Libya 5391 Ubari Lakes Luca Galuzzi 2007

The wildlife of Libya is spread over the

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western Europe, Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa ...

coastline and encompasses large areas of the Saharan desert. The protection of

wildlife Wildlife refers to undomesticated animal species, but has come to include all organisms that grow or live wild in an area without being introduced by humans. Wildlife was also synonymous to game: those birds and mammals that were hunted ...

is provided through appropriate legislation in seven national parks, five reserves, 24 protected areas, two wetlands under

Ramsar Convention The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of Ramsar site, Ramsar sites (wetlands). It is also known as the Convention on W ...

, and also in other areas. Apart from these, there are also five

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage Sites A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...

related to culture. The most important national parks are the El-Kouf National Park and Karabolli National Park. The well known nature reserves are the Benghazi Reserve and the Zellaf Reserve. The wildlife species recorded in the country are 87

mammals Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur o ...

and 338 species of birds.

Libya Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Suda ...

's natural national assets are its nearly of coastline and the vast Sahara desert which is the semiarid and arid region to the south. Its hills, ponds and coastal habitats which comprise coral reefs, mangroves, sea grass beds, salt marshes, and mud flats add to its

biodiversity Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') l ...

. Some of the sites are important for

migratory birds Bird migration is the regular seasonal movement, often north and south along a flyway, between breeding and wintering grounds. Many species of bird migrate. Migration carries high costs in predation and mortality, including from hunting by ...

Laws for regulation

National laws and international agreements are part of the preservation of biodiversity and wetland culture in the country. The Green Mountain Area is under protection to protect of the mountainous areas with the Green Mountain Conservation and Development Authority. It covers the coastline of , and also the ancient historical site of Greeko-Roman Cyrene. The first conservation legislation enacted in 1949 was the Law on Forestry. The purpose of this legislation was to ensure protection to forests and forest products, and also retain soil conditions, enhance water sources availability and utilization, and to prevent desertification. In 1970, the Law for the Protection of Agricultural Land was enacted as an ordinance to protect the green areas. The first national park came into existence in November 1978. This was followed by many other national parks to preserve and conserve wild animals in the reserves where the threat was real. In 1990, the Technical Committee of Wildlife and National Parks was established exclusively to ensure proper management of the protected areas, as part of the General Secretariat of Agricultural Reclamation and Land Reform. With this setup, all protected areas are now under the management control of the Government of Libya.

Geography

Protected areas in Libya are under four categories of national parks, protected reserves, protected areas, and wetlands, and a few others areas, which cover coastal, marine and terrestrial areas. The seven national parks are: The Abughilan National Park, the El Kouf National Park, the Karabolli National Park, the Naggaza National Park, the Rajma National Park and the Sirman National Park of which Karabolli and Kouf cover the coastal and marine areas. The five nature reserves are: The Benghazi Reserve, the Bier Ayyad Reserve, the New Hiesha Natural Reserve, the Tripoli Reserve and the Zellaf Reserve. There are 24 protected areas: Ain Zayanah, Ajdabiya Marsh, Al Jaghbub Oasis, Berjuj Valley, Bombe gulf, Fezzan valleys, Garabulli,

Giarabub Jaghbub ( ar, الجغبوب) is a remote desert village in the Al Jaghbub Oasis in the eastern Libyan Desert. It is actually closer to the Egyptian town of Siwa than to any Libyan town of note. The oasis is located in Butnan District and was ...

, Grotto de Lete, Harouj Mountain, Jalo, Kufrah Oasis, Nefhusa, Oasis of Ghat, Ouau en Namu lakes, Qaminis and Tukrah salines, Rajma plantations,

Sabratha Sabratha ( ar, صبراتة, Ṣabrāta; also ''Sabratah'', ''Siburata''), in the Zawiya DistrictSebkha el Sahel, Serir, Shahaat, Taizerbo, Taoulga islands (Thaouara), and Wadi Kham. The wetlands designated under Ramsar Convention are the Ain Elshakika Wetland and the Ain Elzarga Wetland. According to the list of ecoregions classified by the

World Wide Fund for Nature The World Wide Fund for Nature Inc. (WWF) is an international non-governmental organization founded in 1961 that works in the field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment. It was formerly named the Wor ...

