New Data on the Chronological and Chorological Composition, Structure, Distribution, and Biology of the Conservation of Algerian Carnivora (Mammalia)

Study Area

Algeria, the largest country in Africa in terms of surface area with its 2,381,741 km2 has a coastline of 2,148 kilometers along the Mediterranean Sea and is administratively divided into 58 wilayas, or departments. It is made up of two distinct geographic regions: northern Algeria and southern Algeria. Northern Algeria is divided into seven ecoregions: the coastal zone, the eastern Tell, the central Tell, the western Tell, the Tellian Atlas, the highlands, and the Saharan Atlas, and southern Algeria is divided into seven ecoregions [26]: the xéric steppe and woods of the northern Sahara; the Western Sahara Desert; the Eastern Sahara Desert; the Southern Sahara Desert; the savannah Saharan acacia trees; the Eric montane forests of Western Sahara; and the flooded Saharan lymphatic grasslands and savannahs. The coastal zone is characterized by 2,148 kilometers of coastline with 32 islands and 208 islets. It is naturally bordered by the Outed Kiss in the Wilaya of Tlemcen to the west and the Oued Souani Es Sebaa in the Wilaya of El Tarf to the east [27, 28]. Ecologically, the steppe regions serve as a buffer between the north and the Sahara [29] (Figure 1).

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Data Compilation

To get an idea of the evolution of the carnivorous heritage chronologically and chorologically, we gave the number of old records (since the 18th century until 2017) and new records (from 2017 to 2024) for each species in order to have a global idea of their chronological evolution, and we have mentioned all the old and new contacts in the 58 departments that make up Algeria. We carried out an in-depth review of the scientific literature available on carnivores, and we did not think in terms of the number of individuals, but in terms of the number of times the species has been observed and where it has not been observed or not been observed.

The data for this study come from our own work and from various bibliographical references, including specialist works, field research, and information collected from colleagues and acquaintances. Additionally, valuable contributions from social media platforms like Facebook have contributed significantly to this work.

This highlights the crucial role of ICT (information and communication technologies) in the natural and life sciences. A key bibliographic source was used, that of Kowalski K, et al. [30] who wrote the first work, which covers all directly reported mammals of Algeria as well as data from raptor pellets or the remains of mammals that they had to analyze. Other sources come from museum archives and the work of Ahmim M [31]. From 2017 to 2024, we collected the new data from a variety of sources, including recent publications and work, our fieldwork, and social media. Regarding the data obtained from social networks, we had to carefully select, verify, and extract reliable data from different groups of wildlife photographers, including the well-structured WWA group (World of Wildlife in Algeria) and the Save the Wildlife Group in Algeria. A significant innovation is the use of the Moll portal (Map of Life, https://mol.org/), which offers updated information on the distribution of species by region based on data from GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility). From which we extracted all the data relating to wild mammals in Algeria from 2017 to 2024. The works of Haltenorth TH, et al. [32, 33] as well as Aulagnier S, et al. [34] were used to present the general characteristics of the different species studied.

Cartography

All species inventoried and described have been represented on a map, which gives chronological and chorological information on each species. The map contains the historical and updated distribution of each species. The historical distribution refers to observations made from the 18th century until 2017 and is represented by a circle on the map established by Ahmim M [35], and the updated data (from 2017 to 2024) are represented by squares. On the chorological level, each circle or square represents the place where the species was contacted in the 58 departments of the Algerian territory.

Data Analysis

We used ecological composition indices such as total richness (S) which corresponds to the total number of species making up a population; The frequency of occurrence (Constancy) F: It represents the ratio of appearance of a given species pi taken into consideration to the total number of records P: F(%) = pi × 100/ P (F(%): frequency of occurrence; pi: number of records containing the species i; P: total number of records. A species is said to be: Omipresent if F = 100%; Constant if 75% ≤ F ˂ 100%; Regular if 50% ≤ F ˂ 75%; Incidental if 25% ≤ F ˂ 50%. For the biology of conservation we had to consult the IUCN red List of threatened species; http://www.iucnredlist.org/; The criteria we used for our work come from version 16 of March

2024 [36]. Conservation and sustainable development site, particularly for Saharan species http://www.cons-dev. org/, DORIS underwater flora: http://doris.ffessm.fr/, GBIF: https://www.gbif.org/fr/country/dz/ and Mol: Map of Life : https://mol.org/

Richness

The Algerian carnivore heritage is represented by a richness estimated at 19 species, which are divided into 7 families: the felids with 6 species (31.57%), the mustelidae with 5 species (26.31%), the canids with 4 species (21.05%), and Viverridae, Herpestidae, Hyanidae, and Phocidae with 1 species (5.26%). There is only one fissiped carnivorous species: the monk seal, Monachus monachus (Table 1).

