Bou Hedma National Park

Bou Hedma protects a stand of Acacia raddiana on the pre-Saharan plain, described as the last remnant of the natural acacia savanna that once ran across North Africa, along with a mountain range rising above it. It is a biosphere reserve and has been used for reintroductions: scimitar-horned oryx, addax, dorcas gazelle and ostrich have all been brought back into fenced and open sections after being lost from the wild here.

Background

The park extends across the Gafsa and Sidi Bouzid governorates and was created on 18 December 1980. UNESCO added it to its tentative World Heritage list on 28 May 2008, and a Ramsar listing under the name Sebkhet Noual dates from 11 July 2007. The endangered species brought back here include the scimitar oryx, the addax, the North African ostrich and the dama gazelle (Gazella dama mhorr). The site also matters for archaeology. Its Roman remains include villages, pools, part of an aqueduct and the bridge of Wadi Bautista.

Source: Wikipedia, "Bou-Hedma National Park"

What you'll find

• The acacia savanna - the last natural stand of its kind in North Africa.
• The scimitar-horned oryx - reintroduced after extinction in the wild.
• The addax and gazelle - other desert antelope brought back to the park.
• The Bou Hedma range - the mountains rising above the plain.

When to go

October to April is comfortable; summer on the pre-Saharan plain is extreme. Early morning is best for animals. Access should be arranged with the park authority.

What to expect

Access is not straightforward and permission from the forestry authority may be needed. Facilities are minimal and there is no visitor centre worth the name. Animals are in large enclosures rather than fully free-ranging.

Nearby

Gafsa is west, and Sfax is east.

Key facts