(WWF), Libya is inscribed under the eco-regions of Palearctic Mediterranean Forests,

Woodland A woodland () is, in the broad sense, land covered with trees, or in a narrow sense, synonymous with wood (or in the U.S., the ''plurale tantum'' woods), a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade (se ...

s and Scrub, and

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ...

. The coast line of Libya, which extends over a length of is also a live house of the rich and unique, and globally important biodiversity of the Mediterranean zone.

National parks

The Algharabolli National Park, established in 1992, covers an area of . The Abughilan National Park, which encompasses an area of , was established in 1992. The El-Kouf National Park, established in 1975, covers a land area of with coastal line of ; the total conservation area, however, is including the large basin area of Wade El Kouf. The area is bounded by Jabel Al-Akhdar Mountain (elevation and of limestone formation) forming a rectangular area bordered by the coast line of the Mediterranean Sea. It is north-east of Benghazi, near Al Bayda (Beida) town. The El Naggaza National Park was established in 1993 covering an area of . The Karabolli National Park, located in the north-west part of Libya, was established in 1992. It covers an area of . The nearest town to the park is Al Garabulli. Tripoli is to its west, about away. Many streams with spring as their source drain the park area. The park habitat is made up of sand dunes, beaches, cliffs and salt lagoons. It was identified as Bird Life Sanctuary in 1992, and hosts 100 species of birds. The Sabrata National Park was established in 1995 covering an area of The Surman National Park covers an area of , and was established in 1992.

Nature reserves

There are five nature reserves in Libya. These are: the Alhesha Nature Reserve, which was established in 1984, covers an area of ; the Bier Ayyad Nature Reserve covers an area of and was established in 1992; the Msalata Nature Reserve established in 1998 has an area of ; the Nalout Nature Reserve covers and was established in 1998; and the Zulton Nature Reserve created in 1998 encompasses an area of .

Wetlands

There are two wetlands of international importance inscribed under the

. These are: The Ain Elshakika Wetland, which covers an area of , was included in the

Ramsar Convention on Wetlands The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of Ramsar sites (wetlands). It is also known as the Convention on Wetlands. It i ...

on 5 April 2000. It also covers part of the Kouf National Park. It is a

hypersaline A hypersaline lake is a landlocked body of water that contains significant concentrations of sodium chloride, brines, and other salts, with saline levels surpassing that of ocean water (3.5%, i.e. ). Specific microbial species can thrive in hi ...

coastal sebkha (''sebka'' means: "depression"). The geological formation, on its southern part, consists of limestone. Sand dunes, mudflats and large areas of shrubs are also part of this wetland. Its importance is on account of migratory and resident waterbirds, which provide ample opportunities for bird watching and also for eco-tourism. The Ain Elzarga Wetland was designated as a Ramsar Site on 5 April 2000 and it covers an area of . Its small coastal depression has link with the sea and hence water is visible in the wetland throughout the year, though saline particularly in summer. This land of marshes and mud flats is bounded on the south and east by rocky hills and sand dunes. It runs from east to west. It is part of the Kouf National Park and is important on account of the large population of migratory birds. Its potential for bird watching is also of eco-tourism interest.

Wildlife

The Libyan coast line of is rich in flora and fauna; the interior region including the Sahara Desert Region is also fairly rich in flora and fauna.

Flora

The plants found in the coastal zone are mostly herbaceous with abundance of

grasses Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos and the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in lawns ...

. The most recorded species are the asphodel (a herb of family of

lily ''Lilium'' () is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs, all with large prominent flowers. They are the true lilies. Lilies are a group of flowering plants which are important in culture and literature in much of the world. M ...

bougainvillea ''Bougainvillea'' ( , ) is a genus of thorny ornamental vines, bushes, and trees belonging to the four o' clock family, Nyctaginaceae. It is native to eastern South America, found from Brazil, west to Peru, and south to southern Argentina. ...

and

oleander ''Nerium oleander'' ( ), most commonly known as oleander or nerium, is a shrub or small tree cultivated worldwide in temperate and subtropical areas as an ornamental and landscaping plant. It is the only species currently classified in the ge ...

. There are also many plants under cultivation such as

citrus ''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as oranges, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and limes. The genus ''Citrus'' is native to ...

and olive. There is a narrow buffer zone along the coast where agriculture is practiced. This zone also has grass lands. Moving away from the coast, the topography changes to the Green Mountains (Libya), which rises to a height of about . Influenced by the

Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...

