EXPEDITION 2016 (Kharga)

Dates: 18-22 December 2016.

Area/site: the desert area from Ain Amur to Umm al-Dabadib; the area of Qasr al-Gib and Qasr al-Sumayra; Deir al-Mounira.

Short description: The aim of this expedition was to produce an up-to-date assessment of the environmental conditions of the area that is under consideration by the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency to become a major Protected Area. The team performed a number of tasks: checked flora and fauna in the most remote portion of the area, between Ain Amur and Umm al-Dabadib; cleared the remote spring of Ain Amur, the only watering point for the local herd of Dorcas Gazelles; checked the potential eastern boundary of the proposed Protected Area and suggested the implementation of specific actions to protect the local environment in an effective way.

Team: Dr Corinna Rossi, Dr Ashraf Salem, Mr Ahmed Moussa, Dr Francesco Fassi; with the support of Ahmed Farrag (ghaffir), Essam Harby Salah and Salah Mohammad (Pan Arab Tours drivers) and Bahaa ed-Din Fatih (Kharga Police).

Acknowledgements: HE Dr Khaled Fahmy (Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency, Dr Fatma Mohsen (EEAA), General Omar Hassan (EEAA), Mr Bahgat Ahmed Ibrahim (Ministry of the Antiquities).

This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizion 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement n°  681673).