Data on the Chronological Records Evolution

The results of the evolution of carnivore sightings show that there have been a total of 1095 mentions or contacts from different localities, divided into 768 historical records (67.39%) and 357 recent records (32.60%) (Table 2).

Frequency of Occurrence by Family

The frequency of occurrence by family shows us that there is a big difference between the number of observations during the historical period and the recent period (Table 3 & Figure 2).

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Chorological Analysis by Species

The chorological analysis that corresponds to the distribution of different species by administrative department of the country gives us results that can guide us on the presence-absence of a species and this to better identify the regions that require better attention by wildlife managers for any given species. The results of this analysis are given in Table 5.

+ : New location ; = Historical record, =+ : Historical and recent record.. Species ( Ca : Canis anthus ;Fz : Fennecus zerda ;Vv : Vulpes vulpes ;Vr :Vulpes rueppellii ;Ll : Lutra lutra ;Mc : Mellivora capensis ;Mn : Mustela nivalis ;Mpf : Mustela putorius furo ; Il : Ictonyx libica ; Gg : Genetta genett ; Hi : Herpestes ichneumon ; Fm : Felis margarita ; Ls : Leptailurus serval ; Fl : Felis libyca ; Cc : Caracal caracal ; Pp : Panthera pardus ;Ajh : Acinonyx jubatus heckii ; Hh :Hyaena hyaena ; Mm : Monachus monachus ) . Departments ( 01 :Adrar ; 02 : Chlef ; 03 : Laghouat ; 04 :Oum El Bouaghi ; 05 : Batna ; 06 : Béjaïa ; 07 : Biskra ; 08 : Béchar ; 09 : Blida; 10 : Bouira ; 11 :Tamanrasset ; 12 :Tébessa ; 13 :Tlemcen ; 14 : Tiaret ; 15 : Tizi Ouzou ; 16 :Algeirs, 17 :Djelfa; 18 : Jijel ; 19 : Sétif ; 20 : Saïda; 21 : Skikda ; 22 : Sidi Bel Abbès ; 23 : Annaba ; 24 : Guelma ; 25 : Constantine ; 26 : Médéa ; 27 : Mostaganem ; 28 : M’Sila ; 29 : Mascara ; 30 :Ouargla ; 31 : Oran ; 32 :El Bayadh ; 33 : Illizi ; 34 :Bordj Bou Arreridj ; 35: Boumerdès ; 36 : El Tarf ; 37 : Tindouf ; 38 :Tissemsilt ; 39 :El Oued ; 40 : Khenchela ; 41 : Souk Ahras ; 42 :Tipaza ; 43 : Mila ; 44 : Aïn Defla ; 45 :Naâma; 46 : Aïn Témouchent ; 47 :Ghardaïa ; 48 : Relizane ; 49 :Timimoun ; 50 :Bordj Badji Mokhtar ; 51 :Ouled Djellal ; 52 : Béni Abbès ; 53:In Salah ; 54 :In Guezzam ;55 : Touggourt ; 56 :Djanet ; 57 :El M’Ghair ; 58 :El Meniaa.) Table 5: Data on the chorology and chorology analysis of species by administrative department.

Biology of Conservation

We used the IUCN Red List criteria as well as population trends for each species and the results are given in the tables to have a precise idea of the conservation status of the different species at the global level (Table 6) and at the Mediterranean level (Table 7).

The Chorological Analysis is given for Each of the Species of the Different Families

Family Canidae: The African Golden Wolf: Canis anthus [37]. Prior to 2012, the canid species believed to exist in Algeria was still considered to be Canis aureus, and Koepfli KP, et al. [38] report with strong evidence that African golden jackal populations represent separate, distinct monophyletic lineages. for over a million years. , sufficient to merit formal recognition as a different species: C. anthus (African golden wolf). In 2017, Viranta S, et al. [39] state that accepting the African wolf as a distinct species raises the question of the appropriate name for the species. Previous authors have alternated between C. lupaster [40, 41, 42] and C. anthus [40], including C. anthus. Cuvier F [37], takes priority but makes its status very unsatisfactory. The description and illustration of Cuvier’s [37] work are not sufficient to distinguish the two. As a result they consider C. anthus to be a nomen dubium and use C. lupaster as the African wolf’s name. In our opinion, more rigorous work on this species in Algeria is recommended because, on the ground, we see different forms, and it requires a good investigation throughout the territory.