, the region has dense forest or maquis of juniper and lentisc trees, and also brome grass,

canary grass Canary grass is a plant, ''Phalaris canariensis'', belonging to the family Poaceae. Originally a native of the Mediterranean region, it is now grown commercially in several parts of the world for birdseed. Description ''Phalaris canariensis' ...

, bluegrass, and

rye grass ''Lolium'' is a genus of tufted grasses in the bluegrass subfamily (Pooideae). It is often called ryegrass, but this term is sometimes used to refer to grasses in other genera. They are characterized by bunch-like growth habits. ''Lolium'' i ...

. Since rainfall in the area is scanty, the cultivated trees consists of

figs The fig is the edible fruit of ''Ficus carica'', a species of small tree in the flowering plant family Moraceae. Native to the Mediterranean and western Asia, it has been cultivated since ancient times and is now widely grown throughout the world ...

and olives. In the Nafusah Plateau, grasslands form the dominant vegetation. Moving towards south of the mountain range, Sahara desert environment dominates the region with limited cultivation of palm and fig trees around springs and natural oases.

Date palms ''Phoenix dactylifera'', commonly known as date or date palm, is a flowering plant species in the palm family, Arecaceae, cultivated for its edible sweet fruit called dates. The species is widely cultivated across northern Africa, the Middle Eas ...

(near the oases),

saltwort Saltwort is a common name for various genera of flowering plants that thrive in salty environments, typically in coastal salt marshes and seashores, including: :*''Salsola'' and related genera within subfamily ''Salsoloideae'' :*''Salicornia'' :*'' ...

(used for making

soda ash Sodium carbonate, , (also known as washing soda, soda ash and soda crystals) is the inorganic compound with the formula Na2CO3 and its various hydrates. All forms are white, odourless, water-soluble salts that yield moderately alkaline solutions ...

), spurge flax shrub,

goosefoot ''Chenopodium'' is a genus of numerous species of perennial or annual herbaceous flowering plants known as the goosefoots, which occur almost anywhere in the world. It is placed in the family Amaranthaceae in the APG II system; older classific ...

, wormwood, and asphodel, ''

cyrenaica Cyrenaica ( ) or Kyrenaika ( ar, برقة, Barqah, grc-koi, Κυρηναϊκή ��παρχίαKurēnaïkḗ parkhíā}, after the city of Cyrene), is the eastern region of Libya. Cyrenaica includes all of the eastern part of Libya between ...

'' are also reported in the wild.

Sea grass Seagrasses are the only flowering plants which grow in marine (ocean), marine environments. There are about 60 species of fully marine seagrasses which belong to four Family (biology), families (Posidoniaceae, Zosteraceae, Hydrocharitaceae an ...

meadows are reported to cover between the

Gulf of Sirte The Gulf of Sidra ( ar, خليج السدرة, Khalij as-Sidra, also known as the Gulf of Sirte ( ar, خليج سرت, Khalij Surt, is a body of water in the Mediterranean Sea on the northern coast of Libya, named after the oil port of Sidra or ...

in Libya and the Gulf of Gabes in

Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...

. There are nearly 134

vascular plant Vascular plants (), also called tracheophytes () or collectively Tracheophyta (), form a large group of land plants ( accepted known species) that have lignified tissues (the xylem) for conducting water and minerals throughout the plant. They ...

species which are specific to Libya. These include: *''

Cyclamen rohlfsianum ''Cyclamen rohlfsianum'' is a species of perennial plant in the family Primulaceae. It is endemic to Libya. It grows from a tuber in shrubland, especially in limestone cracks, up to above sea level. It is one of the tenderest cyclamen species. ...

'' *''

Arbutus pavarii ''Arbutus pavarii'' is a species of plant in the heath family. It is endemic to Libya's Jebel Akhdar range in coastal Cyrenaica Cyrenaica ( ) or Kyrenaika ( ar, برقة, Barqah, grc-koi, Κυρηναϊκή ��παρχίαKurēnaïk� ...

'' *''

Sedum ''Sedum'' is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Crassulaceae, members of which are commonly known as stonecrops. The genus has been described as containing up to 600 species, subsequently reduced to 400–500. They are leaf succul ...

