Conservation

Lesser Crested Tern Sterna bengalensis at Gara island at the Gulf of Sirte in Libya in 2009. Photo: Abdulmaula HAMZA

The African Bird Club helped fund a project to survey the tern colonies along the Libyan coast in 2007. These colonies include significant populations of Lesser Crested Terns Sterna bengalensis.

Libya is party to a number of international treaties e.g. Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification and Wetlands. There are several conservation issues such as desertification and very limited natural fresh water resources. The Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities.

Legislation is in place for the protection of both land and sea with the following designations: Fishing Zone; Forest Reserve; Hunting Reserve in which hunting or shooting may be prohibited; Nature Reserve and Protected Area.

Last page update 22nd July 2010