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 and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on th ...

coastline and encompasses large areas of the

Saharan desert , photo = Sahara real color.jpg , photo_caption = The Sahara taken by Apollo 17 astronauts, 1972 , map = , map_image = , location = , country = , country1 = , ...

. 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 f ...

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. I ...

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 h ...

related to culture. The most important national parks are the

El-Kouf National Park El Kouf National Park, established in 1975, is one of the seven national parks of Libya. El Kouf is located along Libya's northeastern Mediterranean coastline and has both marine and terrestrial biodiversity. Libya also has five other reserves, t ...

and

Karabolli National Park Algharabolli National Park, also Karabolli National Park, is a national park of Libya Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in Nor ...

. The well known nature reserves are the

Benghazi Reserve Benghazi Reserve is a protected reserve of 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 Medit ...

and the

Zellaf Reserve Zellaf Reserve ( ar, زلاف) is a protected reserve of 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 ...

. 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), fu ...

and 338 species of

birds Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...

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, Su ...

'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' ...

. 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 ...

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 The politics of Libya has been in an uncertain state since the collapse of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya in 2011 and a recent civil war and various jihadists and tribal elements controlling parts of the country. On 10 March 2021, a national unity ...

Geography

Protected areas in Libya are under four categories of national parks, protected reserves, protected areas, and

wetlands A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free ( anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The ...

, and a few others areas, which cover coastal, marine and terrestrial areas. The seven national parks are: The

Abughilan National Park Abughilan National Park is a national park of 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 ...

, the

El Kouf National Park El Kouf National Park, established in 1975, is one of the seven national parks of Libya. El Kouf is located along Libya's northeastern Mediterranean coastline and has both marine and terrestrial biodiversity. Libya also has five other reserves, ...

, the

Naggaza National Park El Naggaza National Park is a national park of Libya in the Murqub district close to Tripoli Tripoli or Tripolis may refer to: Cities and other geographic units Greece *Tripoli, Greece, the capital of Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (region of Ar ...

, the

Rajma National Park Rajma National Park is a national park in Libya. It is a wetlands and protected area within the Jabal al Gharbi District of Libya, south of Tripoli and Murqub. This district is landlocked, meaning Rajma does not have the coastal diversity found in ...

and the

Sirman National Park Surman National Park or Sirman National Park (غابة صرمان والمنتزه الوطني) is a national park of Libya. It was established in 1992 and covers an area of . It lies about west of Tripoli, not far from the archaeological ruins ...

of which Karabolli and Kouf cover the coastal and marine areas. The five nature reserves are: The

, the

Bier Ayyad Reserve Bier Ayyad Reserve is a protected reserve of Libya. It covers an area of 20 km2. References Protected areas of Libya {{coord missing, Libya ...

, the

New Hiesha Natural Reserve New Hiesha Natural Reserve is a protected reserve in 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

Tripoli Reserve Tripoli Reserve is a protected reserve of 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 Medite ...

and the

. There are 24 protected areas:

Ain Zayanah Ain Zayanah is a protected area of 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 S ...

Ajdabiya Marsh Ajdabiya Marsh is a protected area of Libya. References

Protected areas of Libya Ajdabiya {{coord missing, Libya ...

Al Jaghbub Oasis The Al Jaghbub Oasis is a protected area in northeastern Libya lying close to the border with Egypt. It adjoins the desert village of Jaghbub which is inhabited by Berbers with a population of about 400. Geography The Al Jaghbub Oasis is located ...

, Berjuj Valley,

Bombe gulf Bombah Gulf is a protected area of 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 Mediterrane ...

Fezzan valleys Fezzan Valleys is a protected area of 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 Mediterr ...

, 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 th ...

Grotto de Lete Grotto de Lete is a protected area of Libya. References Protected areas of Libya {{coord missing, Libya ...

, Harouj Mountain, Jalo,

Kufrah Oasis Kufra () is a basinBertarelli (1929), p. 514. and oasis group in the Kufra District of southeastern Cyrenaica in Libya. At the end of nineteenth century Kufra became the centre and holy place of the Senussi order. It also played a minor role in th ...

