UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory
UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory
Egypt
El Omayed Biosphere Reserve is characterized by its Mediterranean landscape made of rocky ridges with ancient dunes and depressions, coastlines and inland plateau. It is a safe haven for endemic plants of which sunrose, chamomile, glaucus star thistle and North African plantain. In Khashm El-Aish plateau grow twenty-nine (29) moss taxa which were recorded for the first time from the Mediterranean Egyptian coast, of which sixteen (16) are newly recorded in the western Mediterranean coast. The reserve is home to the beach grass, sea spurge, sea daffodil lily, morning glory, Mediterranean saltbush, saltwort and the locally known ‘Remth’. El Omayed is a refuge for Dorcas gazelle, gerbils, endemic mole-rat, fennec, red fox, hare, and the North African endemic fat sand rat. The reserve nestles kestrel and quail populations, among many others. It is home to mix of medicinal such as the hairy rupturewort, devil’s thorn and Egyptian mallow seeds. In its habitat grows the Egyptian autumn crocus used as an ingredient of a popular beverage prepared from the rhizomes of ‘Moghat’ (Glossostemon bruguieri Desf.). In the biosphere neighborhoods lies Moghra Oasis on the northeastern edge of Qattara Depression.
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