Nature in Djibouti

Djibouti's landscapes are shaped by the Afar Rift, the Gulf of Tadjourah, the Bab-el-Mandeb and the Red Sea. They include arid desert and steppe, the Goda and Mabla mountains, basaltic volcanic terrain, salt lakes, hot springs, fumaroles, which are openings that release steam or volcanic gases, and limestone formations. Lac Assal lies about 153 to 155 metres below sea level and is hypersaline, meaning that its water contains far more salt than seawater. Lac Abbé is known for hot springs and striking limestone towers. Seasonal watercourses, called oueds, support vegetation and wildlife after rainfall. Habitats form a patchwork because water, elevation, exposure and groundwater conditions change sharply across short distances. They include desert, grass and shrub steppe, highland forest, doum-palm areas, Typha wetlands, salt and freshwater wetlands, mangroves, shallow marine waters, coral reefs and seagrass meadows. The Day and Mabla forests, Dôda, Andabba and Madgoul, Allols, Mont Arrey, Ali-Sabieh, Goba'ad near lac Abbé, Kalo, Hanlé-Galafi, Gaggaeé-Der Ela and the Bab-el-Mandeb coast are documented areas of particular ecological interest. Protected natural areas include Day, Mabla, lac Abbé, lac Assal, Djalélo and Assamo. Coastal and marine protection includes the Haramous-Loyada Ramsar site, an internationally recognized wetland covering 3,000 hectares; the 500-hectare Musha-Maskali Réserve Intégrale; and the Sept Frères, Ras Syan, Khor Angar and Godoria area, covering about 16,000 hectares of land and 4,000 hectares of sea. The latter includes documented mangrove, seagrass and coral habitats. The Sixth National Report gives approximately 34,400 hectares, or about 1.6% of national territory, as terrestrial protected coverage. These figures and site boundaries should be treated with care because the legal reclassification of existing areas is still pending. Loi n°16/AN/23/9ème L was enacted on 17 April 2025 and repealed the earlier Loi n°45/AN/04. It provides categories including parc naturel, réserve biologique, réserve naturelle and site naturel, and allows public, mixed and approved private protected areas. Existing Aires Protégées still need to be transferred into the new categories under implementing rules. Ramsar, biosphere and World Heritage designations are intended to receive legal protection. The Ministère de l'Environnement et du Développement Durable, commonly abbreviated as MEDD, leads environmental policy. Its Direction de l'Environnement and the Sous-direction de l'écologie et de la protection de la nature work with local authorities, local communities, the Direction des Pêches, environmental officers, the Office du Tourisme and the Centre d'Études et de Recherche de Djibouti, known as CERD. People use natural areas for nomadic livestock keeping and grazing, local fishing, mangrove and wood use, farming in coastal and oasis settings, salt production at lac Assal, research and ecotourism. Ecotourism activities can include trekking and wildlife observation in Day and Goda, Mabla and the lac Abbé and lac Assal areas, as well as boat trips, diving and mangrove visits around Godoria and Khor Angar. Remote sites may require boats or difficult tracks, and access conditions can vary by site and season. In protected areas, circulation, camping and flights below 1,000 metres can require permission. Diving, research, sampling, filming and other activities may also require authorization. Protected areas restrict or prohibit activities such as hunting, fishing, capturing animals, removing plants, introducing species, extracting materials, construction, water withdrawal and changes to the landscape. Non-commercial collection for essential household or traditional needs may be possible for local communities through a management agreement. Tree felling, including mangrove cutting, requires written authorization. Wildlife hunting, capture and trade are prohibited nationally; underwater hunting, coral trade or export and shell collection are also prohibited. Waste, fires, illegal grazing, unauthorized fishing, diving, research and filming can lead to sanctions. Water and marine pollution, harmful discharges and the release of ballast water are prohibited, while introducing exotic aquatic species requires ministerial approval. Djibouti supports species of local or regional conservation concern. Examples include the Djibouti francolin, Pternistis ochropectus, the Djibouti sunbird, the yellow-faced Pytilia melba flavicaudata, Livistona carinensis, Juniperus procera, Dracaena ombet and Olea africana. Other recorded mammals include the leopard, Abyssinian genet, African long-eared bat, klipspringer, beira, Soemmerring's gazelle, giraffe gazelle and Salt's dik-dik. Marine wildlife includes dugongs, green turtles, loggerhead turtles, leatherback turtles, dolphins and whales. Djiboutian waters contain documented records of about 167 coral species and 454 fish species. Pressures on nature include overgrazing, cutting wood and mangroves, sand extraction, increased pressure around water points and settled areas, illegal shark and turtle fishing, urban and port pollution, shipping, uncontrolled tourism, anchoring and trampling on reefs, and coral collection. The invasive species Corvus splendens and Prosopis chilensis also create ecological pressure. The Sixth National Report identifies high or very high gradual flood risk along 49% of the coast and high or very high ecosystem-disruption risk across 48% of assessed areas. Marine habitats face particular pressure: among 49 assessed marine habitats, none were rated well protected, while seven were critically endangered, 21 threatened and five vulnerable. These assessments mainly reflect data from 2017 to 2019 and do not constitute a current complete national inventory. Extreme heat, drought, water stress and desertification affect land and freshwater systems. Heavy rain can produce flash floods in oueds. Coastal erosion, sea-level rise and saltwater intrusion threaten shorelines, wetlands and groundwater. Earthquakes and volcanic activity are relevant in the Assal-Ghoubet Rift; Ardoukoba last erupted in 1978. These natural hazards belong to the environmental setting of Djibouti, while emergency planning and disaster response require separate treatment. Environmental education and research are formal responsibilities of the MEDD. Documented activities address mangroves at Khor-Angar and Atar-Damerjog, forests in Goda and Mabla, coral reefs, water and soil. A réserve naturelle may be dedicated exclusively to research and environmental education, and CERD participates in controlling scientific collection. A protected-area management plan covers physical, biological and socioeconomic information, indicators and financing, and may remain valid for up to ten years. Creating a new protected area can involve an application by a person or organization, a three-month public consultation and an administrative review lasting up to six months before a decree. Private land may be proposed as an approved private protected area. No reliable nationwide entrance-fee or permit price list is available. A delegation contract may provide for fees, so the responsible authority or local provider should confirm the current cost, permission and access conditions for the specific site. Djibouti's nature system is functionally established but institutionally fragmented: local equivalents and protected sites exist, while operational coverage and legal categorization remain uneven. A GEF project for Day Forest was approved in 2024 and is implemented by the MEDD and UNDP; its conservation results should not be treated as measured outcomes without current evidence.