The Gabal Elba National Park (22.90°N 35.34°E), declared by Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif in 1986, covers some 3,560,000 ha (8,800,000 acres), including most of the disputed Halaib Triangle (except its westernmost corner), and an area of comparable size just north of it. It is also known to hold the last population of the Nubian wild ass. However, the purity of these animals is questionable.
On December 16, 2014, an adult male leopard was killed by a group of shepherds after it attacked their camel in Wadi Shalal, within the region of Halaib in the extreme southeast of Egypt. This was the first sighting of a leopard in Egypt since the 1950s.
Location of Elba National Park
Gebel Elba, or Elba Mountain, is a vital protectorate on the southeastern side of Egypt in the Halaib Triangle and around 250 kilometres south of Marsa Alam.
Gebal Elba
Gabal Elba (Arabic: جَبَل علْبَة Gabal ʿElba Egyptian Arabic pronunciation: [ˈɡæbæl ˈʕelbæ], ), or Elba Mountain, is a peak and, in general, includes the associated mountainous area in the Halaib Triangle of Northeast Africa. Despite being claimed by Egypt and Sudan, the site is under Egyptian control.
Geography
The higher peaks in the area are Gabal Elba itself (1,435 m (4,708 ft)), Gabal Shellal (1,409 m (4,623 ft)), Gabal Shendib (1,910 m (6,270 ft)) and Gabal Shendodai (1,526 m (5,007 ft)).
The average annual rainfall in the region is less than 50 mm (2.0 in). Still, orographic precipitation in and around Gabal Elba itself amounts to as much as 400 mm (16 in). in the upper areas.
Aridity gradually increases to the southwest of the area. This phenomenon owes to the vicinity of the Red Sea coast (some 15–30 km (9.3–18.6 mi) east of the mountains) and the fact that the shore is slightly curved to the east at this point. Thus, it presents a vast front to the sea across a 20–25 km (12–16 mi) strip of relatively flat land, facilitating the interception of moisture-laden northeast sea winds. This phenomenon is registered at its best in the northeast of the region, where Gabal Elba is located, which explains that Gabal Elba receives higher precipitation than other coastal mountains in the range, including higher ones.
Ecology
Gabal Elba’s summit is a “mist oasis” where much precipitation is contributed by dew, mist and clouds, creating a unique ecosystem not found anywhere else in the country. Indeed, Gabal Elba is a “biodiversity hotspot” with a biological diversity unparalleled in any terrestrial environment in Egypt proper. The relative abundance of moisture supports a diverse flora of some 458 plant species – almost 25% of plant species recorded for the entire country. There are at least one endemic species of plant (Biscutella elbensis). Many Afrotropical elements have their northern limits at Gabal Elba, and the dense cover of acacias and other scrubs represents the only natural woodland in Egypt.