Nefhusa Nefhusa is a protected area of Libya, which is northeast of the town Gharyan and 70 km south-south-west of Tripoli Tripoli or Tripolis may refer to: Cities and other geographic units Greece *Tripoli, Greece, the capital of Arcadia, Greece ...

Oasis of Ghat Oasis of Ghat is a protected area of 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 ...

Ouau en Namu lakes Ouau en Namu lakes is a protected area of 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 Medite ...

Qaminis and Tukrah salines Qaminis and Tukrah salines is a protected area of 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 ...

Rajma plantations Rajma plantations is a protected area of 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 Mediter ...

Sabratha Sabratha ( ar, صبراتة, Ṣabrāta; also ''Sabratah'', ''Siburata''), in the Zawiya DistrictSebkha el Sahel, Serir,

Shahaat Shahaat is a protected area of 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 ...

Taizerbo Taizerbo is a proposed protected area of Libya. According to data of the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) published by the United Nations this small protected area (surface 0.3 km2) has not yet been established in 2014. The name ''Taiz ...

Taoulga islands Taoulga islands is a protected area of 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 Mediterrane ...

(Thaouara), and

Wadi Kham Ka'am, Wadi Caam or Wadi Ka'am (Cinyps) is a small river in Tripolitana, site of a failed Greek attempt to build a city under the leadership of Spartan Dorieus. Sources The source of the river are in the 80 km long Wadi Taraglat but they are ...

. The wetlands designated under Ramsar Convention are the Ain Elshakika Wetland and the

Ain Elzarga Wetland Ain Elzarga Wetland is a Ramsar-protected wetland of Libya. It was established in 2000 and covers an area of . Ramsar says of it: "A small natural sebkha or depression with at least one natural connection to the sea, wet all year round but with inc ...

. According to the

list of ecoregions Wikipedia has articles relating to two separate ecoregion classification systems: *Ecoregions defined by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation and partner agencies in Canada, Mexico, and the United States: **List of ecoregions in North Ame ...

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 The Palearctic or Palaearctic is the largest of the eight biogeographic realms of the Earth. It stretches across all of Eurasia north of the foothills of the Himalayas, and North Africa. The realm consists of several bioregions: the Euro-Si ...

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 (see ...

s and

Scrub Scrub(s) may refer to: * Scrub, low shrub and grass characteristic of scrubland * Scrubs (clothing), worn by medical staff * ''Scrubs'' (TV series), an American television program * Scrubs (occupation), also called "scrub tech," "scrub nurse," ...

, 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 Algharabolli National Park, also Karabolli National Park, is a national park of Libya close to Tripoli, and right next to Al-Garabulli. It was established in 1992 and covers an area of . Flora and fauna The park houses freshwater streams from ...

, established in 1992, covers an area of . The

, which encompasses an area of , was established in 1992. The

, 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 Benghazi () , ; it, Bengasi; tr, Bingazi; ber, Bernîk, script=Latn; also: ''Bengasi'', ''Benghasi'', ''Banghāzī'', ''Binghāzī'', ''Bengazi''; grc, Βερενίκη ('' Berenice'') and '' Hesperides''., group=note (''lit. Son of he Gha ...

, near Al Bayda (Beida) town. The

El Naggaza National Park El Naggaza National Park is a national park of Libya in the Murqub district close to Tripoli Tripoli or Tripolis may refer to: Cities and other geographic units Greece *Tripoli, Greece, the capital of Arcadia, Greece *Tripolis (region of Arc ...

was established in 1993 covering an area of . The

, 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 Tripoli or Tripolis may refer to: Cities and other geographic units Greece *Tripoli, Greece, the capital of Arcadia, Greece *Tripolis (region of Arcadia), a district in ancient Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (Larisaia), an ancient Greek city in t ...

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 Sabratha ( ar, صبراتة, Ṣabrāta; also ''Sabratah'', ''Siburata''), in the Zawiya DistrictSurman 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 A bier is a stand on which a corpse, coffin, or casket containing a corpse is placed to lie in state or to be carried to the grave.''The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language'' (American Heritage Publishing Co., Inc., New York, ...

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 hig ...

coastal

sebkha A sabkha ( ar, سبخة) is a coastal, supratidal mudflat or sandflat in which evaporite-saline minerals accumulate as the result of semiarid to arid climate. Sabkhas are gradational between land and intertidal zone within restricted coastal ...

