Air and Téneré

Air and Téneré
Photo in the Public Domain.

The Air and Ténéré Natural Reserves comprises a large protected area that includes the Saharan desert of Ténéré and the volcanic massif of the Aïr Mountains, a Sahelian ‘island’ within the desert.

The landscape with its blue marble mountains and sand dunes is of outstanding beauty. Due to its isolation, numerous Saharo-Sahelion wildlife species that are rare elsewhere have managed to survive in the Aïr. One-sixth of the reserve is a sanctuary for Addax, a critically endangered species of antelope.

Community Perspective: This site is rarely visited due to the safety situation and remote location.

1 Locations 1 Reviews 2 Ratings 30 Connections 6 Visitors Plaques In Danger

Map of Air and Téneré

Community Reviews

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Michal Kozok

Poland - 16-Jan-19 -

Amazing isolated rock formations filled with send. And no tourists as all depends on Tuareg activities in the region. 

Read more from Michal Kozok here.

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Site Info

Full Name
Air and Téneré Natural Reserves
Unesco ID
573
Country
Niger
Inscribed
1991 - In Danger
Type
Natural
Criteria
7 9 10
Categories
Natural landscape - Desert
Link
By ID

Site History

1992 In Danger

region in which this site is situated has been affected by civil disturbance

1991 Inscribed

Site Links

Unesco Website
Air and Téneré Natural Reserves
Related

African World Heritage Sites

Locations

The site has 1 locations

Air and Téneré

Connections

The site has

Damaged
Poaching: The most noticeable problem is poaching of gazelles and ostriches within the reserve by military personnel (AB ev) / Poaching continues to strongly affect the site due to insufficient or lack of control linked to the large area of ​​the property. Illegal hunting has decimated African ostrich populations in Africa North, addax and dama gazelle during the last years but it now threatens other mammals. Dorcas gazelles, Barbary sheep and Nubian and Arabian bustards are the species currently affected by poaching. (IUCN)
Ecology
Critically endangered fauna species: Dama gazelle (100-200 extant individuals worldwide), Northwest African cheetah
Bird Migrations: The massif of the Aïr also constitutes a transit zone for a large number of afrotropical and palaearctic migratory birds. (unesco website)
Dunes: The "live dunes" of the Ténéré are an example of erosion under way the landscape is rapidly modified on a geological time scale by the displacement and deposition of sand (AB ev)
Ratites: common ostrich
Strict Nature Reserve: Partly: Sanctuaire des Addax (visitor access unknown)
Ergs: "The "live dunes" of the Téneré are an example of erosion under way the landscape is rapidly modified on a geological time scale by the displacement and deposition of sand" (IUCN eval). There is no Nom File but the actual word is applied on the Site's UNESCO page with a photo of "A dune sea (Erg) between Fachi and Bilma."
Hyper-arid: Ténéré (desert environment OUV): "The climate is hyper-arid, extremely hot, sunny and dry year-round and there is virtually no plant life." (wiki)
Yardangs
Multiple biogeographic realms: At the junction of Palaearctic and Afrotropical realms
Geography
Sahara: "The Aïr constitutes a Sahelian enclave surrounded by a Saharian desert" (OUV)
Sahel: The Aïr constitutes a Sahelian enclave surrounded by a Saharian desert (AB ev)
Territorial Highest points: Mont Idoukal-n-Taghès (2,022m): the highest mountain in Niger
History
Songhai Empire: Became the furthest northern outpost of the Songhai Empire in the early 16th century - until recaptured by the Tuareg later in the century
Neolithic age: Palaeolithic and Neolithic archaeological sites are found at many locations in the reserve, as are rock engraving sites. (unesco website)
Human Activity
Petroglyphs
Natural sites with indigenous human population: The 3,500-7,000 Twareg inhabitants for the most part maintain a lifestyle of transhumant pastoralism, raising goats and camels (unesco website)
Individual People
Ibn Battuta: Possible: "We first came to the country of Air, a land rich in pasture. People buy sheep from the Berbers there and cut their meat into strips, which they dry. "
Literature and Film
Location for a classic documentary: Tenere (2020)
Timeline
Proterozoic: La zone du socle précambrien de l'Aïr est composée de dépôts de roches sédimentaires plissées et métamorphisées (gneiss, schistes) et de roches volcaniques datant du Protérozoïque inférieur. (wiki fr)
Trivia
Covers more than 5% of country: 6,11%
Visiting conditions
One thousand visitors or fewer: DD :“Il n'y a pas eu de tourisme dans la zone en raison des problčmes d'insécurité jusqu'en 2013. Par la suite, il y a eu quelques petites excursions organisées par des opérateurs locaux, mais pas de maničre officielle”
Do Not Travel: Niger fully off-limits
WHS Names
Named after a Mountain: "The Aïr Mountains or Aïr Massif (Tamashek: Ayăr; Hausa: Eastern Azbin, Western Abzin) is a triangular massif, located in northern Niger, within the Sahara. Part of the West Saharan montane xeric woodlands ecoregion, they rise to more than 1,800 m (5,900 ft) and extend over 84,000 km2 (32,000 sq mi)" (Wiki)
WHS on Other Lists
World Biosphere Reserves: Air et Ténéré (1997)
World Monuments Watch (past): Giraffe Rock Art Site, Agadez (2000)
IUCN Conservation Outlook Assessment Critical
Ramsar Wetlands: Gueltas et Oasis de l’Aïr
World Heritage Process
Slow Starters: 1974-1991 : 17 years
First inscriptions: Niger 1991

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The Plaque

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