Ichkeul National Park removed from danger list
Tunisia's Ichkeul National Park has been removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger.
The move signals a vast environmental improvement in the area since it was put on the list ten years ago.
In 1996 increased salinity of the water in the area led to it being put on the list as efforts were stepped up to ensure natural characteristics were not lost.
The Ichkeul lake and wetland is world famous as a stopover for many migratory birds such as ducks, geese, storks and pink flamingos.
Hundreds of thousands of birds use the region as a feeding and nesting area and it was the potential disruption to the creatures that prompted World Heritage to add Ichkeul to its endangered list.
The Ichkeul lake is also the only remaining fresh water lake in a chain that used to stretch right across North Africa and is an area of outstanding beauty.
Recent behavioural changes, such as a ban on using the water for agriculture, have helped to reduce the salinity and witness the return of a number of birds.
In an announcement made on July 10th, the World Heritage Committee said the National Park had been removed from the endangered list but remains a World Heritage site, an honour it has held since 1980.
The park is a magnet for tourists and particularly those interested in wildlife and all things nature related.
Visitors to the park can enjoy seeing wild boar, jackals and even water buffalo going about their daily business with a stunning mountainous backdrop.
Accommodation can be found close by in Menzel Bourguiba, where there is also a vast array of restaurants and bars.
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