Wadi El Rayan

Wadi El Rayan
Wadi El Rayan
	Wadi El Rayan lake
Location	Faiyum Governorate, Egypt
Coordinates	29°08′52″N 30°23′33″E / 29.14778°N 30.39250°E / 29.14778; 30.39250
Area	175,790 hectares (434,400 acres)
Ramsar Wetland
Official name	Wadi El Rayan Protected Area
Designated	4 June 2012
Reference no.	2041

Wadi El Rayan is a unique nature protectorate in Faiyum Governorate, Egypt, under the supervision of the Ministry of Environmental Affairs (EEAA).

History

Wadi el Rayan is mentioned in Coptic sources as Pilihēy (Coptic: ⲡⲓⲗⲓϩⲏⲩ, lit. 'possessing profit, useful'),^[2] a salt lake west of Kalamoun where Samuel the Confessor liked to rest.^[3]

Geography

The valley of Wadi El-Rayan is an area of 1759 km², 113 km² of which are the dominating water body of the Wadi El Rayan lakes. It is located about 65 km southwest of Faiyum city and 80 km west of the Nile River. The Wadi has been used for man-made lakes from agricultural drainage which has made a reserve of the two separate Wadi El Rayan Lakes. The reserve is composed of a 50.90 km² upper lake and a 62.00 km² lower lake, with waterfalls between the two. Among the springs, there are three sulphur springs at the southern side of the lower lake, with extensive mobile sand dunes. Wadi El Rayan Waterfalls are considered to be the largest waterfalls in Egypt.

At the south and southeast of the springs is Gabal Manqueer Al Rayan, where marine fossils and archeological remains are found. Gabal Madwera, near the lower lake, is known for its extensive dune formations.

Paleontology

In the northwest is Wadi El Hitan, a protectorate containing fossils of extinct whales^[4] including Tutcetus rayanensis, named after this area in 2023.^[5]

Flora and fauna

The vegetation is confined to inter-dune areas around springs and at the base of large dunes. The vegetation cover is made of 13 species of perennial plants and a few individuals of Calligonum comosum and Zygophyllum album.

Wadi El Rayan accommodates one of the world's few remaining populations of the endangered slender-horned gazelle. The dorcas gazelle is still found in the area in small numbers whilst both the fennec fox and Rüppell's fox are scarce. There are 11 species of reptile, 9 species of mammal, 13 species of resident bird and 26 species of migrant and vagrant bird.

Qarun Lake
Qarun Lake
Qarun Lake
Qarun Lake
Waterfalls
Qarun Lake

References

^ "Wadi El Rayan Protected Area". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
^ Heuser, Gustav (1929). Die koptischen Personennamen ägyptischen Ursprungs ... (in German). Dietrich. p. 23.
^ Stefan, Timm (1988). Das christlich-koptische Agypten in arabischer Zeit. p. 2923.
^ "12 - Wadi El-Rayan Protected Area in Fayoum Governorate". Ministry of Environment Environmental Affairs Protectorate. Ministry of Environment Egypt. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
^ Antar, M.S.; Glaohar, A.S.; El-Desouky, H.; Seiffert, E.R.; El-Sayed, S.; Claxton, A.G.; Sallam, H.M. (2023). "A diminutive new basilosaurid whale reveals the trajectory of the cetacean life histories during the Eocene". Commun Biol. 6 (707): 707. doi:10.1038/s42003-023-04986-w. PMC 10415296. PMID 37563270.

External links

Ministry of Environment Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency - Natural Protectorates Description

[1] "Wadi El Rayan Protected Area". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.

[2] Heuser, Gustav (1929). Die koptischen Personennamen ägyptischen Ursprungs ... (in German). Dietrich. p. 23.

[3] Stefan, Timm (1988). Das christlich-koptische Agypten in arabischer Zeit. p. 2923.

[Wadi_El_Hitan-4] "12 - Wadi El-Rayan Protected Area in Fayoum Governorate". Ministry of Environment Environmental Affairs Protectorate. Ministry of Environment Egypt. Retrieved 23 May 2018.

[A23-5] Antar, M.S.; Glaohar, A.S.; El-Desouky, H.; Seiffert, E.R.; El-Sayed, S.; Claxton, A.G.; Sallam, H.M. (2023). "A diminutive new basilosaurid whale reveals the trajectory of the cetacean life histories during the Eocene". Commun Biol. 6 (707): 707. doi:10.1038/s42003-023-04986-w. PMC 10415296. PMID 37563270.