Updated Data on Wild Mammals of Algeria: Distribution and
Conservation Biology

Ahmim M

doi:10.23880/izab-16000470

International Journal of Zoology and Animal Biology Research Article 11 min read

Updated Data on Wild Mammals of Algeria: Distribution and Conservation Biology

Ahmim M^*

^* Corresponding author

ISSN: 2639-216X 10.23880/izab-16000470 Received: April 03, 2023 Published: April 25, 2023

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15 references

7 figures

5 tables

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Keywords

Algeria Wild Mammals Updated Data Distribution Conservation of Biology

Abstract

Algeria boasts diverse ecological, cultural, topographical and taxonomic diversity. The rich national natural and agricultural biodiversity comprises about 16,000 known species. There have been no updated scientific work regarding of the wild mammals of Algeria since the writings of Kowalski and Kowalska in 1991. Moreover many significant taxonomic and nomenclatorial always changes have appeared. For instance the Artiodactyla and Cetaceans were once grouped in the same order of the Cetartiodactyla, while the order Insectivora was divided on two separate orders Soricomorpha and Erinaceomorpha. The mammals of Algeria are represented actually by 111 species belonging to 11 orders and 37 families.

Introduction

According to the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) 20% of the 5487 species of mammals on the planet are now threatened with extinction. The Maghreb is home to a large number of endemic species unique to the Mediterranean region, found nowhere else. Although the Sahara has a relatively low species richness, a large proportion of its species are threatened [1, 2, 3]. Algeria, a Mediterranean country and the largest country in Africa in terms of area, is considered by its geographical location a crossroads between continents. It is a country whose history is relatively poorly known, both from the human and the animal side.

This work aims to provide an overview of its mammalian heritage, the results available to the public and serve as model to researchers in the field of mammalogy to take stock of the state of a rich fauna numbering 111 species, many of which are particularly sensitive, their population being either Threatened or Endangered.

Materials and Methods

Presentation of Algeria

Algeria covers an area of 2,381,741 km2, running east and west across the Mediterranean for 1620 km and stretching from North to South over nearly 2,000 km. It is characterized by a great physiognomic diversity consisting of geographical units represented by a littoral zone rich in plains called Tell, mountainous zones (Atlas Tellien and Saharan Atlas), steppe areas called Hauts plateaux, and the Sahara and the big plateaux. Saharans sheltering the mountain ranges of Ahaggar and Tassili N’Ajjer. These natural geographical units correspond to well-defined biogeographical divisions, varied bioclimates (from humid to desert) and abundant Mediterranean and Saharan vegetation that is distributed from north to south according to the bioclimatic stages [1].

Origin of the Data

The data in this work comes from the bibliography, including standard scientific journals, fieldwork, and data collected from colleagues and friends. This work has been compiled and verified by the valuable input of data from social networks such as Facebook. This state of affairs leads us to recognize that these types of sources have become essential in a modern information exchange, hence the importance of ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) in the various fields of natural sciences and of life. One of our main bibliographic references is the work of Kowalski, et al. [4], teachers at Oran University from 1984 to 1990, who gave impetus to the knowledge of the Algerian mammalian fauna. The authors based the conclusions in their book “Mammals of Algeria” on bibliographic data, unpublished observations and collections of skeletons, regurgitation balls of some raptors, and of museums collections. Other works used include Haltenorth, et al. [5, 6]. Aulagnier, et al. [2] which was utilized as references in the presentation of general characteristics of species studied (Figure 1). Specialized websites for different facets of the conservation and study of mammals were also consulted, including: The IUCN redList of threatened species; http://www. iucnredlist.org/ - Site of the Conservation and sustainable development in particular for the Saharan species http:// www.cons-dev.org/ - Site of observation data for the recognition and identification of underwater fauna and flora DORIS: http://www.doris.ffessm.fr/

Figure 1: Geographical map sets of Algeria.

Results and Discussions

There are actually 111 species in Algeria belonging to 11 orders and 37 families. The order with the greatest number of species is the order of the Rodentia with 30 species. It is followed by Chiroptera, Carnivora and Cetartiodactyla with respectively 26, 21 and 20 species. The other orders are weakly represented: Soricomorpha with 5 species, lagomorphs with 3 species, Erinaceomorpha with 2 species, Primate, Perissodactyla, Hyracoida and Macroscelida orders are only represented by one species each. In terms of representativeness, the mammals of Algeria are poorly represented compared to many other countries of the Mediterranean basin, 4 of the 11 families are represented by only one species (Tables 1 & 2) (Figures 2-7).