(''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

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 Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition ...

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 a ...

. 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 nati ...

and

olive The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'', meaning 'European olive' in Latin, is a species of small tree or shrub in the family Oleaceae, found traditionally in the Mediterranean Basin. When in shrub form, it is known as ''Olea europaea'' ...

. 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 Maquis may refer to: Resistance groups * Maquis (World War II), predominantly rural guerrilla bands of the French Resistance * Spanish Maquis, guerrillas who fought against Francoist Spain in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War * The network ...

juniper Junipers are coniferous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Juniperus'' () of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on the taxonomy, between 50 and 67 species of junipers are widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, from the Arcti ...

and

lentisc ''Pistacia lentiscus'' (also lentisk or mastic) is a dioecious evergreen shrub or small tree of the genus '' Pistacia'' native to the Mediterranean Basin. It grows up to tall and is cultivated for its aromatic resin, mainly on the Greek isl ...

trees, and also

brome grass ''Bromus'' is a large genus of grasses, classified in its own tribe Bromeae. They are commonly known as bromes, brome grasses, cheat grasses or chess grasses. Estimates in the scientific literature of the number of species have ranged from 100 ...

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 worl ...

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 Ea ...

(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 classifica ...

wormwood Wormwood may refer to: Biology * Several plants of the genus ''Artemisia'': ** ''Artemisia abrotanum'', southern wormwood ** '' Artemisia absinthium'', common wormwood, grande wormwood or absinthe wormwood ** ''Artemisia annua'', sweet wormwood o ...

, 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 environments. There are about 60 species of fully marine seagrasses which belong to four families ( Posidoniaceae, Zosteraceae, Hydrocharitaceae and Cymodoceaceae), all in the ...

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 A gulf is a large inlet from the ocean into the landmass, typically with a narrower opening than a bay, but that is not observable in all geographic areas so named. The term gulf was traditionally used for large highly-indented navigable bodies ...

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 ��παρχίαKurēnaïkḗ ...

'' *''

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. pyramida ...

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 flowering ...

*'' Echinops cyrenaicus'' *''

Linaria tarhunensis ''Linaria'' is a genus of almost 200 species of flowering plants, one of several related groups commonly called toadflax. They are annuals and herbaceous perennials, and the largest genus in the Antirrhineae tribe of the plantain family Planta ...

'' *''

Pallenis cyrenaica ''Pallenis'' is a small genus of flowering plants in the tribe Inuleae within the family Asteraceae. The name is derived from ''palea'' (chaff), referring to the chaffy receptacle. This is primarily a Mediterranean genus, occurring in desert a ...

'' *'' Allium negrianum'' *''

Silene cyrenaica ''Silene'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Caryophyllaceae. Containing nearly 900 species, it is the largest genus in the family. Common names include campion and catchfly. Many ''Silene'' species are widely distributed, particularl ...

'' *'' 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 i ...

'' *'' Anathallis linearifolia'' *''

Nepeta cyrenaica ''Nepeta'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae. The genus name is reportedly in reference to Nepete, an ancient Etruscan city.

'' *''

Crocus boulosii ''Crocus boulosii'' is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Crocus'' of the family Iridaceae. It is a cormous perennial native to Libya Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, D ...

'' *'' Euphorbia pseudoapios'' *'' Limonium teuchirae'' *'' Asperula tragacanthoides'' *'' Orobanche cyrenaica'' *'' Pachyctenium'' *''

Libyella ''Poa'' is a genus of about 570 species of grasses, native to the temperate regions of both hemispheres. Common names include meadow-grass (mainly in Europe and Asia), bluegrass (mainly in North America), tussock (some New Zealand species ...

'' 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 els ...

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,

giraffe The giraffe is a large African hoofed mammal belonging to the genus ''Giraffa''. It is the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant on Earth. Traditionally, giraffes were thought to be one species, '' Giraffa cameloparda ...

s 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 ...

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 l ...

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 ...

s and

golden wolves The African wolf (''Canis lupaster'') or golden wolf, formerly known as the African golden jackal, is a canine native to North Africa, West Africa, the Sahel, northern East Africa, and the Horn of Africa. It is listed as least concern on the IUC ...