This species has been contacted 172 times, including 96 times during the historical period and 76 times during the recent period. We note that there has been a drop in contacts of this species over time, and chorologically, it was distributed over 41 departments. It has not been observed since 2017 in 13 departments (Laghouat, Biskra, Tizi Ouzou, Algiers, Skikda, Sidi Bel Abbes, Mascara, Oran, El Tarf, Tipaza, Ain Defla, Timimoun, In Salah), but it was recently reported in 9 new departments (Oum El Bouaghi, Msila, Bordj Bouarreridj, Tindouf, Tissemsilt, Khenchela, Mila, Relizane, El Menea). It is an animal that has been observed a lot in the extreme south- east of the country, in the Hoggar and Tassili mountains, as well as in the central Sahara and near Bechar. Its area of expansion has expanded. In terms of conservation biology, it is considered LC (Least Concern) and has decreasing numbers according to the IUCN at the global level and in the Mediterranean region. In Algeria, it is generally poisoned by farmers, crushed on the roads, persecuted, and considered game by the authorities so it can be hunted (Figure 4). The Fennec Fox: Fennecus zerda Zimmerman Observed 47 times, including 40 during the historical period and only 7 times during the recent period. It occupied 9 departments, but it has not been observed since 2017 in 3 of them (Bechar, El Oued, and Touggourt). It was recently reported in 2 new departments (El Bayadh and Ghardaia); reported from 2000 to 2017 for the first time in the south-east of the country in the Hoggar Tassili region and near Naama; and in El Bayadh and Laghouat in the south-west. It is considered by the IUCN to be LC (Least Concern) with stable numbers, but in reality, its numbers are declining due to tourist hunting, especially when it is taken from its natural environment to become a pet or exhibition animal (Figure 5). The Red Fox: Vulpes vulpes Linnaeus, 1758: It is a species that has been contacted 116 times, including 34 during the historical period and 82 during the recent period. It is one of the rare species that has been no longer contacted during the period from 2000 to 2017. Reported from 30 departments, it has not been contacted since 2017 in 12 departments (Blida, Algiers, Guelma, Mostaganem, Msila, Mascara, Oran, El Tarf, Tissemsilt, El Oued, Relizane, Timimoun), and it has been reported in 8 new locations (Laghouat, Bouira, Djelfa, Setif, Constantine, El Bayadh, Bordj Bouarreridj, Mila). It occupies the same distribution area and is classified LC (Least Concern) with stable numbers, although in reality its numbers are decreasing due to poisoning by farmers and crushing on the roads (Figure 6). The Ruppel’s Fox: Vulpes rueppellii Schinz 1825: This is a species that has been contacted 24 times: 12 times during the historical period and 12 times during the recent period. It was present in 12 departments, but it was not contacted in 5 (Adrar, Biskra, Tarf, El Oued, Tipaza), and it has recently settled in 3 (Laghouat, Batna, and Illizi). Newly reported at the gates of the Sahara on the south side of the Saharan Atlas to the east (Msila, Batna, Oum el Bouaghi, Khenchela) and a new mention of its presence in Hoggar. In terms of conservation, it is classified as LC with stable numbers by the IUCN, but in reality, its numbers are declining [43, 44, 45, 46, 47] (Figure 7).

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Family Mustelidae and Herpestidae

