU), dorcas gazelle Gazella dorcas (LR) and possibly the cheetah Acinonyx jubatus (VU) (Drucker, 1986)

CULTURAL HERITAGE The Tuareg people inhabit the Sahara between 14° and 30°N and 5° and 13°E. They are divided into seven tribal confederations, and the Ahaggar confederation is divided into three further broad groupings, the Kela Rela, Taituq and Tégéhé Millet tribes. Tuareg is a word used to describe these people by outsiders. The Tuareg themselves use the word Imohagh or Imajughen the "noble ones". They follow a nomadic or semi nomadic way of life, based on the raising of camels, goats, sheep and cattle (Allan and Warren, 1993; Cloudsley-Thompson, 1984).

LOCAL HUMAN POPULATION The total Tuareg population numbers approximately one million, but the Algerian confederations only number about 3% of this (Allan and Warren, 1993; Cloudsley-Thompson, 1984).

VISITORS AND VISITOR FACILITIES No information.

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND FACILITIES A flora and fauna research unit has been set up, and mammal and bird surveys conducted (de Smet, 1989).

CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT Tourism has become the main source of income for the region, and therefore conserving wildlife and maintaining populations has been recognised as essential for the continuing tourist trade. Park managers are trying to stop illegal killings by an information campaign and by setting up control posts in the park. Tourist agencies will also be controlled, and wood-cutting is prohibited (de Smet, 1989).

The area is an important refuge for saharan fauna and flora. There are 34 recorded country plant rarities including Digitaria commutata, Pennisetum rogeri, Ficus ingens, Boerhaavia viscosa, Sperularia fontenellei, Crambe krawikii, Rynchosia memnonia, Indigofera articulata, Convolvus glomeratus and Anthicharis linearis (Zeraia, 1983). The endemic Alectoris barbara duprezi almost certainly breeds here as does a genetically different subspecies of Monticola solitarius (Ledant et Jacob, 1982).

MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS There is an alteration and erosion of the river channels by over exploitation of wood and pasturage (Ledant et al, 1985).

STAFF No information.

BUDGET No information.

LOCAL ADMINISTRATION No information.

REFERENCES

Allan, T. and warren, A., eds.(1993) Deserts: The Encroaching Wilderness Mitchell Beazley in association with the IUCN.

Cloudsley-Thompson, J.L., ed. (1984) Sahara Desert Pergamon Press in collaboration with the IUCN.

Dupuy, A.R. (1972). L'Urgence de la protection de la nature en Algérie. Biol. Cons. 4(2). pp102-106

Ledant, J. P. et J. P. Jacob. (1982). Liste rouge des especes d'oiseaux menacées en algérie.Rapport préparé pour DPN(alger)/SEFOR/ICBP/IUCN.

Ledant, J.P., F.Roux, G. Jarry, A. Gammel, C. Smit, F. Bairlein and H. Wille. (1985).

Apercu des zones de grand interet pour la conservation des especes d'oiseaux migrateurs de la communaute en Afrique. Rapport à la Direction Générale de l'Environnement, de la Protection des Consommateurs et de la Sécurité nucléaire de la Commission des Communautés européennes. Contrat U/84/129.

Ozenda, P. (1977). Flore du Sahara. CRNS, Paris.

Quezel, P. (1964). La végétation du Sahara. Mason, Paris.

de Smet, K. (1989) National Parks in the Algerian Sahara Oryx v.23 n.3.

Zeraia, L. (1983). Liste et localisation des espèces assez rares, rare et rarrissimes. Station centrale de recherche en ecologie forestiere, Alger.

Draft

DATE 14.03.1987; updated 21.01.97.