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 Reptiles, as most commonly defined are the animals in the class Reptilia ( ), a paraphyletic grouping comprising all sauropsids except birds. Living reptiles comprise turtles, crocodilians, squamates (lizards and snakes) and rhynchocephali ...

and

rodents Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are na ...

are common in the sands of the desert. Red shrimp 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 (biology), order Carnivora, being present across the entire Northern Hemisphere including most of North America, Europe ...

'', ''

Genetta genetta The common genet (''Genetta genetta'') is a small viverrid indigenous to Africa that was introduced to southwestern Europe. It is widely distributed north of the Sahara, in savanna zones south of the Sahara to southern Africa and along the coas ...

'', '' Felis libyca'', ''

Hystrix cristata The crested porcupine (''Hystrix cristata''), also known as the African crested porcupine, is a species of rodent in the family Hystricidae native to Italy, North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. Characteristics The adult crested porcupine ...

'', ''

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 co ...

''. Mammals and reptiles found in Libya which are on the IUCN Red List are:

Grobben's gerbil Grobben's gerbil (''Gerbillus grobbeni'') is a species of rodent, distributed mainly in Libya; Cyrenaica, Dernah. Less than 250 individuals of this species are thought to persist in the wild. It is named after Austrian biologist Karl Grobben ...

, 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 Grobben's gerbil (''Gerbillus grobbeni'') is a species of rodent, distributed mainly in Libya; Cyrenaica, Dernah. Less than 250 individuals of this species are thought to persist in the wild. It is named after Austrian biologist Karl Grobben ...

'') *Sand gerbil (''

Gerbillus syrticus The sand gerbil (''Gerbillus syrticus'') is distributed mainly in northeastern Libya. Less than 250 individuals are thought to be left in existence. It is sometimes considered a subspecies of the pygmy gerbil The pygmy gerbil (''Gerbillus henl ...

'') *Tarabul's gerbil ('' Gerbillus tarabuli'') *Pleasant gerbil (''

Gerbillus amoenus The pleasant gerbil (''Gerbillus amoenus'') is a species of rodent Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper an ...

'') *Thin sand rat (''

Psammomys vexillaris The thin sand rat or lesser sand rat (''Psammomys vexillaris'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It has also been previously named the pale sand rat based on work published by Oldfield Thomas in 1925. It is found in Algeria, Libya, ...

'') *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 Val's gundi (''Ctenodactylus vali'') is a species of rodent in the family Ctenodactylidae. It is known from two widely separated areas of North Africa. Description Val's gundi is very similar to the other species of gundi, especially the common ...

'') *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 The Saharan striped polecat (''Ictonyx libycus''), also known as Saharan striped weasel and Libyan striped weasel, is a species of mammal in the family Mustelidae. Characteristics The Saharan striped polecat is white with dark random stripes. ...

'') *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 ...

'') *North African elephant shrew (''

Petrosaltator rozeti 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 ...

'') *Rock hyrax (''

Procavia capensis The rock hyrax (; ''Procavia capensis''), also called dassie, Cape hyrax, rock rabbit, and (in the King James Bible) coney, is a medium-sized terrestrial mammal native to Africa and the Middle East. Commonly referred to in South Africa as the das ...

'') *Asian garden dormouse (''

Eliomys melanurus The Asian garden dormouse or large-eared garden dormouse, (''Eliomys melanurus'') is a species of rodent in the family Gliridae. It is found in Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Turkey. Its natural ha ...

'') *Maghreb garden dormouse (''

Eliomys munbyanus The Maghreb garden dormouse (''Eliomys munbyanus'') is a nocturnal species of rodent in the family Gliridae. It is found in Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia and Western Sahara. Its natural habitats vary from humid forests to semi-deserts. It is ...

'') *Four-toed jerboa ('' Scarturus tetradactyla'') *Lesser Egyptian jerboa (''

Jaculus jaculus The lesser jerboa (''Jaculus jaculus'') is a small rodent of Africa and the Middle East. Its diet consists mainly of seeds and grasses. Description A small rodent, it is sometimes likened to a tiny kangaroo due to its incredibly large hind legs ...

'') *Greater Egyptian jerboa (''

Jaculus orientalis The greater Egyptian jerboa (''Jaculus orientalis'') is a species of rodent in the family Dipodidae. It is found in Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and is possibly extinct in the Negev Desert of Israel. Its natural ...