The Eurasian Otter: Lutra lutra Linnaeus 1758, This is a species that has been contacted 38 times, including 33 times during the historical period and only 5 times. We notice a very significant drop in contacts with this species. It was reported from 13 departments of the country, and it has not been contacted since 2000–2017 in 8 departments (Chlef, Tizi Ouzou, Jijel, Annaba, Constantine, Mostaganem, Oran, and El Tarf), but it was reported recently in the departments of Sidi Bel Abbes in the west of the country and Djorf Torba in the southwest of the country. the IUCN class NT (Near Threatened) with decreasing numbers, and this reflects reality (Figure 8). The Honey Badger: Mellivora capensis Schreber 1776, This is a species that has been contacted 14 times, including 11 times during the historical period and only 3 times during the recent period. It is becoming rarer over time. She frequented 8 departments of the country, and she has not been observed since 2017 in 5 (Adrar, Bechar, Ghardaia, Beni Abbes, and El Menea). She was recently contacted from 2 new departments (Bordj Badji Mokhtar and In Guezzam), and it is reported for the first time in the extreme southwest of the Sahara at Tin Zaouatine (Bordj Badji Mokhtar) the IUCN class LC (Least Concern) with decreasing numbers, and this reflects reality (Figure 9). The Least Weasel: Mustela nivalis Linnaeus 1766, this is a species for which significant polymorphism is reported, although genetic analyses have shown that it is the same species and the presence of the ermine (M. erminea), which looks very similar to it. It has been contacted 34 times, including 26 during the historical period and only 6 recently, which shows that it is becoming rare. She occupied 20 departments, and she has not been contacted since 2017 in 14 (Blida, Tizi Ouzou, Algiers, Jijel, Setif, Skikda, Annaba, Guelma, Mostaganem, Oran, El Tarf, El Oued, Souk Ahras, Tipaza), and it was reported from 4 new departments (Djelfa, Sidi Bel Abbes, Bordj Bouarreridj, and Ain Defla). Its IUCN conservation status shows that it is an LC with stable numbers, but in reality, it is in decline throughout the country (Figure 10). The Domestic Ferret: Mustela putorius furo Linnaeus 1766, This is a species that was first reported in 2013 by Ahmim (2013), who found a non-domesticated and non-feral colony. Reported eight times, including one only during the historical period and seven recently. It occupied 7 departments and has not been observed since 2017 in 2 of them (Blida and Oran), and it has recently occupied 5 new departments (Tlemcen, Tiaret, Mostaganem, Tissemsilt, and Ain Temouchent). It is a newly reported species and appears to be widespread in the northwest of the country. The IUCN classifies it as an LC species with decreasing numbers; in reality, it is captured and domesticated for use in hunting rabbits and hares, especially in the western part of the country (Figure 11). The Libyan Striped Weasel: Ictonyx libycus Hemprich, Ehrenberg 1833, It has been reported 50 times, including 38 during the historical period and 12 recently. It occupied 21 departments of the country and has not been contacted since 2017 in 12 (Tlemcen, Algiers, Sidi Bel Abbes, Guelma, Medea, Mostaganem, Msila, Oran, El Tarf, Souk Ahras, Tipaza), and it was reported in 3 new departments (Batna, Biskra, and Saida). It keeps the same distribution area, with more appearances at the edge of the desert south of the western and eastern Saharan Atlas, but its numbers are declining, and the IUCN classifies it as LC with the variation in numbers being unknown (Figure 12). The Egyptian Mongoose: Herpestes ichneumon (Linnaeus 1758): It is the only representative species of the Herpestidae family. It is observed 68 times in total, including 49 times during the historical period and only 19 times since 2017. It occupied 23 departments of the country, and it has only been contacted since 2017 in 12 (Chlef, Oum El Bouaghi, Bejaia, Bouira, Tizi Ouzou, Skikda, Annaba, Guelma, Msila, Boumerdes, Tissemsilt, and Ain Timouchent), and it occupied 4 new departments (Jijel, Saida, El Bayadh, and Bordj Bouarreridj) while making an incursion into the north-west of the Sahara. In El Bayadh and Bechar. the IUCN class LC with stable numbers, but it is threatened in the long run by poisoning by farmers and crushing on the road (Figure 13).

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Family Viverridae and Hyaenidae

The Common Genet: Genetta genett (Linnaeus 1758): It is the only representative species of the Viverridae family. I was contacted 99 times, including 70 times during the historical period and only 29 times recently. She occupied 28 departments of the country, and she has not been contacted since 2017 in 13 departments (Blida, Tlemcen, Tizi Ouzou, Jijel, Annaba, Guelma, Constantine, El Byadh, Illizi, Boumerdes, Khenchela, Tipaza, and Ain Temouchent), and she occupied 7 new ones (Djelfa, Setif, Saida, Msila, Tindouf, Mila, and Naama). It tends to be observed more frequently in the north-west of the country, and the IUCN classifies it as an LC with stable numbers, but in the long term, it will be threatened because it is systematically poisoned by poultry farmers and crushed on the roads (Figure 14).

