English version - Convention on Biological Diversity

21 families in the woodlands (i.e. both open and dense woodland habitats) Table-5. These
include Acaia mellifera, A. oerfota, A. tortilis, A. asak, A. senegal and A.seyal, but also
with few associated species like Adansonia digitata, Boscia angustifolia, Boscia
senegalensis, Delonix elata, Cadaba rotundifolia, Capparis deciduas, Combretum
fragrans, Dalbergia melanoxylon, Balanites aegyptiaca, Albizia amara and Boswellia
papyrifera.
Table 5: Number of the major plant species found in the woodlands of the Gash Setit -
western lowland
Family Number
of
Species
Family Number of
Species
Anacardiaceae 2 Hernandiaceae 1
Asclepiadacea 1 Meliaceae 1
Balanitaceae 1 Mimosoideae 12
Bignoniaceae 1 Palmae 1
Bombacaceae 1 Papilionoideae 2
Boraginaceae 1 Rhamnaceae 2
Burseraceae 2 Salvadoraceae 2
Caesalpinioideae 3 Tamaricaceae 1
Capparidaceae 6 Tiliaceae 2
Combretaceae 3 Verbenaceae 1
Ebenaceae 1
Total 21 47
Source: Modified Bein et al, 1996; Ogbazgi et al 2006; MoA, 2000; Bein et al,2006
In the woodlands of the western lowland, there is a proposed protected area of the Gash-
Setit mainly for the conservation the last remaining elephant populations of Eritrea. These
elephants are probably the most northerly group of elephants in the African continent. In
this proposed protected area, there are 15 major mammalian species (Table-6) and 87 Bird
species such as: Upupa epops, Nimida meleagris, Burhinus coronatus, Apus affinis,
Coracias abyssinica Coracias caudat, Galerida cristata etc…
Due to habitat destruction and indiscriminate hunting, particularly during the colonial era
(1889-1991), most of the mammalian species are found rare and some important species
such as buffalo, roan antelope, giraffe and lion have been confirmed as extinct.
Table 6: Mammalian species found in the Gash Setit Proposed Protected Area
Family Scientific name Common Name
Bovidae Madoqua saltiana Salt Dikdik
Bovidae Tragelaphus strepsiceros Greater Kudu
Canidae Canis aureus Common Jackal
Canidae Canis mesomelas Black-backed Jackal
Canidae Vulpes pallida Sand Fox
Cercopithecidae Papio anubis Olive Baboon
12