'') *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 The Cairo spiny mouse (''Acomys cahirinus''), also known as the common spiny mouse, Egyptian spiny mouse, or Arabian spiny mouse, is a nocturnal species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Africa north of the Sahara, where its natur ...

'') *Lesser short-tailed gerbil (''

Dipodillus simoni The lesser short-tailed gerbil (''Dipodillus simoni'') is distributed mainly from eastern Morocco to Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Afric ...

'') *Anderson's gerbil ('' Gerbillus andersoni'') *Lataste's gerbil (''

Gerbillus latastei Lataste's gerbil (''Gerbillus latastei'') is distributed mainly in Tunisia, Libya, and possibly Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , ...

'') *Shaw's jird (''

Meriones shawi Meriones may refer to: *Meriones (mythology), a hero of the Trojan War *Meriones (genus), ''Meriones'' (genus), a genus of gerbil that includes the species most commonly kept as a pet *Meriones (subgenus), ''Meriones'' (subgenus) a subgenus of the ...

'') *Algerian mouse (''

Mus spretus The Algerian mouse (''Mus spretus''), also known as the western Mediterranean mouse, is a wild species of mouse closely related to the house mouse, native to open habitats around the western Mediterranean. Description The Algerian mouse close ...

'') *Mzab gundi ('' Massoutiera mzabi'') *North African hedgehog (''

Atelerix algirus The North African hedgehog (''Atelerix algirus'') or Algerian hedgehog, is a mammal species in the family Erinaceidae native to Algeria, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Spain, and Tunisia. Little is known about this hedgehog, even though the most common ...

'') *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 its ...

'') *Geoffroy's horseshoe bat (''

Rhinolophus clivosus Geoffroy's horseshoe bat (''Rhinolophus clivosus'') is a species of bat in the family Rhinolophidae found in Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, caves and other ...

'') *Mehely's horseshoe bat (''

Rhinolophus mehelyi Mehely's horseshoe bat (''Rhinolophus mehelyi'') is a species of insectivorous bat in the family Rhinolophidae found in Southern Europe and parts of the Middle East. It is distributed in a narrow band around the Mediterranean Sea from North-West ...

'') *European free-tailed bat (''

Tadarida teniotis The European free-tailed bat (''Tadarida teniotis'', sometimes given as ''Tadarida insignis'') is a species of free-tailed bat found in the Old World. Other common names include the bulldog bat and the mastiff bat because of the presence of wrink ...

'') *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 ...

'') *Soprano pipistrelle (''

Pipistrellus pygmaeus The soprano pipistrelle (''Pipistrellus pygmaeus'') is a small species of bat. It is found in Europe and often roosts on buildings. Taxonomy Until 1999, the soprano pipistrelle was considered as conspecific Biological specificity is the tenden ...

'') *Desert long-eared bat (''

Otonycteris hemprichii The desert long-eared bat (''Otonycteris hemprichii'') is a species of vesper bat found in North Africa and the Middle East. Taxonomy The taxonomic classification of ''Otonycteris'' is unclear, however their chromosomes suggest that this genus i ...

'') *Felten's myotis (''

Myotis punicus The Felten's myotis (''Myotis punicus'') is a species of vesper bat. Distribution It is found in Algeria, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Tunisia, France (Corsica) and Italy (Sardinia). Its natural habitats are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, sub ...

'') *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 The hartebeest (; ''Alcelaphus buselaphus''), also known as kongoni or kaama, is an African antelope. It is the only member of the genus ''Alcelaphus''. Eight subspecies have been described, including two sometimes considered to be independe ...

'') *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 The rhim gazelle or rhim (''Gazella leptoceros''), also known as the slender-horned gazelle, African sand gazelle or Loder's gazelle, is a pale-coated gazelle with long slender horns and well adapted to desert life. It is considered an endanger ...

'') *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 describ ...

'') *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 only member of the genus ''Addax'', it was first described scientifically by Henri de Blainvil ...

'') *Scimitar oryx (''

Oryx dammah The scimitar oryx (''Oryx dammah''), also known as the scimitar-horned oryx and the Sahara oryx, is a ''Oryx'' species that was once widespread across North Africa. In 2000, it was declared extinct in the wild on the IUCN Red List. A captive bre ...

