Ichkeul National Park

Ichkeul is the last substantial survivor of a chain of lakes that once ran across North Africa, and it works on an unusual hydrological rhythm: winter rain brings fresh water in, summer evaporation and a connection to the sea push salinity up, and the marsh vegetation shifts accordingly. That cycle supports enormous numbers of wintering waterbirds, with hundreds of thousands recorded in good years, including greylag geese, wigeon, coot and flamingo. A limestone hill, Jebel Ichkeul, rises from the marsh with a path to a viewpoint and a small ecomuseum. Dams built on the feeder rivers have altered the freshwater inflow and the park spent years on the danger list as a result, which makes it a case study in wetland management as much as a birding site.

History

Under the Hafsid dynasty in the 13th century the lake was a reserve, and in the early 20th century, under French rule, it became public property; since 1980 it has been a World Heritage Site. Dams on the rivers that feed it cut the inflow of fresh water, salt-loving plants replaced the reeds and sedges, and the numbers of migrating birds fell sharply; Tunisia took steps to hold back fresh water and lower the salinity, and in 2006 the lake was taken off the List of World Heritage in Danger, though the IUCN has warned that salinity may already be too high for full recovery (Wikipedia, Lake Ichkeul).

Highlights

• The wintering flocks - geese, ducks and flamingo across the lake and marsh in winter.
• Jebel Ichkeul - the hill path to a viewpoint over the whole basin.
• The ecomuseum - a small display on the lake's hydrology and bird life.
• Hot springs - warm springs on the flank of the hill.

When to go

November to March is the season, when the wintering birds arrive in numbers; outside it the lake is quiet and much saltier. Early morning is best for viewing and for the light on the water.

Before you go

Birdwatching here needs binoculars or a scope, since the flocks are usually distant across open water. Facilities are basic, the ecomuseum is small and sometimes shut, and there is no public transport. Water levels and bird numbers vary enormously between years depending on rainfall and dam management.

Nearby

Bizerte's old port is half an hour away; Tunis and Carthage lie southeast.

Key facts