National parks in Morocco

At present (2015) there are about a dozen national parks in Morocco ; another ( Belyounech Nataionalpark ) is planned between Ceuta and the port of Tanger-Med . The 'Dakhla National Park' is located in the Western Sahara :

National parks

Toubkal

Barbary macaque

Mediterranean monk seal

Bald ibis

Oued Massa in the Souss Massa National Park

• Toubkal National Park

  The 380 km² Toubkal National Park was founded in 1942 as the first national park in Morocco. The park is located in the High Atlas and includes the highest mountain in North Africa, the 4,167 m high Toubkal . Larger mammals in the park are barbary macaques and mane sheep .

• Tazekka National Park

  This second national park in Morocco was established in 1950. It originally covered an area of ​​6.8 km², around the 1,980 m high Jbel Tazekka , which is located in the north-eastern Middle Atlas . In 1989 it was expanded to 128 km² to protect additional forests and cave systems with the largest stalactite cave in North Africa ( Gouffre de Friouato ); meanwhile its area is 137 km². In 1994 the Berber deer was released into the wild here. Here also live Geoffroy-genet , otter , porcupine , African Gold wolves and red foxes . Striped hyenas , Berber leopards and caracals once also lived here .

• Moulouya National Park

  The only 5 km² large national park in the estuary of the Oued Moulouya is a bird sanctuary in which amphibians also live.

• Souss Massa National Park

  The 340 km² Souss Massa National Park on the Atlantic coast in southwest Morocco includes desert areas in the area of ​​the mouths of the Oued Souss and the Oued Massa . The park is rich in bird life. The extinct Mendes antelopes , saber antelopes and Mhorr gazelles were reintroduced in large fenced areas . North of the park is Agadir , south of Tiznit .

• Al Hoceima National Park

  This 470 km² national park, created in 2001, is located on the Mediterranean coast and therefore large parts of it also include the sea. The endangered Mediterranean monk seals live here , as well as three species of dolphins ( bottlenose dolphin , blue and white dolphin and common dolphin ), and around 69 species of birds including osprey and a colony of coral gull .

• Talassemtane National Park

  The 600 km² national park, founded in 1972, is located in the Rif Mountains . There are forests, spectacular rock landscapes and gorges here. In addition to a total of 37 species of mammals, Barbary macaques also live in the forests - these find shelter in the numerous caves. Of the 117 different bird species, the bearded vulture and golden eagle are the most spectacular.

• Ifrane National Park

  The 530 km² Ifrane National Park is located in the Middle Atlas. There are numerous volcanic lakes, rivers, springs and grottos here. Cedar and oak forests also occur here. Sheep and goats graze here in summer. There are 37 species of mammals here, including the Barbary macaque , which has its largest settlement area here. There are also said to be a few leopards left . 142 different bird species can be found here.

• Haut Atlas Oriental National Park

  This 490 km² national park is located in the high mountains of the High Atlas , which is still relatively humid in the north and turns into desert-like vegetation in the south. If holm oak and Atlas cedar still grow in the north, only thorn bushes can be found in the south. In addition to the barbary sheep , there are also said to be leopards here .

• Iriqui National Park

  The Iriqui National Park is located on the border with Algeria , already belongs to the Sahara and can therefore come up with the typical desert fauna and flora. Tamarisks and acacias grow in the sandy areas . Dorcas gazelle , oryx antelopes and mende antelopes also live here . The North African ostrich is to be released into the wild here.

• Bas Draa National Park

  This national park consists of rugged desert mountains and sandy valleys. Officially there are cheetahs and caracals as well as honey badgers .

• Khenifiss National Park

  In 2006, a nature reserve that already existed between the cities of Tan-Tan and Tarfaya was converted into the approximately 1850 km² Khenifiss National Park, whose desert-like landscape - interspersed with salt pans ( sabchas ) in some places - does not allow large animal populations. Migratory birds can sometimes be found in a large lagoon in the coastal area; Rust geese , marbled ducks and coral gulls , on the other hand, are true to their location.

National parks in Western Sahara

• Dakhla National Park

  The Dakhla National Park is located in the Western Sahara and is divided into two parts - the part of the park south of the city of Ad-Dakhla stretches inland around the Jbel Adrar Souttouf with its dry river beds overgrown with acacias; There are still mane jumpers and Dorkas gazelles - here too oryx and mende antelopes are to be settled again. The coastal area lies on the border with Mauritania , where the Banc d'Arguin National Park borders. It stretches here 180 km along the coast where the rare Mediterranean monk seals live.