'') *North African gerbil (''

Dipodillus campestris The North African gerbil (''Dipodillus campestris'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in North Africa where its natural habitats are arable land and rocky areas of the Maghreb, and hot Saharan deserts. Description The N ...

'') *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 The pygmy gerbil (''Gerbillus henleyi'') is distributed mainly in Algeria to Israel and the Arabian Peninsula. It is also known as Henley's gerbil or pygmy dipodil. ''Gerbillus henleyi'' is a long-tailed small gerbil with a back coat that is dark ...

'') *Balochistan gerbil ('' Gerbillus nanus'') *Sundevall's jird ('' Meriones crassus'') *Libyan jird (''

Meriones libycus The Libyan jird (''Meriones libycus'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan ...

'') *Lesser noctule (''

Nyctalus leisleri The lesser noctule, Leisler's bat or the Irish bat (''Nyctalus leisleri''), is a species of insectivorous bat belonging to the vesper bat family, Vespertilionidae. The species was named to honour the naturalist Johann Philipp Achilles Leisler ...

'') *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), ''

'' (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, ...

'' (

blind mole-rat The blind mole-rats, also known as the fossorial or subterranean mole rats, are a subfamily (Spalacinae) of rodents in the family Spalacidae, found in eastern Europe and western & central Asia. The hystricognath mole-rats of the family Bat ...

, common mole-rats,

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 related ...

, and

bamboo rats The bamboo rats are four species of rodents of the subfamily Rhizomyinae. They are the sole living representatives of the tribe Rhizomyini. All are found in South Asia, Southeast Asia and East Asia. The species are: *The Chinese bamboo rat ...

), ''

Elephantulus rozeti 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 ...

'' (

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 ...

), ''

Spalacinae The blind mole-rats, also known as the fossorial or subterranean mole rats, are a subfamily (Spalacinae) of rodents in the family Spalacidae, found in eastern Europe and western & central Asia. The hystricognath mole-rats of the family Bathye ...

'' (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 p ...

'' (lemmings and voles), ''

'' (greater Egyptian jerboa), '' Massoutiera mzabi'' (Mzab gundi), and ''

Spalax ehrenbergi The Middle East blind mole-rat or Palestine mole-rat (''Nannospalax ehrenbergi'') is a species of rodent in the family Spalacidae. Taxonomy It was formerly classified in the genus '' Spalax'', but more recent phylogenetic evidence supports it ...

'' (

Middle East blind mole-rat The Middle East blind mole-rat or Palestine mole-rat (''Nannospalax ehrenbergi'') is a species of rodent in the family Spalacidae. Taxonomy It was formerly classified in the genus ''Spalax'', but more recent phylogenetic evidence supports it a ...

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 Caribbean) ...

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 The houbara bustard (''Chlamydotis undulata''), also known as African houbara, is a relatively small bustard native to North Africa, where it lives in arid habitats. The global population is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 2014. ...

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 enti ...

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 en ...

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 ...

desert sparrow The desert sparrow (''Passer simplex'') is a species of bird in the sparrow family Passeridae, found in the Sahara Desert of northern Africa. A similar bird, Zarudny's sparrow, is found in Central Asia and was historically recognised as a sub ...

s, 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 The Barbary partridge (''Alectoris barbara'') is a gamebird in the pheasant family (Phasianidae) of the order Galliformes. It is native to North Africa. Distribution The Barbary partridge has its main native range in North Africa, and is also na ...

'', ''

Pterocles ''Pterocles '' is a genus of near passerine birds in the sandgrouse family. It includes all the species in the family except for two central Asian species in ''Syrrhaptes''. These sandgrouse have small, pigeon-like heads and necks, but sturdy co ...

'' species and ''

Chlamydotis undulata The houbara bustard (''Chlamydotis undulata''), also known as African houbara, is a relatively small bustard native to North Africa, where it lives in arid habitats. The global population is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 201 ...

'' 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 ''Ixobrychu ...

ducks Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are a for ...

wader 245px, A flock of 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 mudflats in order to foraging, ...

