Fodor's Expert Review Merja Zerga National Park

Moulay Bousselham is at the head of the Merja Zerga National Park, a vast lagoon stretching over 17,000 acres. This region is one of the most important wetland reserves in North Africa and is a major stopover for countless birds migrating from Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom to Africa: the birds fly south at the end of summer and winter at Merja Zerga before continuing on to West Africa and even South Africa. They stop off again on their way back to Europe in spring, so spring and fall are the times for bird-watching. The Ramsar Convention site holds between 50,000 and 100,000 waders at any one time, including shelduck, marbled teal, coot, pied avocet, and slender-billed curlew. The pink greater flamingos on their way to and from Mauritania are particularly spectacular.