Order	Family	Species	Common english name
CHIROPTERA	Rhinopomatidae	Rhinopoma cystops	Lesser Mouse-tailed Bat
	Rhinopomatidae	Rhinopoma microphyllum	Greater Mouse-tailed Bat
	Emballonuridae	Taphozous nudiventris	Naked rumped Tomb Bat
	Rhinolophidae	Rhinolophus clivosus	Geoffroy’s horseshoe Bat
		Rhinolophus ferrumequinum	Greater horseshoe Bat
		Rhinolophus hipposideros	Lesser horseshoe Bat
		Rhinolophus blasii	Blasius horseshoe Bat
		Rhinolophus euryale	Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat
		Rhinolophus mehelyi	Mehely’s horseshoe Bat
	Hipposideridae	Asellia tridens	Geoffroy’s Trident Leaf-nosed Bat
	Vespertilionidae	Myotis punicus	Maghrebian Mouse eared Bat
		Myotis capaccinii	Long fingered Bat
		Myotis emarginatus	Geoffroy’s Bat
		Myotis nattereri	Natterer’s Bat
		Pipistrellus kuhlii	Kuhl’s Pipistrelle
		Pipistrellus rueppelli	Ruppel’s Pipistrelle
		Pipistrellus pipistrellus	Common Pipistrelle
		Hypsugo savii	Savi’s Pipistrelle
		Eptesicus isabellinus	Isabelline serotine Bat
		Otonycteris hemprichi	Desert long-eared Bat
		Nyctalus leisleri	Lesser Noctule
		Nyctalus noctula	Noctule
		Plecotus kolombatovici	Kolombatovic’s long-eared Bat
	Molossidae	Tadarida teniotis	European free-tailed Bat
	Molossidae	Nectynomus aegyptiacus	Egyptian free-tailed Bat
	Miniopteridae	Miniopterus schreibersii	Schreiber’s Bent-winged Bat
PRIMATE	Cercopithecidae	Macaca sylvanus	Barbary Macaque
CARNIVORA	Canidae	Canis anthus	African golden wolf
		Fennecus zerda	Fennec fox
		Vulpes rueppelli	Ruppel’s fox
		Vulpes vulpes	Red fox
		Lycaon pictus	African wild Dog
	Mustelidae	Ictonyx libycus	Libyan striped Weasel
		Mustela nivalis	Least Weasel
		Lutra lutra	Eurasian Otter
		Mellivora capensis	Honey Badger
		Mustela putorius furo	Domestic Ferret
	Viverridae	Genetta genetta	Common Genet
	Herpestidae	Herpestes ichneumon	Egyptian Mangoose
	Hyaenidae	Hyaena hyaena	Striped Hyaena
	Hyaenidae	Crocuta crocuta	Spotted Hyaena
	Felidae	Caracal caracal	Caracal
		Acinonyx jubatus heckii	Cheetah
		Felis margarita	Sand Cat
		Felis libyca	Wild Cat
		Leptailurus serval	Serval
		Panthera pardus	Leopard
		Panthera pardus	Leopard
	Phocidae	Monachus monachus	Méditerranean Monk Seal
PERISSODACTYLA	Equidae	Equus africanus	African Ass
HYRACOIDA	Procaviidae	Procavia capensis	Rock Dassie
	Sciuridae	Atlantoxerus getulus	Barbary ground Squirrel
	Gerbillidae	Gerbillus simoni	Simon’s Dipodil
		Pachyuromys duprasi	Fat Tailed Gerbil
		Gerbillus henleyi	Henly’s Gerbil
