Lake Bizerte, Tunisia
Lake Ichkeul is a shallow lake with a fluctuating water level and salinity that serves as an important over-wintering site for Palaearctic migrant waterfowl. In the years preceding its listing as a world heritage site, waterfowl numbers averaged about 250,000, but this has fallen dramatically as a result of the construction of dams on three of the main rivers feeding into the lake during the 80s. Peak-season waterfowl counts reached an all-time low of around 11,000 in 2003, increasing to 35,000 in 2005 after two years of good rainfall. The vast majority of these birds (84%) belong to just three species: wigeon, pochard and coot.
Epic Tunisia Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound
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