Las'anod

Las'anod is a proposed national park in the Sool region of northern Somalia, near the town of Las Anod, and is listed as a national park in the World Database on Protected Areas. It was first proposed as Las Anod National Park by Bally and Melville in 1973 to protect fine scenery, rich and varied flora and the Somali wild ass, and a 1997 IUCN/SSC survey of succulent plants still described it as a proposal.^[1] The World Database on Protected Areas records its status as "Designated" and state-verified, managed by the Ministry of Livestock, Forestry and Range, but gives no designation year, area or boundary.^[2]

The 1973 proposal named the Somali wild ass as one of the reasons for the park.^[1] The IUCN's 2015 Red List assessment classes the African wild ass as Critically Endangered: about 70 animals have been observed in Eritrea and Ethiopia, the total may be as high as 600, and mature animals number between about 23 and 200.^[3] In the Nugaal Valley a 1989 survey estimated roughly 135 to 205 wild asses, and in 1997 local pastoralists reported fewer than ten; it is not known whether the species still survives in Somalia.^[3]

The main vegetation of the Nugaal Valley is open grassland with Commiphora shrubs and Acacia trees.^[4] The valley's succulent flora is particularly rich in local endemics, and the gypsum hills around Las Anod support Aloe inermis, Dorstenia gypsophila, Adenia aculeata, Raphanocarpus stefaninii, Euphorbia columnaris, Pterodiscus and Caralluma species.^[1]

The western part of the Nugaal Valley, in which Las Anod lies, consists of massive deposits of gypsum and anhydrites, while the coastal part is mainly limestone.^[1] Las Anod stands at 691 m elevation and is almost surrounded by hills.^[5] The Nugaal Valley is a plain sunk in a limestone plateau; the plateau to its north, called the Sorl or Nugaal plateau, rises as much as about 300 m (1,000 ft) above the valley floor and is reached by rocky passes.^[4]

Las Anod has a hot arid climate (Köppen BWh) with very warm to hot temperatures and almost no rainfall except erratically in May and October.^[5] Annual rainfall in the Nugaal Valley is low and erratic, about 125 mm, and watercourses fill briefly during and after storms from April to June.^[4]

Las Anod is the centre of political power of the Dhulbahante clan, which makes up most of the town's population.^[5] During the British Somaliland protectorate it was the capital of the Nogal District, the precursor of Sool.^[5] Goat and camel raising form the basis of the Nugaal Valley's economy.^[4] In August 2023 Khatumo State forces drove Somaliland forces out of Las Anod, and the town is now controlled by North Eastern State of Somalia forces aligned with the federal government.^[5]

Las Anod National Park was proposed by Bally and Melville in 1973 to protect fine scenery, rich and varied flora and the Somali wild ass (Equus asinus somalicus); the same authors suggested a fenced floral reserve for Euphorbia columnaris.^[1] A 1990 IUCN review named Las Anod-Taleh-El Chebet among the urgent priorities for protection in Somalia's dry semi-desert and savanna regions, and the 1992 IUCN/WCMC summary of Somalia's protected areas listed only Alifuuto (Arbowerow) Nature Reserve and Bushbush Game Reserve.^[6] By 1997 the IUCN/SSC survey reported that Somalia lacked an organised protected-area system and that, of the conservation areas established and proposed since 1969, only Balcad and Alifuuto Nature Reserves were functional.^[1] Most of Somalia's protected areas have had little formal protection or management since the collapse of the central government in 1991.^[7] The World Database on Protected Areas lists Las'anod as designated but records no designation year.^[2]

The park has no documented trails or visitor attractions. The 1973 proposal valued the area's fine scenery and the endemic succulent flora of the gypsum hills around Las Anod.^[1]

The park has no documented visitor facilities, and protected-area records report no boundary for it.^[7] The World Database on Protected Areas lists its management plan as existing but out of date.^[2] The town of Las Anod lies in the Nugaal Valley at 691 m elevation.^[5]

Somalia's protected areas have received little formal protection or management since 1991.^[7] The 1997 IUCN/SSC survey described the gypsum hills around Las Anod as sparse, degraded vegetation that still supports a rich endemic succulent flora, and noted that Somalia had no functioning protected-area system.^[1] The Somali wild ass named in the proposal is Critically Endangered, and it is unknown whether it survives in Somalia.^[3]