Ashtum el-Gamil National Park and Protectorate
Ashtum el-Gamil is a protectorate located about 7 km from Port Said on the coastal road of Damietta in Egypt. Ashtum el-Gamil lies at the eastern end of the sandbar separating Lake Manzala from the Mediterranean Sea. Lake Manzala is the most critical wetland in Egypt. It's winter, water birds come, and around a quarter million birds visit yearly. Some rare species of birds that call this protectorate are the Little Gull, Larus minute, Whiskered Tern, and Chlidonias hybridus. Due to its natural setting, Ashtum el-Gamil is one of the most beautiful protectorates in the country.
Ashtum el-Gamil is a significant stop for migratory birds that come here to rest and eat after a long flight. Even after the area has become so polluted, birds still use it as a breeding area. Birds that can be found here every year include flamingoes, swans, seagulls, and curlews. The Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) manages the Ashtum el-Gamil protectorate, established in 1988 with the prime objective of conserving migratory birds.
The Climate at Ashtum el-Gamil
Ashtum el-Gamil protectorate has a typical Mediterranean climate, with winter temperatures usually between 12 and 20 degrees Celsius and summer temperatures between 18 and 33 degrees Celsius. Annual rainfall is less than 150 mm, and the winds here are mostly northeastern during summers and southeastern and western during winters due to the interaction of the wind exchange between the sea and the lake. The average temperature of the water is about 13 degrees in winter and 30 degrees in summer.
Flora and Fauna In The Area
Most shallow areas at Ashtum el-Gamil have a variety of plants, including Phragmites, Potamogeton, Ceratophyllum, and Najas species. A protectorate is a place where many wintering and migratory birds come. Some species include Phalacrocorax carbo, Egretta alba, Ardea cinerea, Tadorna tadorna, Anas crecca, A. clypeata, Circus aeruginosus, Fulica atra, Recurvirostra avosetta, Charadrius alexandrinus, Calidris alba, C. minuta, C. Alpina, Tringa totanus, Larus genei, Chlidonias hybridus, Alcedo atthis, Motacillidaes and Luscinia svecica.
In addition to birds, there are a large species of fishes caught in the lake, including freshwater fishes like Cichlidae (Tilapia), Siluridae, Cyprinidae, and Serranidae, and euryhaline or haline fishes like Mugilidae, Anguillidae, Serranidae, Sparidae, Clupeidae, and Pleuronectidae.
Why Visit Ashtum el-Gamil Protectorate?
Visiting this protectorate offers an unfiltered experience of nature's beauty, and many nearby attractions can turn this visit into a perfect holiday. Such places include Dream Park, which is fantastic. Another is an open-air shopping mall called Il Mercato. Lake Burullus is also worth visiting. Bird watching at the lake is a beautiful experience.
