Aïr Mountains

P1P5

Recording from space by Gemini 6

The Aïr ( Hausa: discounting ) is a mountain range in central Niger (Africa). It consists of a chain of mountains that rise in the north-south direction up to 1500 meters from the east sandy desert Ténéré. The highest mountain is 2022 m of the location in the southern part Idoukal -n- Taghes (also called Mont Bagzane ). The north-east wind blows in the shadow of the mountains on the sand at up to 400 m high dunes. Especially on the west side fracturing numerous wadis of the mountains.

It has some oases with sedentary Tuareg who live by the garden industry. The most famous oases are Timia, a mountain oasis Iferouane and Tabelot. Are the uranium mines of Arlit to the western foothills.

The northern part of the Aïr Mountains since 1991 is grouped with the north-eastern section of the desert Ténéré World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The Aïr and Ténéré Natural Reserve is the largest protected area in Africa ² 77,000 km.

The mountain region is an enclave in the middle of the Sahel - Sahara and the northernmost point where after crossing the desert is to be found in larger scale vegetation. Self Mediterranean plants can keep in the higher elevations. Due to the remote location, will also see the wild forms a number of important crop plants, such as wild olive, pearl millet and sorghum. The fauna is diverse with 40 mammals, 165 birds and 18 reptile species. In the late 1980s five endangered species were observed: Dama and Dorcas gazelle, Barbary sheep, Addax and African ostrich. By hunting they are seriously threatened in their existence. After the number of Addax was temporarily decreased to 15 animals, again over a hundred animals were observed recently. Ostriches had to be settled by the reintroduction of breeding animals only again.

Since the uprisings of 1992, the Tuareg territory is on the red list of endangered world heritage. The various political upheavals in Niger and the impression of Welterbekommittees, the government is doing too little against poaching and the conservation of the protected area have a deletion of the list so far prevented.

In the south of the mountain is the significant for the Paläoarchäologie excavation area Gadoufaoua, the so-called dinosaur graveyard of the Sahara.