El Mamghar Travel Guide

  Girls on the beach
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  • Girls on the beach
      Girls on the beach
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  • Banc d'Arguin National Park sign - Mauritania
      Banc d'Arguin National Park sign -...
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  • beach
      beach
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  • The Banc d'Arguin National Park mauritania mamghar
      The Banc d'Arguin National Park...
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  • nouamghar mauritania
      nouamghar mauritania
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Explore El Mamghar

Things to Do  

Atlantic hump-backed dolphin
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johnsakura 3944 reviews
nouamghar mauritania

Sousa taxonomy is based largely on small sample sizes for most populations. The several different nominal species are distinguished on several primary characters. Characters include tooth counts; number of vertebrae; form of the dorsal fin base and especially colour patterns (G. Ross, pers. comm.). G. Ross suggests that all Sousa from S. Africa to China and Australia are one species, and probably S. teuszii is also conspecific. However, "we will have a better idea when we can include more definitive genetic work" (G. Ross, pers. comm.). For the purpose of this review, I followed Rice (1998) who separates the Genus Sousa into three species.

According to Carwardine (1995) this species seems to be particularly common in southern Senegal and northwestern Mauritania.
There are signs of a probable north-south migration for this species and there is a potential exchange of individuals between known population or subpopulation distribution centres (from north to south): Dakhla Bay, Banc d'Arguin, Langue de Barbarie, Sine Saloum delta, NW bank of the Gambia River outer estuary and Guinea-Bissau archipelago (van Waerebeek et el. 2000).

Written Jan 17, 2004

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Sand dunes on the beach
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johnsakura 3944 reviews
nouamghar mauritania

all the way getting out from the village this is the kind of landscape you have for at least 150 km.

Written Jan 17, 2004

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The Banc d'Arguin National Park 2
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johnsakura 3944 reviews
The Banc d'Arguin National Park mauritania mamghar

offices in Nouamghar north entrance.
you have either to give your entrance ticket to the guard or to buy one.

Written Jan 17, 2004

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The Banc d'Arguin National Park 1
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johnsakura 3944 reviews
nouamghar mauritania

The Banc d'Arguin is a crossroads for aquatic birds migrating between Europe, northern Asia and Africa. Over two million sandpipers have been recorded in the winter, and many species use the national park for breeding also. The sea is crystal clear and shallow (no more than about 3m (10ft) deep 25km (15mi) from shore) and is dotted with sand islands where the birds nest and rest. The only way to see the birds is from small boats, and then only with permission from the national parks service, and a guide. Visitor times are strictly regulated - you are not allowed get close to the birds during the twice-yearly mating season - so plan ahead. A 4WD is required and the trip involves a 155km (96mi) drive along the beach - knowledge of tides is essential - then another 50km (31mi) through desert. Bring your own boat. Arguin Bank is about 250km (155mi) from both Nouakchott and Nouâdhibou, but even more difficult to access from the north.

Written Jan 17, 2004

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Local Customs  

Dried fish
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johnsakura 3944 reviews
mamghar nouamghar mauritania

people here seem to do the same to fish as other people in other countries do. The sun is the same for everyone...

Written Jan 17, 2004

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Off The Beaten Path  

Enjoy the beach
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johnsakura 3944 reviews
nouamghar mauritania

try to enjoy the beach once you have to wait until the tide goes down. For my experience I tell you that can be much more important to enjoy the view, the birds, the dolphins than being on the beach talking to people usualy tourist or a couple of senegalese youngters trying to get something out of you.

Written Jan 17, 2004

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Favorites  

National park facilities
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johnsakura 3944 reviews
nouamghar mauritania

Favorite thing: inside the national park yard. The guard here asked us for some simple requests like clothes shoes or something useful for his children. My friend gave him some shoes.

Written Jan 17, 2004

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Police station
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johnsakura 3944 reviews
nouamghar mauritania

Favorite thing: The policeman I found here at the time was quite nice. I asked him 3 times for his name and he went on telling he had no name. I'm nameless he told.

Written Jan 17, 2004

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Map of El Mamghar