The Secretariat of the Convention on Migratory Species (UNEP/CMS) has recently visited Tunisia to observe the impacts of activities toward the conservation of Sahelo-Saharan antelopes.
14 December 2010: The Secretariat of the Convention on Migratory Species (UNEP/CMS) visited Tunisia to observe activities undertaken toward the conservation of Sahelo-Saharan antelopes, a project under the framework of a Concerted Action approved by the CMS Scientific Council and funded by the Fonds Français pour l’Environnement Mondial (FFEM).
During the mission, CMS and FFEM visited the National Parks of Bou Hedma, Dghoumes and Djebil, under the guidance of the Direction Générale des Forêts, the authority for protected areas and wildlife in Tunisia. The project proved to have catalyzed substantial conservation activities in Tunisia and facilitated the establishment of several protected areas relevant to Sahelo-Saharan antelopes. It also generated an initiative to conserve remaining populations of Sahelo-Saharan antelopes and reintroduce those extinct in the wild, which represents a major step towards restoring Tunisia’s natural heritage.
Eco-museums are built in each National Park and ecotourism is promoted as a means to contribute to the economic development of these areas. According to UNEP/CMS, the oryx and addax populations reintroduced in the national parks are adapting well. These populations are kept in enclosures of several thousand hectares to promote their reproduction. Once conditions are met, they will be released to roam in the wider countryside. [CMS Press Release]