Al Hassania National Park

Description

Jabel Al Hassania National Park is located in the River Nile State, and presents a desert and semi desert environment. It covers an area of about 54,966.69 km². It is far from Al Damir Town by 50 km to the west. It was declared as a National Park in 2003. It is bordered on the north by Jabel Alnalt and from the southwest by Jabel Topper and on the western side by Jabel Srgen and Jabel Sramed.The habitats are dry with flat landscape traversed by sand dunes, wadies, hills and mountains. The plants communities include scattered acacia shrubs, grasses and desert vegetation. The common animal species of the area are Dorcas Gazelles, Barbary sheep, hairs, wildcats, foxes and fennec, and a collective presentation of snakes. It is the habitat of the rare Barbary sheep.

Justification of Outstanding Universal Value

Its geographical location is so important representing dry desert and semi-desert ecosystem in Sudan. This desert habitat provides the protection of endangered species and rare Barbary sheep. The Gagdool pool is located at the Southern portion of the mountain. The wadies especially those comming from the West to the East is the major habitat for the gazelles, rare desert grasses, shrubs and Acacias. The spectacular sand dunes found at the Southern part is suitable to adventure driving, it also provides escaping refugee from poaching of gazelles. The close of the park to famous Albjrawia Meriotic pyramids give the chance for complementary areas for ecotourism to millions of people in Khartoum and near towns for desert camping, the local community developed their own techniques to drill water from long wells by using camels.

Criterion (vii): The spectacular sand dunes and the Gagdool pool found at the Southern part of Al Hassania present the natural beautiful features of Hassania increasing its value within the desert and semi-desert environment.

Criterion (ix): The exceptional environmental desert and semi-desert conditions of Al Hassania and the development of a series of sand dunes representing significant on-going ecological process in the evolution and development of such ecosystem and  communities of rare desert grasses, shrubs, acacias and desert animals.

Criterion (x): Within the national park there are series of sand dunes and isolated mountains. The most prominant mountain is Jebel Gagdool which provide the natural habitat for the protection of the endangered species (Barbary sheep and gazelles). It is the only area within the State where these endangered species found.

Statements of authenticity and/or integrity

It is declared a National Park at 2003, since then it is managed by Wildlife Conservation General Administration. There are different pastoral tribes in the region and the number of the population depends on agriculture and other activities. The management objectives include the protection of the species of desert plants and wild animals. The integrity requires the necessary studies for the integration of the local population in various activities in order to raise the economic and social level.

Comparison with other similar properties

Jabel El Hasaneia National Park could compared by Namib Sand Sea which has dune systems. The desert dunes of El Hasaneia are formed by the transportation of materials thousands of kilometres from the hinterland, that are carried by current wind. But Namib Sand Sea is the only coastal desert in the world that includes extensive dune fields influenced by fog. Covering an area of over three million hectares and a buffer zone of 899,500 hectares, the site is composed of two dune systems, an ancient semi-consolidated one overlain by a younger active one. The desert dunes are formed by the transportation of materials thousands of kilometres from the hinterland, that are carried by river, ocean current and wind.