Hotspots

Thyna Saltpans is immediately to the south of Sfax. The succession of shallow pools, of varying depth and salinity, provide prime habitat for waterbirds including Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia, Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber, Common Crane Grus grus, Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta, Sanderling Calidris alba, Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa, Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata, Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres, Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus and Little Tern Sterna albifrons.

Bouhedma National Park situated 60 km south of Sidi Bouzid represents a unique ecosystem in Tunisia, the vegetation of the park being woodland in which Acacia raddiana occurs in association with Periploca laevigata. The Bouhedma National Park supports several species including Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos, Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus, Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis, Pharaoh’s Eagle Owl Bubo ascalaphus, Red-necked Nightjar Caprimulgus ruficollis, Rufous Scrub-Robin Cercotrichas galactotes, Moussier’s Redstart Phoenicurus moussieri, Red-rumped Wheatear Oenanthe moesta, Fulvous Babbler Turdoides fulva and Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis.

Desert wetlands of Jemna, Ghidma, Grad and Blidette are a small salty depression situated in the Douz region, surrounded by oases and sand-dunes, which hold many species including Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus, Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea, Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris, Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca, Cream-coloured Courser Cursorius cursor, Egyptian Nightjar Caprimulgus aegyptius, Greater Hoopoe-Lark Alaemon alaudipes, White-crowned Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucopyga, Black-eared Wheatear O. hispanica, Red-rumped Wheatear O. moesta and Desert Wheatear O. deserti.