Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity

22,000 species of flora and fauna have been identified in Egypt’s diverse ecosystems [ ] 97 Areas include a representative range of national habitats with high biological significance Egypt has been successful in its efforts towards conservation of ecosystem habitats and biomes and of species diversity. The creation of protected areas (PAs) has been one of the prima- ry means of maintaining biodiversity, expanding over the past 30 years in both number and area. By 2013, 30 PAs were established, extending over 14.6 per cent of the total land and ma- rine areas of the country. They include a representative range of national hab- itats with high biological significance, and physiographic regions, along with other sites of importance. The nationally designated protected areas system contains biodiversity hotspots, cultural heritage, geological formations, landscapes of outstand- ing natural beauty and Important Bird Areas. According to the WWF global classification, Egypt falls in the Palearctic biogeographical realm or ecozone and contains habitat types and ecoregions of global significance. The PA network contains a good representation of these habitat types and ecoregions including Egypt’s most important marine biodiversi- ty hotspot, the Red Sea coral reefs. Similarly, the country’s four terrestrial biodiversity hot spots — St. Katherine, Elba, wetlands, and western Mediter- ranean coastal desert — fall complete- ly within existing protected areas. The distribution of most of the endemic taxa in Egypt coincides with that of the biodiversity hotspots and are fairly covered within the existing PA network. Outside of the protected areas, complementary ex situ conser- vation measures were undertaken for 17 animal and plant species, resulting in the success of captive breeding for several endangered species for the first time in Egypt. These included the oryx dammah, Arabian oryx, caracal and porcupine. Cheetah were introduced for the first time in 40 years, in addi- tion to breeding the fourth generation of Egyptian gazelle. African turtles also appeared in large numbers. Efforts have also been undertaken to rehabilitate some endemic flora and fauna species to increase their numbers in their natural habitats and to protect them from extinction. These include the cultivation of plant species in St. Katherine PA, such as arfeja, zayteia, alloseeg, alghasah and St. Katherine thyme, with fenced are- as to protect them from random graz- ing and other threats. Wild turtles have been rehabilitated in Zaranik PA after their discovery in an area out- side the PA. Also, the reproduction of trees and plants has been managed in Wadi al Gemal PA along with wild animals such as gazelle, hyrax, hares. Ruins near the Great Pyramid, Egypt Egypt W ith its unique geographic location, midway between Africa and Asia, Egypt is home to a wide variety of ecosystems and terrestrial and aquatic life. Many plant and animal species in Egypt represent tropical and Mediterranean environments, some of which go back millions of years. The country has unique biodiversity that contributes to the economy and supports human wellbeing. Egypt is home to over 2,145 species, with 220 infra-specific taxa of native and naturalized vascular plants, 175 species and subspecies of moss, 13 hepatic, 111 mammal, 109 reptile, 9 amphibian, more than 1,000 fish species, 800 mollusca, 1,000 crustacean, over 325 species of coral reef, 10,000–15,000 species of insect and 2,420 of fungi. Les Anderson on Unsplash