Ras Muhammad National Park

Ras Mohammed (Arabic محمية رأس محمد, DMG Maḥmiyyat Ra ʾ s Muḥammad ) is the name of a national park in Egypt. It is located at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula and in the immediate vicinity of the tourist stronghold Sharm El- Sheikh.

History

By a law, the Egyptian government in 1983 established the National Park, which officially Ras Mohammed Marine Protected Area is called.

Name

Seen from the sea shows the highest cliff on the south end of the cape is a similarity to a male head. Local fishermen gave the rock then the name of Ras Mohammed, which means head of Mohammed. In antiquity, the promontory of Roman sailors Poseidon was called.

Location and size

Ras Mohammed is the most southern point of the Sinai Peninsula. Ras Mohammed is, in itself is a small peninsula which is connected by a headland with the Sinai. This has a width of about 800 m and a length of about 3.5 km. The small peninsula itself has a length of about 5.1 km and a maximum width of about 3.5 km. The area is a single block of fossil corals, which was raised. The highest point has a height of 73 m. Ras Mohammed divides the Gulf of Aqaba from the Gulf of Suez and thus splits the Red Sea. The distance from the southernmost point, the Shark Reef By land is up to the tourist stronghold Naama Bay 37 km.

Flora and Fauna

Due to the low rainfall and high air temperatures all year round, the vegetation is extremely sparse. Nevertheless, there are 80 plant species in the National Park. The dominant plants are acacias and doum palms. In Mangrove Channel on the southwestern tip of Ras Mohammed mangroves grow. These are the second most northerly on earth. The mangrove is a plant that has adapted itself to life in the tidal area of tropical coastal landscapes. Only in Nabq, just north of Sharm El- Sheikh, there are still more northerly occurrence. The National Park is inhabited by 220 bird and 14 mammal species. At the south end of the park is in the evening often the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) to see. The osprey (Pandion haliaetus) is a bird species that also occurs frequently in the national park. In late summer, thousands of White Storks make a stopover on their way to East Africa.

Marines life

Ras Mohammed has the greatest biodiversity of marine life in the Sinai. Especially at the southern tip of the headland you can see large schools of fish. On the reefs parrot fish are constantly encountered. One of the most common representatives are the rust Parrotfish ( Scarus ferrugineus ) and the longnose parrotfish ( Hippo Carus Harid ). Other common reef inhabitants are surgeonfish ( Acanthurus sohal, zebrasoma veliferum and Naso hexacanthus ) and Anthias ( Anthias scuamipinnis ) and soldier fish, the largest representative of the United thorn Hussars fish ( Sargocentron spiniferum ). It can reach a length of about 50 cm. The big fish among the reef fish, the giant moray ( Gymnothrax javanicus) which can reach a length of 3 m and a weight of 30 kg and the Napoleon wrasse ( Cheilinus undulatus) who can bring it to a total weight of almost 200 kg. Particularly delicate coral reef species are the red lionfish ( Pterois volitans) and the radiation Lionfish (Pterois radiata). Both pull slowly and gracefully through the reef in search of food. The lionfish show little escape behavior because they are armed to the dorsal fin with venomous spines. The poison is supposed to be extremely painful. The giant triggerfish ( Balistoides viridescens ) is feared by divers because of its aggressiveness. During the breeding season of fish attacking anything that approaches its nest. The bite of powerful jaws can result in serious injury. On the western side of the Gulf of Suez and in the Marsa Bareika are frequently encountered Blaupunktrochen ( Taeniura lymma ) and sea turtles ( Cheloniidae ). Among the pelagic fish can be found barracudas, eagle rays, tunas ( Thunnus). Sharks ( Selachii ) you only see very rarely in the national park.

Seen Chasing rays fire fish from behind

Large arbor Hussars fish

Reef with anthias

The crown of thorns is a predatory starfish, which can damage the reefs sustainably

Napoleon fish

Sea ​​Turtle

Environment

The Ras Mohammed National Park is relatively heavy load in spite of the protection status. Especially the underwater flora and fauna suffers significantly under the ever-growing dive tourism. In the past, for the protection of the reef mooring buoys have been installed so that the dive boats not anchor on the reef. However, the sheer amount of divers and partly inappropriate behavior, harm the reefs. To compensate for this load has introduced restricted zones management. The Mangrove Channel and the sea facing small island is one such, and two more are located further north in the Bay Marsa Bareika. Furthermore, no mooring buoys have been installed at several dive sites - but this may be dived from the shore. This, however, has become increasingly unpopular in the age of mass tourism in the region, allowing for an automatic protection of these areas occurs. In addition, in May 2011, the local fishing was allowed again in the National Park of the Government Representative for the South Sinai. This is a violation of the statutory provisions of the protected area dar. The reason for this action is the frequent occurrence of a snapper species ( Lethrinus nebulosus ), which is highly appreciated by the fishermen. 2010 was the region around Sharm El- Sheikh and Ras Muhammad frequently a target of shark attacks on humans. These attacks led already to serious injuries and one death among travelers. According to experts, the attacker oceanic whitetip sharks ( Carcharhinus longimanus ), normally steer clear of the coastal waters. Trigger for this unusual behavior is probably the illegal disposal of sheep carcasses in the Ras Mohammed National Park.

Diving

The reefs of the National Park have made it a popular diving destination for divers from Sharm El- Sheikh and the surrounding holiday resorts.

Known dive sites are:

• Shark Reef ( shore and boat dive)
• Shark Observatory ( shore and boat dive)
• Jolanda Reef ( shore and boat dive)
• Old Quay ( shore)
• Aqaba Beaches ( shore)
• Camping Area ( shore)
• Jack Fish Alley (boat dive)
• Ras Zatar (boat dive)

The Shark Reef and Jolanda Reef lie directly on steep reef walls that drop up to 800 m deep. Due to the particularly strong current at this point you will encounter numerous species of fish and a unique coral world. The Jolanda Reef was named after a cargo ship that sank in 1980 here, and its cargo - mainly toilet bowls - is still distributed on the reef.