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Location:
29o05´- 29o20´N ; 30o20´- 30o25´E
Area:
710 km2
Type:
Year of establishment:
Objective:
Management:
Geographical aspects:
Wadi El-Rayan depression is located in the western desert
of Egypt, about 65 km southwest of the town of El-Fayoum
and 80 km west of the Nile River.
The reserve is composed of:
- Upper lake (50.90 km2)
- Lower lake (62.00 km2)
- Falls between the two lakes
- Springs, of which three are sulphur springs at the
southern side of the lower lake, with extensive mobile
sand dunes.
- Jabal Manqueer Al-Rayan at the south and southeast
of the springs where marine fossils and archeological
remains are found.
- Jabal Madwera near the lower lake, which is known
for its extensive dune formations.
Flora:
The vegetation is confined to inter-dune areas around
springs and at the base of large dunes. The vegetation
cover is made of 13 species of perennial plants and
a few individuals of Calligonum comosum and Zygophyllum
album.
Fauna:
The area is especially important because it accommodates
the world's only known population of the endangered
Slender-horned Gazelle Gazella leptoceros. The Dorcas
Gazella is still found in the area in small numbers
while both the Fennec Vulpes zerda and Ruppell's Sand
Fox V. rueppelli are scarce. The are 11 species of reptiles,
9 species of mammals, 13 species of resident birds,
and 26 migrant and vagrant birds.
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