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 The red kite (''Milvus milvus'') is a medium-large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as eagles, buzzards, and harriers. The species currently breeds in the Western Palearctic region of ...

'' (red kite) from the brackish lagoons.

Invertebrates

Invertebrates exclusive to Libya are: *''

Chlorophorus ''Chlorophorus'' is a genus of round-necked longhorn beetle The longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae), also known as long-horned or longicorns, are a large family of beetles, with over 35,000 species described. Most species are characterized by extr ...

ringenbachi'', a

longhorned beetle The longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae), also known as long-horned or longicorns, are a large family of beetles, with over 35,000 species described. Most species are characterized by extremely long antennae, which are often as long as or longer than ...

*''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 Buprestidae is a family of beetles known as jewel beetles or metallic wood-boring beetles because of their glossy iridescent colors. Larvae of this family are known as flatheaded borers. The family is among the largest of the beetles, with some ...

*''

Neolaphyra ''Neolaphyra'' is a genus of beetles in the family Cicindelidae, containing the following species: * ''Neolaphyra leucosticta'' (Fairmaire, 1859) * ''Neolaphyra peletieri'' (Lucas, 1848) * ''Neolaphyra ritchiei'' (Vigors, 1825) * ''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 ''Onitis'' is a genus of Scarabaeidae or scarab beetles in the superfamily Scarabaeoidea and typical of the tribe Onitini The OnitiniHope FW (1837) ''The coleopterist’s manual, containing the Lamellicorn insects of Linneus and Fabricius.'' ...

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 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 ge ...

*''

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 A ...

cyrenaica'', a

blister beetle Blister beetles are beetles of the family Meloidae, so called for their defensive secretion of a blistering agent, cantharidin. About 7,500 species are known worldwide. Many are conspicuous and some are aposematically colored, announcing their ...

*''

Dictyophara ''Dictyophara'' is the type genus of planthoppers belonging to the family Dictyopharidae and tribe Dictyopharini, containing five subgenera. The scientific genus name ''Dictyophara'' derives from the Greek (dictyon: net and phorein: wear) and can ...

merjensis'', a

planthopper A planthopper is any insect in the infraorder Fulgoromorpha, in the suborder Auchenorrhyncha, a group exceeding 12,500 described species worldwide. The name comes from their remarkable resemblance to leaves and other plants of their environment ...

*''Wadkufia elegans'', a

leafhopper A leafhopper is the common name for any species from the family Cicadellidae. These minute insects, colloquially known as hoppers, are plant feeders that suck plant sap from grass, shrubs, or trees. Their hind legs are modified for jumping, and ...

Bees Bees are winged insects closely related to wasps and ants, known for their roles in pollination and, in the case of the best-known bee species, the western honey bee, for producing honey. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfam ...

**'' 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 ''Buthus'' is a genus of scorpion belonging and being eponymous to the family Buthidae. It is distributed widely across northern Africa, including Morocco, Mauritania, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, Sudan, Soma ...

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 endi ...

*''

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'' * ''Gl ...

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 re ...

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

Cochlostoma ''Cochlostoma'' is a genus of land snails with an operculum, terrestrial gastropod mollusks in the family Cochlostomatidae. MolluscaBase eds. (2020). MolluscaBase. Cochlostoma Jan, 1830. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: ...

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, ...

'' (O. F. Müller, 1774) listed under IUCN as of least concern, ''

Parmacella festae ''Parmacella festae'' is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Parmacellidae. Distribution The distribution of this species includes: * Northern Egypt * Northern Libya Description The ...

'' (Gambetta, 1925 - northern Libya), and ''

Parmacella olivieri ''Parmacella olivieri'' is a species of air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Parmacellidae. ''Parmacella olivieri'' is the type species of the genus ''Parmacella''. Distribution The distribution of ...

'' (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 Monk seals are earless seals of the tribe Monachini. They are the only earless seals found in tropical climates. The two genera of monk seals, ''Monachus'' and ''Neomonachus'', comprise three species: the Mediterranean monk seal, ''Monachus mona ...

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 Ae ...

'' (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 full ...

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

bluefin tuna Bluefin tuna is a common name used to refer to several species of tuna of the genus '' Thunnus''. {{Animal common name Commercial fish Thunnus Fish common names ...

(''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 famil ...

(''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