Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary

Djoudj lies on the Senegal river delta at the southern edge of the Sahara and is the first stretch of water that migratory birds meet after crossing the desert. Around three million birds pass through in a season, and the sanctuary holds one of the largest breeding colonies of great white pelicans in the world along with flamingos, spoonbills, cormorants, purple herons and African spoonbills. Pirogue trips run into the pelican colony at dawn. Warthog, jackal, monitor lizard, python and crocodile live in the surrounding floodplain, and the park carries UNESCO World Heritage status.