About This Park
El Feija National Park lies about 200 kilometers west of Tunis. It covers a total area of 2,632 hectares. Of this, 417 hectares form a fenced integral protection zone. This zone preserves the Barbary deer. The park represents the natural environment of Kroumirie, Tunisia’s wettest region.
El Feija National Park, Barbary deer, wildlife, and forests
Visitors can observe Barbary deer in the clearings early in the morning or at sunset. These deer can weigh up to 180 kilos and stand 1.4 meters tall at the withers. In August and September, the rutting season takes place. Males then fight for the possession of the deer. The park’s fauna is very varied. It hosts more than twenty species of mammals, 70 species of birds, and about twenty species of reptiles.
Characteristic mammals include the Barbary deer, wild boar, golden wolf, fox, genet, European weasel, hedgehog, gloved cat, mongoose, hare, porcupine, bat, shrew, dormouse, and wood mouse. A serval reintroduction project began in the early 1990s. The Atlas lion and Barbary panther have disappeared from the park and all of Tunisia. Excessive hunting, particularly by French colonists, caused their extinction.
Typical forest birds include Levaillant’s Woodpecker, Chaffinch, Eurasian Jay, Cuckoo, Eurasian Hoopoe, Wood Pigeon, Hobby, Owl, Raven, Booted Eagle, Hawk, Warbler, Blackbird, Bunting, and Canary. On May 28, 2008, the Tunisian government proposed the site for future UNESCO World Heritage listing.
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Frequently Asked Questions
El Feija National Park in the Kroumirie region of northwestern Tunisia is best known for its population of Barbary deer (Cervus elaphus barbarus), the only deer native to Africa north of the Sahara. El Feija was established partly to protect this endangered subspecies, which can reach weights of up to 180 kg.
El Feija supports more than 20 mammal species including wild boar, red fox, genet, porcupine, and the North African jackal. Over 70 bird species have been recorded, including honey buzzards, booted eagles, and various woodpeckers. The park was also a site of serval (African wild cat) reintroduction attempts in the 1990s.
El Feija is located about 200 km west of Tunis in the Jendouba governorate, in the Kroumirie Mountains near the Algerian border. The park covers 2,632 hectares of cork oak and holm oak forest. Access by hire car from Jendouba or Ghardimaou is most practical; a 4WD is useful on forest tracks.
El Feija protects North African temperate forest dominated by cork oak (Quercus suber) and holm oak (Quercus ilex), an ecosystem type that once covered much of the Maghreb and is now highly fragmented. The forest provides habitat for the Barbary deer and the rich diversity of associated wildlife.
Yes. El Feija offers woodland hiking through some of Tunisia's most beautiful forest scenery, with opportunities to spot deer at dawn and dusk. Spring wildflowers and autumn foliage add to the appeal. A guide from the local community is recommended for deeper forest trails.
Entry requires a permit obtained at the park administration. A small entry fee applies. The park is best visited in spring and autumn when temperatures are mild and wildlife is most active.
