Ichkeul National Park

Ichkeul National Park

Ichkeul National Park is located in the Matel Plain region, about 25 kilometers southwest of Bizerte, 15 kilometers north of Mateur, in the northern part of the Bizerte Governorate in Tunisia, and approximately 30 kilometers southwest of the Mediterranean coast, with a direct road leading to the park entrance.

The park covers an area of 12,600 hectares. The lake's surface area fluctuates seasonally, shrinking to a minimum of 10,775 hectares and expanding to a maximum of 12,600 hectares during the rainy season. The elevation ranges from 1.5 meters to 511 meters (from the lake bottom to the mountain peak). Lake Ichkeul and its marshes serve as a crucial stopover and habitat for hundreds of thousands of migratory birds such as ducks, geese, storks, and flamingos, which come here to feed and nest. Lake Ichkeul is also the last lake in North Africa that once extended across the entire region. The park is one of the main wintering grounds for migratory waterfowl: hundreds of thousands of ducks, geese, and other birds spend the winter at Lake Ichkeul. Unfortunately, two upstream dams have significantly reduced the inflow of freshwater into the lake, increasing salinity levels, which has led to the extinction of many plants that birds rely on for survival, forcing them to relocate. The diverse natural environment has resulted in a rich variety of animal communities within the park.

The Ichkeul Wetlands are among the most important wintering sites for Palearctic waterfowl in the entire Mediterranean region. The national park established to protect Lake Ichkeul is one of the most significant wetlands in the Mediterranean. It is especially important for numerous Palearctic migratory waterfowl and a variety of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The park also preserves mammal fossils of international significance. A management plan was developed in 1977 and later incorporated into the national park legislation. This was followed by the addition of supplementary water management research plans. The protected area is divided into sections, including the central zone of Lake Ichkeul, the Ichkeul Mountains, the marshland environments, as well as an external buffer zone of 6,000 hectares. The main objectives are to control the water level and salinity of the lake, maintain the growth of Potamogeton pectinatus, and provide food for migratory birds. Water locks now need to be constructed to regulate the lake’s salinity, limit seawater intrusion, and prevent freshwater loss. Due to the damage caused by human activities to the Ichkeul ecosystem, it was inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1996.