'' *''

Anacamptis ''Anacamptis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the orchid family ( Orchidaceae); it is often abbreviated as Ant in horticulture. This genus was established by Louis Claude Richard in 1817; the type species is the pyramidal orchid (''A. pyr ...

cyrenaica'', an

orchid Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowerin ...

*'' Echinops cyrenaicus'' *'' Linaria tarhunensis'' *'' Pallenis cyrenaica'' *'' Allium negrianum'' *'' Silene cyrenaica'' *'' Hypericum tauberti'' *''

Cynara cyrenaica ''Cynara'' is a genus of thistle-like perennial plants in the family Asteraceae. They are native to the Mediterranean region, the Middle East, northwestern Africa, and the Canary Islands. The genus name comes from the Greek ''kynara'', which mea ...

'' *'' Poa pentapolitana'' *''

Romulea cyrenaica ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is distributed in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Satureja ''Satureja'' is a genus of aromatic plants of the family Lamiaceae, related to rosemary and thyme. It is native to North Africa, southern and southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. A few New World species were formerly included ...

'' *'' Anathallis linearifolia'' *'' Nepeta cyrenaica'' *'' Crocus boulosii'' *'' Euphorbia pseudoapios'' *'' Limonium teuchirae'' *'' Asperula tragacanthoides'' *'' Orobanche cyrenaica'' *'' Pachyctenium'' *'' Libyella'' The last two plant genera listed above are

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

Fauna

Mammals

Along the coast, the

Mediterranean monk seal The Mediterranean monk seal (''Monachus monachus'') is a monk seal belonging to the family Phocidae. , it is estimated that fewer than 700 individuals survive in three or four isolated subpopulations in the Mediterranean, (especially) in the Ae ...

is a well known species. It has been listed in the

IUCN Red List The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biol ...

as critically endangered in Libya. In the Jbel Acacus region, from the rock art work of animal forms seen in the far southwest of the country, it is inferred that African elephants, giraffes and

rhino A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species o ...

s inhabited the area in the past during the

ice age An ice age is a long period of reduction in the temperature of Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental and polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers. Earth's climate alternates between ice ages and gre ...

when the land was fertile. Now, very few animals, like the striped hyenas (''Hyaena hyaena''),

fennec fox The fennec fox (''Vulpes zerda'') is a small crepuscular fox native to the deserts of North Africa, ranging from Western Sahara to the Sinai Peninsula. Its most distinctive feature is its unusually large ears, which serve to dissipate heat and ...

gazelle A gazelle is one of many antelope species in the genus ''Gazella'' . This article also deals with the seven species included in two further genera, '' Eudorcas'' and '' Nanger'', which were formerly considered subgenera of ''Gazella''. A third ...

African wildcat The African wildcat (''Felis lybica'') is a small wildcat species native to Africa, West and Central Asia up to Rajasthan in India and Xinjiang in China. It has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List in 2022. In Cyprus, an African wil ...

s and golden wolves live in the area. The

cheetah The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large cat native to Africa and central Iran. It is the fastest land animal, estimated to be capable of running at with the fastest reliably recorded speeds being , and as such has evolved specialized ...

is now extinct from the area. Reptiles and rodents are common in the sands of the desert.

Red shrimp Red Shrimp was an airborne high-bandwidth radar jammer fitted to the Vulcan and Victor. The name was one of the Rainbow Codes, its official name was ARI.18076, for Airborne Radio Installation. Red Shrimp was based on the carcinotron, a new typ ...

are reported from the Ubari Lakes in the Fezan area. The faunal species recorded include '' Canis anthus'', ''

Vulpes vulpes The red fox (''Vulpes vulpes'') is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the order Carnivora, being present across the entire Northern Hemisphere including most of North America, Europe and Asia, plus ...

'', '' Genetta genetta'', '' Felis libyca'', '' Hystrix cristata'', ''

Delphinus delphis The common dolphin (''Delphinus delphis'') is the most abundant cetacean in the world, with a global population of about six million. Despite this fact and its vernacular name, the common dolphin is not thought of as the archetypal dolphin, with ...

'' and ''

Tursiops truncatus Bottlenose dolphins are aquatic mammals in the genus ''Tursiops.'' They are common, cosmopolitan members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphins. Molecular studies show the genus definitively contains two species: the commo ...