The Striped Hyena: Hyaena hyaena Linnaeus 1758, is the only species in the Hyaenidae family; it has been contacted 145 times, including 89 times during the historical period and 56 times since 2017. It occupied 39 departments of the country, and it has also been contacted since 2017 in 12 departments (Tebessa, Tizi Ouzou, Algiers, Guelma, Mostaganem, Msila, Mascara, Oran, Khenchela, Naama, Ghardaia, and El Menia), and it has been reported from 6 new departments (Chlef, Bouira, Bordj Bouarreridj, Boumerdes, Khenchela, and Ain Temouchent). It is the species most threatened with extinction in Algeria because each time it is reported, it is killed due to a lack of knowledge, especially for its use in witchcraft and by drug traffickers. The IUCN classifies it as NT (near threatened) with decreasing numbers worldwide and VU (vulnerable) with decreasing numbers regionally, and this status reflects reality because the rate of slaughter of this species is significant and no measure of actual conservation is taken at the local level (Figure 15).

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Family Felidae

The Sand Cat: Felis margarita Loche 1858, Reported only 27 times, including 19 times during the historical period and only 8 times recently. It occupied 13 departments of the country and has not been contacted since 2017 in 8 (Biskra, Djelfa, Ouargla, Tindouf, El Oued, Ghardaia, Beni Abbes), and it occupied 2 new localities (Adrar, Naama). It is a species that tends to move further and further north of the Sahara to Djanet, Adra, Bechar, and Naama. In terms of conservation, it is classified as LC (least concern) with the trend of numbers unknown at the global level and NT (near threatened) with unknown numbers also at the regional level. It is a rare species (Figure 16). The Serval: Leptailurus serval Schreber 1776, This species has not been observed for a long time. It has been reported 21 times, including 19 during the historical period and twice recently. It occupied 7 departments of the country until 2014, when it was only contacted in 5 (Bejaia, Tizi Ouzou, Annaba, Guelma, and Oran) and was absent in 2 departments that she occupied. There have been no new sightings of this species, although suspicions of its presence have been reported. The IUCN classifies it as LC with the trend of decreasing numbers at the global level and CR (Critically Endangered) with decreasing numbers, which is the case for Algeria (Figure 17). The Wild Cat: Felis libyca Schreber 1777, This species has been reported 55 times, including 39 during the historical period and only 16 times recently. She occupied 24 departments of the country, and she was no longer contacted in 15 (Blida, Bouira, Tebessa, Tizi Ouzou, Algiers, Saida, Annaba, Oran, Illizi, El Oued, Naama, Beni Abbes, and Djanet), and she has occupied since 2017 five new departments (Bejaia, Tiaret, Msila, Bordj Bouarreridj, and In Guezzam). It tends to be more widespread in Hoggar and Tassili. The IUCN classifies it as LC with the trend of unknown numbers at the global level and CR with unknown numbers at the regional level. It is a species that is rare in Algeria (Figure 18). The Caracal: Caracal caracal Schreber 1776: I have been contacted 60 times, including 48 during the historical period and only 12 times since 2017. He occupied 28 departments of the country, and he has not been contacted since 2017 in 19 of them (Chlef, Blida, Bouira, Tamanrasset, Tlemcen, Tizi Ouzou, Algiers, Jijel, Setif, Annaba, Guelma, Mostaganem, Msila, Oran, El Oued, Khenchela, Tipaza, Ain Defla, Beni Abbes), and he has since occupied 4 new departments (Bechar, Saida, El Bayadh, Tissemsilt). It is a species more abundant in the western highlands and the Western Saharan Atlas, especially in the Aures. The IUCN classifies it as LC and an unknown population trend at the global level, and NT and an unknown population trend at the regional level as well. It is a very rare species (Figure 19). The Leopard: Panthera pardus Linnaeus 1758, This species has been reported 25 times, including 24 during the period from the 18th century to 2017. From 2017 to the present day, it has only been reported once in Djanet on the basis of presence indices. During this period, she occupied 14 departments of the country, and she was no longer contacted in 12 (Bejaia, Bechar, Blida, Tizi Ouzou, Jijel, Annaba, Guelma, Constantine, Medea, El Tarf, Tipaza, and Naama) that she occupied, and it was mentioned in two new ones in Djanet and Hoggar-Tassili in 2005, where signs of presence were collected for analysis and confirmation. In terms of conservation, it is classified as VU (vulnerable) by the IUCN with an unknown population trend at the global level and Critically Endangered (CR) with a decreasing population trend at the Mediterranean level. In fact, it is a species that has not been observed in Algeria since 1960 (Figure 20). The Cheetah: Acinonyx jubatus ssp. hecki Hilzheimer 1913, It has been reported 38 times, including 34 from the 18th century to 2017 and 4 times from 2017 to the present. It occupied 11 departments of the country and was not reported in 8 of them (Laghouat, Djelfa, Bechar, Msila, Tindouf, El Oued, Naama, and Ghardaia), and it occupied

