Banc d'Arguin National Park

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Banc d'Arguin National Park: A Unique Marine Ecosystem in Western Africa

The Banc d'Arguin National Park, located on the west coast of Mauritania, is a remarkable testament to the rich biodiversity that thrives along the Atlantic coast. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1989, this protected area encompasses a diverse landscape, ranging from sand dunes and coastal swamps to small islands and shallow coastal waters.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

Fringing the Atlantic coast, the park comprises sand-dunes, coastal swamps, small islands and shallow coastal waters. The contrast between the harsh desert environment and the biodiversity of the marine zone has resulted in a land- and seascape of outstanding natural significance. A wide variety of migrating birds spend the winter there. Several species of sea turtle and dolphin, used by the fishermen to attract shoals of fish, can also be found.

UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site

Criterion (ix): Banc d'Arguin National Park is an ecosystem rich in biodiversity of nutrients and organic matter due to the vast expanse of marshes covered with seagrass beds, and an important windblown sediment addition from the continent and the result of the permanent upwelling of the Cap Blanc. This wealth ensures the maintenance of a marine and coastal environment sufficiently rich and diverse to support important communities of fish, birds and marine mammals.

Criterion (x): Banc d'Arguin National Park comprises the most important habitat of the Western Atlantic for nesting birds of west Africa and the Palearctic migratory waders. The vast expanses of marshes provide shelter to more than two million limicolous migrant birds from northern Europe, Siberia and Greenland. The nesting bird population is also remarkable in terms of diversity and number: between 25,000 and 40,000 pairs belonging to 15 bird species. The shallows and island area is also the centre of intense biological activity: there are 45 fish species, 11 species of shellfish and several species of mollusks. The property also contains several species of marine turtles, notably the green seaturtle (Chelonia mydas) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Among the mammals, there are still some remnant populations of Dorcas gazelle (Gazella dorcas). The bottlenose dolphin and the Atlantic hump-backed dolphin are frequently sighted in the property.

Encyclopedia Record: Banc d'Arguin National Park

The Banc d'Arguin National Park of Bay of Arguin lies in Western Africa on the west coast of Mauritania between Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and is the former mouth of the Tamanrasset River. The World Heritage Site is a major site for migratory birds and breeding birds, including flamingos, pelicans and terns. Much of the breeding is on sand banks including the islands of Tidra, Niroumi, Nair, Kijji and Arguim. The surrounding waters are some of the richest fishing waters in western Africa and serve as nesting grounds for the entire western region.

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IUCN World Heritage Outlook

The 2025 Conservation Outlook on Banc d'Arguin National Park reports the following assessment:

Source: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) · View assessment