''. Mammals and reptiles found in Libya which are on the IUCN Red List are: Grobben's gerbil, the Alexandrian shrew and the orangetail lizard (''Philochortus zolii''). Apart from the above, the mammal species identified in the reference book ''Mammal Species of the World'' are: *Grobben's gerbil ('' Gerbillus grobbeni'') *Sand gerbil ('' Gerbillus syrticus'') *Tarabul's gerbil ('' Gerbillus tarabuli'') *Pleasant gerbil ('' Gerbillus amoenus'') *Thin sand rat ('' Psammomys vexillaris'') *Common gundi (''

Ctenodactylus gundi The common gundi (''Ctenodactylus gundi'') is a species of rodent in the family Ctenodactylidae. It is found in Algeria, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia. The parasitic organism '' Toxoplasma gondii'' was first described in 1908 in Tunis by Charles ...

'') *Val's gundi ('' Ctenodactylus vali'') *Kuhl's pipistrelle (''

Pipistrellus kuhlii Kuhl's pipistrelle (''Pipistrellus kuhlii'') is a species of vesper bat that occurs in large areas of North Africa, Southern Europe and West Asia. It lives in temperate forests, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, Mediterranean-type shrubby ve ...

'') *Saharan striped polecat ('' Ictonyx libycus'') *Dromedary (''

Camelus dromedarius The dromedary (''Camelus dromedarius'' or ;), also known as the dromedary camel, Arabian camel, or one-humped camel, is a large even-toed ungulate, of the genus ''Camelus'', with one hump on its back. It is the tallest of the three species of ...

'') *North African elephant shrew ('' Petrosaltator rozeti'') *Rock hyrax ('' Procavia capensis'') *Asian garden dormouse ('' Eliomys melanurus'') *Maghreb garden dormouse ('' Eliomys munbyanus'') *Four-toed jerboa ('' Scarturus tetradactyla'') *Lesser Egyptian jerboa ('' Jaculus jaculus'') *Greater Egyptian jerboa ('' Jaculus orientalis'') *Günther's vole (''

Microtus guentheri ''Microtus'' is a genus of voles found in North America, Europe and northern Asia. The genus name refers to the small ears of these animals. About 62 species are placed in the genus. They are stout rodents with short ears, legs and tails. They e ...

'') *Cairo spiny mouse ('' Acomys cahirinus'') *Lesser short-tailed gerbil ('' Dipodillus simoni'') *Anderson's gerbil ('' Gerbillus andersoni'') *Lataste's gerbil ('' Gerbillus latastei'') *Shaw's jird ('' Meriones shawi'') *Algerian mouse ('' Mus spretus'') *Mzab gundi ('' Massoutiera mzabi'') *North African hedgehog ('' Atelerix algirus'') *Long-eared hedgehog (''

Hemiechinus auritus The long-eared hedgehog (''Hemiechinus auritus'') is a species of hedgehog native to Central Asian countries and some countries of the Middle East. The long-eared hedgehog lives in burrows that it either makes or finds and is distinguished by i ...

'') *Geoffroy's horseshoe bat ('' Rhinolophus clivosus'') *Mehely's horseshoe bat ('' Rhinolophus mehelyi'') *European free-tailed bat ('' Tadarida teniotis'') *Greater noctule bat (''

Nyctalus lasiopterus The greater noctule bat (''Nyctalus lasiopterus'') is a rare carnivorous bat found in Europe, West Asia, and North Africa. It is the largest and least studied bat in Europe with a wingspan of up to and is one of the few bat species to feed on pa ...

'') *Soprano pipistrelle ('' Pipistrellus pygmaeus'') *Desert long-eared bat ('' Otonycteris hemprichii'') *Felten's myotis ('' Myotis punicus'') *Fennec fox (''

Vulpes zerda The fennec fox (''Vulpes zerda'') is a small crepuscular fox native to the deserts of North Africa, ranging from Western Sahara to the Sinai Peninsula. Its most distinctive feature is its unusually large ears, which serve to dissipate heat and ...

'') *Hartebeest ('' Alcelaphus buselaphus'') *Cuvier's gazelle (''

Gazella cuvieri Cuvier's gazelle (''Gazella cuvieri'') is a species of gazelle native to Algeria, Morocco, Western Sahara, and Tunisia. It is also known as the edmi.

