Migratory Birds and Egypt’s Native Plants: A Connection Worth Protecting
Nature Conservation Egypt marks World Migratory Bird Day with a birdwatching walk in Cairo’s Al-Zohreyya Garden Cairo, 11 October ...
A New National Effort to End Illegal Bird Hunting in Egypt From Institutional Foundations to Field Realities
Throughout June 2025– July 2026, Nature Conservation Egypt continued to advance its work to protect nature and biodiversity in Egypt through scientific research and monitoring, migratory bird conservation, habitat restoration, native plant propagation, capacity building, advocacy, and strategic partnerships. Our annual report highlights key achievements, milestones, and the impact of these efforts throughout the year. We invite you to explore the full report and learn more about our work: Read the full report
Egypt's native wild plants form the foundation of the country's natural heritage. Over thousands of years, these species have adapted to Egypt's unique climatic and ecological conditions, making them essential for sustaining biodiversity, stabilizing soils, supporting wildlife, and maintaining healthy ecosystem processes. Recognizing their ecological significance and the growing threats posed by habitat degradation, urban expansion, invasive species, and climate change, Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE) launched the Native Egyptian Plants Conservation Programme in September 2025.
Building a National Vision for the Conservation of Migratory Birds and Sustainable Hunting Management Every year, millions of migratory birds cross Egypt along one of the world's most important migration flyways, making the country a global stronghold for bird conservation. Protecting these species requires more than effective legislation—it demands science, collaboration, community engagement, and a shared national vision.\
This year marks a major milestone for Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE) as the organization celebrates 20 years of dedicated work to protect Egypt’s biodiversity and nature conservation.
Our work is focused on the species, Testudo kleinmanni, commonly known as the Egyptian Tortoise. One of the smallest and most critically endangered tortoises in the world, the Egyptian Tortoise is a near endemic species whose distribution is restricted to the Mediterranean coastal deserts of Egypt, Libya, and the Western Naqab in Palestine. T. kleinmanni was previously common in Egypt and could be found in the Mediterranean coastal deserts east and west of the Nile, however, this species is vanishing from most of its range and is now locally extinct or on the verge of local extinction.
Galala Bird Observatory under the supervision of Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE) is an established station to monitor and study bird migration through bird migration count during the spring season. The Observatory is situated on the Galala Mountain on the Red Sea (Suez Golf) in Egypt. It overlooks a bottleneck area of bird migration; named Ain El Sokhna, which was identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) EG34 by BirdLife International for more than 1.5 million birds migrating through every year. The altitude of the Galala Mountain range is 750m above sea level and provides a unique experience of spotting eagles, vultures, and other species. Hence, this place claims to be like nowhere else in the world as it shares the occurrence of the flyway at eye level, which provides the experience of being at great close distance to birds in stream flight or as we call it at Eagle Eye Level. Consequently, NCE’s team believes that Galala Observatory is not only an important studying center of migratory bird species but also a hotspot for birdwatching tourism. Last spring, we recorded 379,033 birds of more than 35 different species including some threatened species like the Steppe Eagle and Egyptian Vulture.
The Spiny-tailed lizard is diurnal and herbivorous, primarily relying on vegetation for nutrition. They are known for their burrowing behaviour, creating intricate burrows that serve as shelters from extreme temperatures and potential predators. The presence of smaller wadis (valley streams) in the region plays a crucial role in the lizard's habitat selection, as these hydrological features greatly influence vegetation type and density, thereby offering food and moisture for survival. It can be inferred that the lizard might have interactions with other species for pollination or other ecological functions. Hamadas, or rocky terrains, were identified to be the most widespread habitat in the AWPC area, covering approximately 56% of the terrain. This, combined with the region's arid climate and occasional floods, shapes the disturbance regimes that Uromastyx aegyptia have adapted to. The lizard's preference for areas close to smaller wadis suggests a reliance on the microhabitats these features provide. The Uromastyx aegyptia Translocation Project, spearheaded by Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE) in collaboration with SafeSoar as a subcontractor for RCREEE, and the Amunet Wind Power Company (AWPC), marks a significant step in wildlife conservation within Egypt's Eastern Desert region. This initiative is designed to address the pressing ecological challenge of balancing sustainable development with the preservation of native biodiversity. The primary objective of this project is the safe and effective translocation of the Egyptian Spiny-Tailed Lizard, Uromastyx aegyptia, from areas impacted by the construction of wind turbines to suitable habitats where they can thrive without disturbance. The rapid development of the AWPC site for renewable energy projects has posed an unprecedented threat to the habitat of Uromastyx aegyptia. The construction and operation of wind turbines and associated infrastructure, particularly in areas within 150 meters of active lizard burrows, have raised serious concerns about habitat destruction, direct harm from machinery, and long-term ecological disruption. As a response, a translocation strategy was proposed to mitigate these risks. This strategy involves moving the lizards to a carefully selected location that mimics their natural habitat, thereby ensuring their continued survival and minimal ecological disruption.
Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE) is an Egyptian NGO working towards conserving Egypt’s natural heritage and the promotion of its sustainable use, for the benefit of present and future generations.
Established in 2005 by a number of Egypt’s leading experts in the field of nature and biodiversity conservation, NCE is specialised in scientific research, advocacy, education and outreach to support species, their habitats, and local communities. NCE works in partnership with local experts and governmental bodies, as well as international organisations and partnerships to ensure efficient collaboration for conservation within and across borders.
NCE is the Birdlife International partner in Egypt, and is a member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Projects, activities, and initiatives carried out by Nature Conservation Egypt
Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE) is committed to safeguarding Egypt’s most threatened species while restoring the ecosystems upon which ...
Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE) recognizes that effective conservation depends not only on protecting species and habitats, but also ...
Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE) recognizes the critical importance of transitioning to renewable energy to address global environmental challenges. ...
Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE) acknowledges the grave threat that bird hunting poses to avian populations globally. With an ...
Recognizing the essential role of long-term monitoring in managing and understanding ecosystems, Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE) is committed ...
Inspiring conservation stories, impact milestones, and field voices
Nature Conservation Egypt marks World Migratory Bird Day with a birdwatching walk in Cairo’s Al-Zohreyya Garden Cairo, 11 October ...
Cairo, Egypt — From the heart of the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate in Cairo, Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE) officially launched ...
Within the framework of ongoing efforts to strengthen dialogue and coordination among stakeholders concerned with bird hunting in Egypt, the ...
Building a National Vision for the Conservation of Migratory Birds and Sustainable Hunting Management Every year, millions of migratory ...
This year marks a major milestone for Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE) as the organization celebrates 20 years of dedicated work ...
Full UN Article Here Cairo, Egypt – Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE) is proud to announce that its Executive Director, Khaled ...
Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE) participated in an ecotourism workshop in Senegal. In a step towards strengthening regional cooperation in the field ...
Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE) is an Egyptian NGO working towards conserving Egypt’s natural heritage and promoting its sustainable use for ...
Explore our latest reports, publications, and conservation studies
Download full Report This report highlights a year of institutional, scientific, and community-based work by Nature Conservation Egypt ...
Assessment of Migratory Soaring Bird Mortality from Electric Transmission Grid in the Gulf of Suez Area The main ...
Electric transmission and distribution grids are expanding rapidly worldwide, with significant negative impacts on biodiversity and, in particular, ...
Egypt is located along the Rift Valley / Red Sea Migratory Soaring Bird flyway, which is one of ...
Monitoring raptors along migration corridors can be used to assess changes in population size, migration phenology and reproductive ...
For three consecutive years Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE), in cooperation with the Nature Conservation Sector of the Egyptian ...
Sewage ponds ae targeted stopover sites for migrating White Stork, specially in arid regions. Please check the below ...
كانت مشاركة الجمعية المصرية لحماية الطبيعة في مؤتمر الأطراف لاتفاقية حماية الأنواع المهاجرة للحيوانات البرية في أوزباكستان ذات ...
Watch our latest documentaries, field missions, and conservation stories
Stay updated with the latest news, trends, and offers by subscribing to our newsletter.