		Gerbillus campestris	Large North African Gerbil
		Gerbillus amoenus	Mackilling’s Dipodil
		Gerbillus pyramidum	Greater Gerbil
		Gerbillus gerbillus	Lesser Gerbil
		Gerbillus tarabuli	Tarabul’s Gerbil
		Gerbillus latastei	Hairy footed Gerbil
		Meriones crassus	Sundevall’s Jird
		Meriones libycus	Libyan Jird
		Meriones shawi	Shaw’s Jird
		Psammomys obesus	Fat Sand Rat
	Muridae	Arvicanthis niloticus	Grass Rat
		Apodemus sylvaticus	Long Taild Field Mouse
		Mus musculus	House Mouse
		Mus spretus	Algerian Mouse
		Lemniscomys barbarus	Striped Mouse
		Rattus rattus	Black Rat
		Rattus norvegicus	Norway Rat
		Acomys seurati	Cairo Spiny Mouse
RODENTIA	Gliridae	Eliomys munbyanus	Garden Dormouse
	Dipodidae	Jaculus orientalis	Greater Egyptian Jerboa
		Jaculus jaculus	Lesser Egyptian Jerboa
		Jaculus hirtipes	Lesser Egyptian Jerboa
	Hystricidae	Hystrix cristata	North African Crested Porcupine
	Ctenodactylidae	Ctenodactylus gundi	North African Gundi
		Ctenodactylus vali	Thomas Gundi
		Massoutiera mzabi	M’zab gundi
LAGOMORPHA	Leporida	Lepus capensis	Cap Hare
		Lepus saxatillis	Crawshay’s Hare
		Oryctolagus cuniculus	Rabbit
MACROSCELIDAE	Macroscelidae	Petrosaltator rozeti	North African Sengi
MACROSCELIDAE	Erinaceidae	Atelerix algirus	North African Hedgehog
ERINACEOMORPHA	Erinaceidae	Paraechinus aethiopicus	Desert Hedgehog
SORICOMORPHA	Soricidae	Crocidura russula	Greater white-toothed shrew
		Crocidura whitakeri	Whitaker’s shrew
		Crocidura pachyura	North African white-toothed shrew
		Crocidura cossyrensis	North African lesser white-toothed shrew
		Suncus etruscus	Savi’s pygmy shrew
	Suidae	Sus scrofa	Wild Boar
	Cervidae	Cervus elaphus barbarus	Barbary Red Deer
	Bovidae	Addax nasomaculatus	Addax
		Ammotragus lervia	Barbary Sheep
		Gazella dorcas	Dorcas Gazelle
		Gazella cuvieri	Mountain Gazelle
		Gazella leptoceros	Slender-Horned Gazelle
		Nanger dama	Red Necked Gazelle
		Oryx dammah	Scimitar-Horned Oryx
	Delphinidae	Delphinus delphis	Short-Breaked Common Dolphin
CETARTIODACTYLA		Stenella attenuata	Pantropical Spotted Dolphin
		Grampus griseus	Risso’s Dolphin
		Stenella coeruleoalba	Striped Dolphin
		Tursiops truncates	Common Bottlenose Dolphin
		Globicephala melas	Long-Finned Pilot Whales
	Phocoenidae	Phocoena phocoena	Harbour Porpoise
	Physeteridae	Physeter macrocephalus	Sperm Whale
	Ziphiidae	Ziphius cavirostris	Cuvier’s Beaked Whale
	Balaenopteridae	Balaenoptera physalus	Fin Whale
	Balaenidae	Eubalaena glacialis	North Atlantic Right Whale