'') *Dorcas gazelle (''

Gazella dorcas The dorcas gazelle (''Gazella dorcas''), also known as the ariel gazelle, is a small and common gazelle. The dorcas gazelle stands about at the shoulder, with a head and body length of and a weight of . The numerous subspecies survive on vegeta ...

'') *Rhim gazelle ('' Gazella leptoceros'') *Barbary sheep (''

Ammotragus lervia The Barbary sheep (''Ammotragus lervia''), also known as aoudad (pronounced �ɑʊdæd is a species of caprine native to rocky mountains in North Africa. While this is the only species in genus ''Ammotragus'', six subspecies have been describe ...

'') *Addax (''

Addax nasomaculatus The addax (''Addax nasomaculatus''), also known as the white antelope and the screwhorn antelope, is an antelope native to the Sahara Desert. The monotypic taxon, only member of the genus ''Addax'', it was first described scientifically by He ...

'') *Scimitar oryx ('' Oryx dammah'') *North African gerbil ('' Dipodillus campestris'') *Lesser Egyptian gerbil (''

Gerbillus gerbillus The lesser Egyptian gerbil (''Gerbillus gerbillus'') is a small species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is native to North Africa and the Sinai Peninsula, where it lives in sandy habitats. It is a common species, and the International Union ...

'') *Pygmy gerbil ('' Gerbillus henleyi'') *Balochistan gerbil ('' Gerbillus nanus'') *Sundevall's jird ('' Meriones crassus'') *Libyan jird ('' Meriones libycus'') *Lesser noctule ('' Nyctalus leisleri'') *Lesser mouse-tailed bat (''

Rhinopoma hardwickii The lesser mouse-tailed bat (''Rhinopoma hardwickii'') is a species of microbat in the family Rhinopomatidae. Also referred to as Hardwicke's lesser mouse-tailed bat and long-tailed bat, it is named after Major General Thomas Hardwicke (1755– ...

'')

=Rodents

= The rodents reported are: '' Pachyuromys duprasi'' (fat-tailed gerbil), '' Meriones libycus'' (Libyan jird), ''

'' (gundi), '' Meriones crassus'' (Sundevall's jird), '' Meriones crassus'' (Sundevall's jird), ''

Spalacidae The Spalacidae, or spalacids, are a family of rodents in the large and complex superfamily Muroidea. They are native to eastern Asia, the Horn of Africa, the Middle East, and southeastern Europe. It includes the blind mole-rats, bamboo rats, m ...

'' ( blind mole-rat,

common mole-rat The common mole-rat, African mole-rat, or Hottentot mole-rat, (''Cryptomys hottentotus'') is a burrowing rodent found in Southern Africa, in particular in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It also occurs in Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, M ...

zokors Zokors are Asiatic burrowing rodents resembling mole-rats. They include two genera: '' Myospalax'' and '' Eospalax''. Zokors are native to much of China, Kazakhstan, and Siberian Russia. Traditionally, zokors were thought to be closely relate ...

, and bamboo rats), '' Elephantulus rozeti'' (

North African elephant shrew The North African elephant shrew (''Petrosaltator rozeti'') or North African sengi is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. It is found in Algeria, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia, and (since the extinction of the North African e ...

), '' Spalacinae'' (blind mole-rats), ''

Arvicolinae The Arvicolinae are a subfamily of rodents that includes the voles, lemmings, and muskrats. They are most closely related to the other subfamilies in the Cricetidae (comprising the hamsters and New World rats and mice). Some authorities place ...

'' (lemmings and voles), '' Jaculus orientalis'' (greater Egyptian jerboa), '' Massoutiera mzabi'' (Mzab gundi), and '' Spalax ehrenbergi'' ( Middle East blind mole-rat).

Birds

In the coastal belt, bird species recorded are

greater flamingo The greater flamingo (''Phoenicopterus roseus'') is the most widespread and largest species of the flamingo family. It is found in Africa, the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, and in southern Europe. Taxonomy The greater flamingo was desc ...

on the beaches, and also many birds of prey. Migratory birds pass through Libya, and are seen mostly along the coastline. The most notable ones are the

flamingo Flamingos or flamingoes are a type of wading bird in the family Phoenicopteridae, which is the only extant family in the order Phoenicopteriformes. There are four flamingo species distributed throughout the Americas (including the Caribbea ...

