Elomayed Natural protected Area in Matrouh Governorate

Date of Announcement : 1986
Area : 700 Km2
Type : Desert Area and vital peripheral
Distance from Cairo : 300 km
There are around 170 species of wild plants growing in different ecosystem, be they sand dunes or internal hills. Studies showed that this wild plants have economic and medical benefits since there are about 70 species that can used for medical and thera peutical purposes like squall, wormwood, plantain, wood, sorrel. There are also 60 species that can be used for different purposes including fuel like buckthorn and boxthorn, as source of oils and soap like Ghoul Henna, as a human food like onion, for landscaping like Dirsesh-shaayib for manufacturing ropes and roofs like Boos reed, and for pasturing like Dabaagh and Tafwa . There are about 40 species of plants that have important environmental roles such as detaining sand and building new layers. There are several wild animals in the Area like deer, foxes, rabbits, jerboa, chameleon and scorpion. There are also 14 species of wild birds.