Aïr and Ténéré
National Nature Reserve
Established in 1988, the Aïr and Ténéré National Natural Reserve (ATNNR) is classified as Category IV by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and is one of the largest protected areas in Africa, with a total area of 77,360 km2.
The reserve is located in the heart of Niger’s Saharan zone, in the region of Agadez (17°10′ to 21°30′ N, 8°20′ to 11°00 E) and boasts an exceptional variety of landscapes, plant species and wildlife.
It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991, and is also a Biosphere Reserve, Ramsar Site and Important Bird Area. Approximately one-sixth of the reserve, 12,805 km2, also benefits from addax sanctuary status and is classified as an integral reserve. However, the ATNNR was placed on the list of World Heritage Sites in Danger in 1992, due to political instability and dissension among local populations.
Challenges
Habitat degradation is one of the main threats to the reserve integrity. It results from natural factors, notably recurrent droughts, combined with various anthropogenic pressures such as the destruction of trees and shrubs. Although prohibited, hunting continues to play a role in the decline of the reserve’s wildlife, exacerbated by the use of firearms and off-road vehicles. Gold panning has also become a major issue in the protected area; resource exploitation, without appropriate practices, can conflict with conservation objectives by causing intensified logging and poaching, destruction of key habitats, and soil pollution. In addition, the Aïr has experienced episodes of rebellion, which have destabilized the area and impacted its natural resources. Current political instability, punctuated by security threats, significantly limits the implementation of conservation actions.
ID Card
Year of creation:
1988
Area:
77,360 km2
IUCN protected area category:
Category IV: Habitat management area / Species Management Area
Sahara Conservation’s contribution
Sahara Conservation operates in the ATNNR in support of the Protected Area Management Unit (PAMU), entity under the Ministry of Environment, in charge of its management.
Sahara Conservation initiated monitoring activities in this protected area in 2017, through ground surveys and the set-up of a camera trap network on Mount Takolokouzet. The data collected since then enhanced our knowledge of target species in the area, their habitats and threats, while supporting the decision-making process for wildlife management.
A multidimensional approach, involving the main stakeholders, has been developed to improve the conservation of this area.
Our actions in the reserve are supported by dedicated community agents recruited in the area and initiatives have been launched to further involve local communities, with the aim of achieving equitable and sustainable conservation results.
Sahara Conservation has been supporting the Management Unit in conducting monthly patrols to help to combat the main threats to wildlife and their habitat.
We aim to continue our involvement in this key protected area, considered to be one of the last wild refuges for Saharan flora and fauna, and support the enforcement a sustainable conservation approach, that benefit the people, the wildlife, and its habitat.
Our partners