Kentish plover The Kentish plover (''Charadrius alexandrinus'') is a small cosmopolitan shorebird (40-44 g) of the family Charadriidae that breeds on the shores of saline lakes, lagoons, and coasts, populating sand dunes, marshes, semi-arid desert, and tundra.S ...

in the Bengazi Reserve. Houbara bustard and the

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...

white stork The white stork (''Ciconia ciconia'') is a large bird in the stork family, Ciconiidae. Its plumage is mainly white, with black on the bird's wings. Adults have long red legs and long pointed red beaks, and measure on average from beak tip to e ...

are reported in the Kouf National Park and in the beaches and

lagoon A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by a narrow landform, such as reefs, barrier islands, barrier peninsulas, or isthmuses. Lagoons are commonly divided into ''coastal lagoons'' (or ''barrier lagoons'') ...

s. In the oases,

desert lark The desert lark (''Ammomanes deserti'') breeds in deserts and semi-deserts from Morocco to western India. It has a very wide distribution and faces no obvious threats, and surveys have shown that it is slowly increasing in numbers as it expands ...

s, desert sparrows, and

spotted sandgrouse The spotted sandgrouse (''Pterocles senegallus'') is a species of ground dwelling bird in the family Pteroclidae. It is found in arid regions of northern and eastern Africa and across the Middle East and parts of Asia as far east as northwest I ...

have been reported. Other notable species reported are ''

Aquila chrysaetos The golden eagle (''Aquila chrysaetos'') is a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are one of the best-known birds of ...

'', '' Alectoris barbara'', '' Pterocles '' species and '' Chlamydotis undulata'' with

herons The herons are long-legged, long-necked, freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae, with 72 recognised species, some of which are referred to as egrets or bitterns rather than herons. Members of the genera ''Botaurus'' and ''Ixobrychus ...

, ducks,

wader 245px, A flock of Dunlins and Red knots">Red_knot.html" ;"title="Dunlins and Red knot">Dunlins and Red knots Waders or shorebirds are birds of the order Charadriiformes commonly found wikt:wade#Etymology 1, wading along shorelines and mudflat ...

s, ''

Ciconia nigra The black stork (''Ciconia nigra'') is a large bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It was first described by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of his ''Systema Naturae''. Measuring on average from beak tip to end of tail with a wingspan, th ...

'', ''

Ciconia ciconia The white stork (''Ciconia ciconia'') is a large bird in the stork family, Ciconiidae. Its plumage is mainly white, with black on the bird's wings. Adults have long red legs and long pointed red beaks, and measure on average from beak tip to en ...

'', and '' Milvus milvus'' (red kite) from the brackish lagoons.

Invertebrates

Invertebrates exclusive to Libya are: *'' Chlorophorus ringenbachi'', a longhorned beetle *''Caulostrophus ringenbachi'', a

weevil Weevils are beetles belonging to the superfamily Curculionoidea, known for their elongated snouts. They are usually small, less than in length, and herbivorous. Approximately 97,000 species of weevils are known. They belong to several families, ...

*'' Paratassa ringenbachi'', a jewel beetle *'' Neolaphyra ritchiei'', a

tiger beetle Tiger beetles are a family of beetles, Cicindelidae, known for their aggressive predatory habits and running speed. The fastest known species of tiger beetle, ''Rivacindela hudsoni'', can run at a speed of , or about 125 body lengths per second. ...

*''Pachydema peyerhimhoffi'', a

cockchafer The cockchafer, colloquially called Maybug, Maybeetle, or doodlebug, is the name given to any of the European beetles of the genus ''Melolontha'', in the family Scarabaeidae. Once abundant throughout Europe and a major pest in the periodical ye ...

*'' Onitis ringenbachi'', a

dung beetle Dung beetles are beetles that feed on feces. Some species of dung beetles can bury dung 250 times their own mass in one night. Many dung beetles, known as ''rollers'', roll dung into round balls, which are used as a food source or breeding cha ...

*''

Tentyria ''Tentyria'' is a genus of beetles in the family Tenebrionidae, first scientifically documented by Pierre André Latreille in 1802.''Ten ...

cyrenaica'', a

darkling beetle Darkling beetle is the common name for members of the beetle family Tenebrionidae. The number of species in the Tenebrionidae is estimated at more than 20,000 and the family is cosmopolitan in distribution. Taxonomy ''Tenebrio'' is the Latin gen ...

