Djibouti

Djibouti is a country in the Horn of Africa. In ancient times, the area was part of the Land of Punt, along with Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somaliland. Nearby Zeila, which is now in Somaliland, used to be the seat of the medieval Adal and Ifat Sultanates. The flora and fauna of the country live in a harsh landscape, with forests covering less than one percent of the country's total land area. The majority of the species are in the northern part of the country, in the Day Forest National Park, with an average altitude of 1,500 meters, including the Goda Mountains, which has a summit of 1,783 meters. Wildlife is also present in the wetland ecosystem of the country, which includes two large lakes, Lake Assal and Lake Abbe, as well as several salt pans that are occasionally inundated by wadis and coastal tidal wetlands. Djibouti's coastal belt is also home to a rich diversity of marine life, which includes coral reefs. The country has around 820 plant species, 493 invertebrate species, 455 fish species, 40 reptile species, 3 amphibian species, 360 bird species and 66 mammal species. The wildlife of Djibouti is also listed as a biodiversity hotspot for the Horn of Africa and as part of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden coral reef hotspot. Among the mammals in Djibouti are several antelope species, such as the Soemmerring’s Gazelle and the Pelzeln’s Gazelle. Other typical mammals are the Grevy's Zebra, the Hamadryas Baboon and the Hunter's Antelope. Day National Park is home to the endangered warthog, and the coastal waters are home to Dugongs.