The Diawling National Park is located in the extreme southwest of Mauritania on the border with Senegal, which is marked by the river of the same name. In this case, nature conservation does not end at the state border - since 2005, Diawling and its Senegalese counterpart, Djoudj National Park, have formed a transboundary biosphere reserve. Through the Ramsar Convention, this is recognized as a wetland of international importance and a habitat for bird species. Now, what makes the national park worth protecting? First of all, there is its impressive species richness. There are 105 species of birds living on 46,000 ha, including 92 species of waterfowl alone. Gray and silver row, pink pelicans, glimpses and, according to estimates, more than 100,000 cackling ducks annually. Some birds use the national park, located in the Trarza region, only for wintering, while others spend the entire year here. Mammals and reptiles also find their place in Diawling. You don't have to look long before you spot the first warthogs. And if you are lucky, you will also find primates, servals and even the rare West African crocodiles in southern Mauritania.