*''

Mylabris ''Mylabris'' is a genus of beetles in the family Meloidae. It is endemic to the Palearctic realm. The species-rich genus '' Hycleus'' (c. 430 spp.) was historically confused with ''Mylabris''. It is superficially similar, but is centered on the ...

cyrenaica'', a blister beetle *'' Dictyophara merjensis'', a planthopper *''Wadkufia elegans'', a leafhopper * Bees **'' Nomioides mucoreus'' **''

Lasioglossum The sweat bee genus ''Lasioglossum'' is the largest of all bee genera, containing over 1700 species in numerous subgenera worldwide.Gibbs, J., et al. (2012)Phylogeny of halictine bees supports a shared origin of eusociality for ''Halictus'' and ...

tripolitanum'' *'' Buthus barcaeus'', a

scorpion Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the order Scorpiones. They have eight legs, and are easily recognized by a pair of grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back and always en ...

*''

Glomeris ''Glomeris'' is largely European genus of pill millipedes. It contains over 100 species, distributed across Europe, but also extending into the Canary Islands, Turkey, and eleven species from North Africa. Species * '' Glomeris albida'' * '' ...

monostriata'', a

millipede Millipedes are a group of arthropods that are characterised by having two pairs of jointed legs on most body segments; they are known scientifically as the class Diplopoda, the name derived from this feature. Each double-legged segment is a resu ...

found in caves * Land snails **''Barcania kaltenbachi'' **'' Cochlostoma susaense''

=Molluscs

Some of the 'non-marine molluscs of Libya, which are a part of the molluscan fauna of Libya, are, ''

Melanoides tuberculata The red-rimmed melania (''Melanoides tuberculata''), also known as Malayan livebearing snails or Malayan/Malaysian trumpet snails (often abbreviated to MTS) by aquarists, is a species of freshwater snail with an operculum, a parthenogenetic, a ...

'' (O. F. Müller, 1774) listed under IUCN as of least concern, '' Parmacella festae'' (Gambetta, 1925 - northern Libya), and '' Parmacella olivieri'' (Cuvier, 1804 - northern Libya).

Marine fauna

The Libyan coast is rich in fish production and many edible marine organisms. The Marine Biology Research Centre (MBRC) facilitated selection of coastal areas under Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). The key MPAs established were the El Kouf National Park, Ain Gazala Farwa, El Burdi, and Ain -Ziyana. Reported marine mammal species include the monk seal ''

Monachus monachus The Mediterranean monk seal (''Monachus monachus'') is a monk seal belonging to the family Phocidae. , it is estimated that fewer than 700 individuals survive in three or four isolated subpopulations in the Mediterranean, (especially) in the A ...

'' (CR) on the coast, and ''

'' offshore. The coastal area and the Mediterranean Sea is reported as the nesting areas for the

loggerhead turtle The loggerhead sea turtle (''Caretta caretta'') is a species of oceanic turtle distributed throughout the world. It is a marine reptile, belonging to the family Cheloniidae. The average loggerhead measures around in carapace length when fully ...

(''Caretta caretta''), and juveniles of

bluefin tuna Bluefin tuna is a common name used to refer to several species of tuna A tuna is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae (mackerel) family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, th ...

(''Thunnus thynnus''), nearing extinction. The

killifish A killifish is any of various oviparous (egg-laying) cyprinodontiform fish (including families Aplocheilidae, Cyprinodontidae, Fundulidae, Profundulidae and Valenciidae). All together, there are 1,270 species of killifish, the biggest family ...

(''Aphanius desioi'') is an IUCN Red List species.

Conservation

The threats faced by the national parks, reserves and protected areas have been identified. These are due to excessive logging operations, poaching of birds, unauthorised felling of trees, alteration of the habitat status due to pollution, land use,

climate change In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to ...

, and inadequate management measures. The measures under implementation to address the threats identified in the protected areas are in the form of protecting the ecosystems and biodiversity, conducting scientific research in identified areas, creating public awareness, ensuring sustainability of resources, promote

ecotourism Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving responsible travel (using sustainable transport) to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people. Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide fund ...

, creation of protected areas conforming to different ecosystems, and setting up of adequate management mechanism.

References

Bibliography

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wildlife Of Libya Biota of Libya