Travel Guide Réserve De L’aïr Et Du Ténéré

Created in 1988, the aim is to protect the southernmost massif of the Sahara, constituting an enclave of Sahelian tropical climate in the centre of a Saharan area. In its midst, the entire reserve borders the massif of the Aïr and was designed to protect a endangered fauna including the leptocère gazelle, the dama gazelle and the addax antelope, but the ostrich was exterminated in the 1990 s (still one in freedom and a couple in captivity, which gave birth to 3). young people). The animal species identified in the reserve in the early 1990 s (before the events caused by Tuareg rebellion) were 5 amphibians, 27 reptiles, 160 birds, 35 mammals, all inhabitants of the desert plains, mountain ranges or kori beds. Cultural heritage is also ancient and dates above the last 10 000 years (holocene): a few Paleolithic vestiges, cave engravings of the Neolithic, funeral monuments, etc. This reserve is inhabited by Tuareg, the original population due to their way of life, nomadism, linked to livestock rearing and habitat in an oasis culture zone. Although established in several countries (Niger, Mali, Algeria, Libya and Burkina Faso), the Tuareg have cultural unity through language, writing and customs. This strong identity in a spectacular Saharan natural environment attracts scientists and tourists.The reserve is intended to be an additional asset to develop this area, but for different reasons inherent in its conception by Europeans, local institutions, the organisation of such an entity, taking into account the real desires of the populations and insecurity during the Tuareg rebellion, it played a minimal role after more than two decades of existence.