The Elba Protected area is located on Egypt’s eastern desert, to the southeast. Its name was derived from the mountain which so called, this mountain is about 1437 m. in height.
This reserve was established in 1985 and it is a wide reserve, of 35,600 km2, which enclose a number of ecosystems; including Red Sea’s coral reefs, mangroves and 22 islands, in addition to sand dunes and salt marshes on the coast of the sea. A very unique feature is a group of mountains (gebel Elba, gebel Ebruq and El Daeeb) situated on the Red Sea coast making a magnificent backdrop for the turquoise water.
Gebel Elba is the single igneous mountain rising up to 1437m. Its summit is a "mist oasis" where a considerable part of precipitation is contributed in the form of dew or mist and clouds, creating unique and rare ecosystem not found anywhere else in Egypt.
The protectorate extraordinary flora of different kinds as the misty weather allows it to exist. Around 458 types cannot be found elsewhere; ferns, mosses, succulents, biscutella elbensis, Acacia tortilis, Delonix elata, Aerva persica and Euphorbia cuneata.
As for the fauna; Elba protected area is a shelter for 40 kinds of birds such as the Afro-tropical Ostrich and Lappet-faced Vulture. Besides, it also protects 23 kinds of mammals, including Dugong dugon (the Sea Cow) which is in danger of extinction, as well as 30 kinds of reptiles.
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