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Family Phocidae

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In terms of conservation biology, Algerian carnivores have the following population trends at the global level: Only one species is increasing, and that is Monachus monachus, which is the only marine carnivore. 6 species have stable numbers (Vulpes zerda, Vulpes rueppellii, Vulpes vulpes, Mustela nivalis, Genetta genett, and Herpestes ichneumon); 6 species are decreasing (Acinonyx jubatus heckii, Hyaena hyaena, Lutra lutra, Mellivora capensis, Canis anthus, and Mustela putorius furo); and 6 species whose numbers are unknown (Panthera pardus, Felis margarita, Leptailurus serval, Caracal caracal, Ictonys libycus, and Felis libyca) [43, 44, 45, 46, 47].

Species with stable, decreasing, and unknown numbers are represented, respectively, at 31.57% of the overall numbers. We note that 12 of the 19 species of Algerian carnivores have decreasing or unknown numbers, which represents 63.14. percent. At the Mediterranean level, no species is increasing in number; 7 have their numbers stable (Acinonys jubatus heckii, Vulpes zerda, Vulpes vulpes, Vulpes rueppellii, Mustela nivalis, Genetta genett, and Herpestes ichneumon), and 8 species are seeing their numbers decreasing (Leptailurus serval, Panthera pardus, Monachus monachus, Hyaena hyaena, Lutra lutra, Mellivora capensis, Canis anthus, Mustela putoruis furo); and 4 species whose numbers are unknown (Felis libyca, Caracal caracal, Felis margarita, and Ictonyx libycus). Based on the IUCN Red List criteria at international and regional (Mediterranean) levels, in terms of threat status and critically endangered species (CR) at the global level, Algeria does not present any species while it presents four species at the Mediterranean level There are three vulnerable species (VU) at the global level (Monachus monachus, Acinonyx jubatus ssp. heckii, and Panthera pardus) and only one species at the Mediterranean level (Hyaena hyaena); The least threatened species that are near threatened (NT) at the global level are 2 in number (Hyaena hyaena, Lutra lutra), and at the Mediterranean level we have 3 species (Lutra lutra, Caracal caracal, and Felis margarita), and the species that are of least concern (LC) at the global level are 14 at the global level and 10 at the Mediterranean level [53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59] (Tables 6 & 7).

Summary

New data on the composition, structure, distribution, and chronological and chorological conservation biology of Algerian carnivores (Mammalia). Information on the status of species at a regional scale is essential for effective conservation planning. Algeria, the largest country in Africa by area and with a large opening to the Mediterranean Sea, has a mammal heritage of 111 species, of which only 19 species, or 17.11%, are carnivorous, the majority of which they face threats. In this work, we offer a global vision of the country’s carnivorous heritage, with a comparison of its structure and composition according to a chronological evolution of the contacts established during a historical period (18th century-2017) and the most recent contacts (2017-2024). A chorological analysis is carried out with a distribution map with old and new locations throughout the territory for each species, with mention of the conservation status and heritage status. Our results show that there is a significant level of decreasing or unknown numbers in 12 of the 19 carnivore species in Algeria, representing 63.14 percent of the total. The conservation status based on the IUCN Red List criteria at the international and regional (Mediterranean) level shows that there are no CR (critically endangered) species at the global level, while four species are at the Mediterranean level. Endangered species (EN) are represented at the Mediterranean level by Acinonyx jubatus ssp. Heckii. There are three vulnerable species (VU) at the global level and a single species at the Mediterranean level; two are nearly threatened (NT) species at the global level and three at the Mediterranean level; and the species that are of least concern (LC) at a global level are numbers 14 at a global level and 10 at a Mediterranean level. All of these analyzes give us an overview of demographic trends and parameters for proper management and allow us to identify gaps in knowledge and priorities for research.