Wadi Al Assiuty National Park and Protectorates
Wadi Al Assiut is a protected area in Egypt's Asiout Governorate. It was created in 1989 and covers an area of 35 square km. It covers a multi-protected area with various sections and is about 400 km from Cairo.
Sections Of The Protectorate
Wadi el-Assiut Protectorate is divided into two principal regions: the section for protecting and breeding wild animals and the other for studying and cultivating plant genes. The former contains bighorn, Egyptian deer, mountain goats, zebra, ostrich, and some reptiles. At the same time, the latter has various threatened species of plants, including palm trees, bushes, and more such aromatic and economical crops that are planted and protected. New and wild genes are also collected here for reproduction.
More About The Protectorate
The Assuiti Valley starts as a tributary. Wadi el-Assiut Protectorate is unique among Egyptian preserves as it breeds endangered wild animals and plants.
The protectorate resulted from a joint project between the University of Arizona in the USA and Assiut University in Egypt.
Founding Of The Wadi
Wadi el-Assiut Protectorate is a valley that was once a sizeable dry riverbed. It emerged from the Red Sea hills after the construction of the High Dam and Lake Nasser. Once filled with water, Lake Nasser's water flowed into the Wadi Al, covering a large part of the valley.
The Uniqueness Of The Protectorate
Wadi el-Assiut Protectorate is unique and different from all the other reserves in Egypt since it is a breeding ground for many varieties of plants and animals. Some endangered species of flora and fauna can only be seen in the Egyptian deserts. The reserve also contains essential genes and studies of plant genetics used to modernize agriculture. These are used in the gene bank of some crops and for study and research. There are also some medicinal herbs, wild plants, and scattered trees of doum palm and acacia alongside clusters of torrential streams on the side of the Wadi el-Assiut Protectorate. In the reserve area, some wildlife animals like deer, different kinds of reptiles, and many non-vertebral animals live under bushes or in rock cracks. Though small, Wadi el-Assiut Protectorate in Egypt is essential in maintaining environmental equilibrium and soil fertility and can be an exciting place to visit.