Sidi-Toui-Nationalpark
The Sidi- Toui National Park (Arabic: المحمية الوطنية بسيدي الطوي ) is a national park in the south of Tunisia, 20 km from the border with Libya, about 50 kilometers south of Ben Gardane. It was established in 1991, since then the plant and animal populations have recovered significantly.
The protected area covers an area of 6,315 ha and is enclosed all around by the sands of the Sahara. The annual rainfall is between 100 and 150 mm; the lowest temperatures are 5 ° C, the highest at 38, in the head at 50 ° C. In the area there is no water, you can see from a single water source. There, especially birds gather.
Are characteristic steppe and dune areas, the highest mountain, the Djebel Sidi Toui, rises to a height of 172 m above sea level. White wormwood ( Artemisia herba - alba) is the most common plant species in the arid area, added the Rhanterium as the vermouth to the daisy family (Asteraceae ) is one and also occurs on the north side of the Djebel Sidi Toui. There is also Haloxylon scoparium find (French: saligne à balai ) and colocynth.
The fauna is often under preservation order, oryx, golden jackal (Canis aureus), Rüppellfuchs, wild cat and fennec fox. There are also reptiles like the thorn -tailed Agama, but also the ordinary chameleon and various snakes. Also there is the Wüstenwaran, Agamas, or the Wall Gecko ( Tarentola mauritanica ). This is the National Park is one of 13 areas in Tunisia, where antelopes occur.
Some migratory birds from the Kneïes Islands southeast of Sfax rest here, but there are also resident species such as Houbara Bustard, Rock chicken, Sandgrouse, Raven and racing bird.
At about Argiope spiders of the genus Argiope lobata find, spiders from the family of the Real orb-weaving spiders, Sparrasus dufouri (French: araignée du desert ) or the toxic Southern Black Widow.
The park was formerly frequented by ostriches and hartebeest, the latter still found in 1912 between Dahibah and Hamada al -Hamra in Libya. Both species are now extinct in Tunisia. The subspecies North African Hartebeest (. Alcelaphus buselaphus subsp buselaphus ) was eradicated by intensive hunting in 1900; Plans for the reintroduction of the subspecies Alcelaphus buselaphus major have not been performed. Seven European zoos agreed to suspend gazelles from their holdings in the National Park, as well as in two other farms in Mali and Niger. The Cuviergazelle ( Gazella cuvieri ) was at that time still in four areas of Tunisia before, including in Sidi- Toui Park. 1999 were exposed to 10 or 14 sable antelope (Oryx dammah ). By 2000 there were 30 Dorkasgazellen ( Gazella dorcas ) in the park, individual animals were registered outside the protected area.
The only human visitors in the park are a few pilgrims who move to the tombs of some marabouts.