Order
Family
Number of Species
Erinaceomorpha
1
2
Soricomorpha
1
5
Chiroptera
7
26
Primate
1
1
Carnivora
7
21
Cétartiodactyla
9
20
Perissodactyla
1
1
Hyracoida
1
1
Rodentia
7
30
Lagomorpha
1
3
Macroscélidae
1
1
TOTAL
37
111

Table 2: Number of species by family.

Figure 2: _Miniopterus schreibersii_ ( Chiroptera). — Figure 2: *Miniopterus schreibersii* ( Chiroptera).

Figure 3: _Macaca_ _sylvanus_ (Primate). — Figure 3: *Macaca* *sylvanus* (Primate).

Figure 4: _Atlantoxerus getulus_ (Rodentia). — Figure 4: *Atlantoxerus getulus* (Rodentia).

Figure 5: _Paraechinus aethiopicus_ (Erinaceomorpha). — Figure 5: *Paraechinus aethiopicus* (Erinaceomorpha).

Figure 6: _Petrostaltor rozeti_ (Macroscelidae). — Figure 6: *Petrostaltor rozeti* (Macroscelidae).

Figure 7: _Ctenocdactylus gundi_ (Rodentia). (Photos: 1,2: Mourad Ahmim; 3 : Aissa Moali; 4: Tarek Messaoudi; 5,6: Algeria wildlife watching association). — Figure 7: *Ctenocdactylus gundi* (Rodentia). (Photos: 1,2: Mourad Ahmim; 3 : Aissa Moali; 4: Tarek Messaoudi; 5,6: Algeria wildlife watching association).

In Algeria there are 21 species of carnivores belonging to 7 families. The family with the most species is the family Felidae with 7 species, followed by that of Canidae and Mustelida_e which are represented by 5 species each, _Hyenidae by 2 species and other families, Viverridae, Herpesidae and Phocidae, present only one species. There are 26 species of bats belonging to 7 families. The family with the most species is the family Vespertilionidae with 13 species, followed by Rhinolphidae with 6 species. Two families are represented by 2 species are the Molossidae and the Rhnopomatidae, and the other 3 remaining families have only one species, they are Emballoneridaes, Hipposideridae and Miniopteridae. The order of the primates which is very important is represented by only one species.

There is only one Erinaceomorpha family in Algeria, this is the family Erinaceidae which is represented by 2 species as there is one family of Soricomorpha in Algeria, this is the family Soricidae which is represented by 5 species. Rodents are represented by 7 families. The largest family is Gerbillidae, which has 13 species, followed by Muridae with 8 species. Ctenodactylidae and Dipodidae are represented respectively by 3 species. The 3 other families are represented by a single species they are Sciuridae, Gliridae and Hystricidae. In Algeria there are 3 Lagomorphs belonging to a single family and there is only one species of Macroscelidae and only one species of Perissodactyla and Hyracoida. There are 20 species of Cetartiodactyls in Algeria belonging to 9 families, there are 2 well-represented families, those of Bovidae and Delphinidae with respectively 7 and 6 species. All other families are represented by a single species. According to the work of Cuttelod, et al. [3] there are 379 mammal species in the Mediterranean region belonging to 11 orders and 45 families. In Algeria there are 111 mammal species belonging to 37 families. In terms of species, the Algerian mammalian wealth represents 29,28% of the richness of the Mediterranean region, and in terms of families there exists in Algeria 82,2% of the families of mammals. 8 families belonging to 5 Orders of mammals of the Mediterranean region are absent in Algeria.

Distribution

According to Dray [7] the geographical area of distribution of a taxonomic unit such as a species, a genus, a family is the part of the surface studied where it is represented. This area consists in fact of more or less numerous elementary surfaces and close together where the considered unit is actually present. Many ecology studies are interested in range size patterns in relation to variables such as local abundance [6, 7, 8], latitude [8] and corporal [9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15]. For conservation programs, range sizes and their distribution according to species are paramount criteria in order to define the priority sites and species to be protected [4]. According to the same author, biogeography, ecology and statistics are related disciplines when analyzing data on the spatial distribution of species [4] (Table 3).

	Number of Species
Mammals of the desert zone	33
Mammals of the forest zone	21
Mammals of the mixed forest steppe zone	19
Mammals of the marine area	11
Mammals of the desert steppe forest zone	10
Mammals of the steppe zone	10
Mammals of the mixed steppe-desert zone	3
Mammals with wide territorial distribution	4
TOTAL	111

Table 3: Distribution of mammals according to large biogeographic sets.

Biology of Conservation

Wild mammals of Algeria are protected by IUCN and Executive Decree No. 12-235 of 3 Rajab 1433 corresponding to May 24, 2012 establishing the list of protected non- domestic animal species. All Erinaceomorpha are considered LC (Least Concern) and are protected by Algerian law All Algerian Soricomorpha are considered (LC) globally and regionally, except the species Paraechinus aethiopicus that is Data defiscient (DD). At the national level 2 species are protected: Atelerix algirus and Paraechinus aethiopicus. In Bats, conservation status differs between global and regional (Mediterranean) levels. At the global level, there is a Data Deficient (DD) species that is Rhinolophus clivosus. There are 20 LC species globally and 16 at the regional level, the NT (Near Threatened) are 3 species globally and 5 at the regional level. The vulnerable species are more numerous at the regional level: Rhinolophus euryale, R. mehelyi and Myotis capaccinii. There is only one species in Danger it is Plecotus kolombatovici. All species of bats are protected in Algeria.

