Almost 8 million euros ($10 million) of European funding has been pledged to restore and protect a UNESCO world heritage site in Chad, said NGO African Parks on Tuesday.

The stunning mountainous landscape of the sandstone Ennedi nature reserve in northeastern Chad, near the border with Sudan, is a water-rich island of biodiversity on the southern fringes of the Sahara desert.

It is home to hundreds of species of wildlife including crocodiles, hyenas and gazelles.

The European Union and the Dutch national lottery jointly pledged 7.7 million euros ($9.5 million) for the administration of Ennedi, according to African Parks.

The NGO said it signed an agreement with the Chadian government to "manage and restore" the nature reserve.

"Ennedi represents another extraordinary commitment by the government of Chad to the long-term protection of its wild landscapes," the NGO said.

The reserve supports a plethora of life, including more than "525 species of flora and at least 199 bird species which pass through on their transcontinental migratory routes", African Parks said.

The director of charities in the Dutch Lottery, Margriet Schreuders, said it was "necessary" to protect the park's wild animals, which have suffered from intensive poaching over the decades.

Chad has three national parks, seven wildlife reserves and hunting areas.

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