The barbary Macaque is the only species of Primate of North Africa, it is a species classified in Endangered at the world level and at the regional level, and it is protected. For Carnivora most species are considered LC with 13 species at the global level and 09 at the regional level. The number of NT (Near Threatened) species come in second with 5 globally and 4 at the regional level. Only one species is believed extinct it is Crocuta crocuta. At the local level 12 species are protected by law. The Cetartiodactyla are mainly LC, with only Balaenoptera physalus. Being considered VU (Vulnerable) at the regional level. 3 species are EN (Endangered) at the regional level, Eubalaena glacialis, Physeter macrocephalus and Delphinus delphis. No species is protected by Algerian

law. The only Algerian Perissodactyla species is endangered at regional level and is not protected by Algerian law. Hyracoida are represented by a single species LC but it is protected by Algerian law, also this is the case of Macroscelidae. The vast majority of Rodentia are class LC (Least Concern), only one species is DD at regional level it is Ctenodactylus vali. Only 6 species are protected by Algerian law. Lagomorpha are LC at the regional level except Oryctolagus cuniculus which is NT at the global level. No species is protected by Algerian law (Tables 4 & Table 5).

Order
Number of
Species
EX
EW
CR
EN
VU
NT
LC
DD
Number of threatenedspecies
Erinaceomorpha
2
1
1
0
Soricomorpha
5
5
0
Chiroptera
26
3
5
17
1
3
Primate
1
1
1
Carnivora
21
1
4
1
1
4
10
6
Cetartiodactyla
20
2
8
4
4
2
12
Perissodactyla
1
1
1
Hyracoida
1
1
0
Rodentia
30
29
1
0
Lagomorphea
3
3
0
Macroscelida
1
1
0
TOTAL
111
1
2
4
11
8
9
71
5
23

Table 4: The IUCN RedList critera at the regional level.

Order	Number of species	EW	CR	EN	VU	NT	LC	Number of threatened Species
Erinaceomorpha	2						2	0
Soricomorpha	5						5	0
Chiroptera	26				2	3	21	2
Primate	1			1		3	21	1
Carnivora	21		3	1		5	13	3
Cetartiodactyla	20	1	1	5	3		10	9
Perissodactyla	1		1				10	1
Hyracoida	1						1	0
Rodentia	30						30	0
Lagomorpha	3					1	2	0
Macroscelida	1					1	1	0
TOTAL	111	1	5	6	5	9	85	16

Table 5: The IUCN RedList critera at the International level.

According to the IUCN criteria, all species classes CR (Critically Endangered), EN (Endangered) and VU (Vulnerable) are considered endangered species. In Algeria there are 16 globally threatened species and 23 species at the regional level. At the global level of the 111 species, 16 are threatened at a rate of 14.41%, the orders with endangered species are Cetartiodactyla (8 species), Carnivora (3 species), Chiroptera (2 species) and Primates and Perissodactyla with respectively one specie. Endangered species (EN) are the most numerous with 11 species, followed by Vulnerables (VU) and Critically Endangered (CR) with 5 species respectively. At the regional level of the 111 species, 23 are threatened with a rate of 20.72%, the orders with endangered species are Cetartiodactyla (12 species), Carnivora (6 species), Chiroptera (3 species) and Primates and Perissodactyla with respectively one specie. Endangered species (EN) are the most numerous with 6 species, followed by Vulnerables (VU) 8 species and Critically Endangered (CR) with 4 species.

Conclusion

For Schipper, et al. [15] a global strategy for mammals is urgently needed,” they warn, because a quarter of the listed species currently living in the wild are threatened with extinction, according to their estimates published in the journal Philosophical Transactions. “Until now, there is still no comprehensive, widely accepted global conservation strategy to deal with the decline of mammals. The Mediterranean region is considered one of the world’s “hotspots” (an area of great importance) due to its exceptional concentrations of biodiversity. However, the unique wealth of the region is in danger because biodiversity continues to decline very quickly due to human pressure which leads to the fragmentation, degradation and loss of habitat and the extinction of species. Algeria, a Mediterranean country and the largest country in Africa in terms of area, considered by its geographical location a crossroads between continents has a mammalian heritage represented by 111 species belonging to 11 orders and 37 families and there are 16 globally threatened species and 23 species at the mediterranean level. The mammals of Algeria needs to be more known for their conservation.

Acknowledgements

My warmest thanks to Mr. Robin Huff, who went to great lengths to proofread this manuscript. I also thank the reviewers who will only give importance to this modest work

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