Survey of the Wild Mammalian Species In Misallatah Nature Reserve And National Park (MNRNP)

Date

2018-1

Type

Conference paper

Conference title

كتاب المؤتمر

Author(s)

Tarek Basher Mohamed Jdeidi
Ibrahim Elaaref Elkahwage

Pages

101 - 112

Abstract

Misallatah Nature Reserve and National Park (MNRNP), one of the most important of protected areas in Libya, it located about 87 kilometer southeast of Tripoli (13 50 45 E & 13 48 45 E - 32 37 15 N & 32 35 30 N). MNRNP was declared as a nature reserve and national park in 1998. The survey of mammals were conducted in 1000 ha of the MNRNP. Thirty five visits were conducted between August 2012 and January 2014. A total of 14 mammal species were identified and confirmed as present in the MNRNP. Those include Hystrix cristata, Ctenodactylus gundi, Lepus capensis, Mus musculus, Gerbilus campestris, Jaculus jaculus, Atelerix algirus, Pipistrellus kuhlii, Genetta genetta, Ictonyx libycus, Hyaena hyaena, Vulpes rueppellii, V. vulpes, and Canis aureus. Small mammals represented the most detected species: the rodents represent about 36%, while the carnivores represent 43% from the recorded species. The largest threat to the mammals of the MNRNP is burning fire either by visitors and/or adjacent land owners and rarely naturally occurring. Fires were occurred five times during this study. Hunting also have lead to serious threat to mammals in the MNRNP. The results presented clearly show that the MNRNP is an area of national and regional importance for the conservation of mammals, owing to its vast area, their mountainous nature, abyssal valleys, and the caves that lies in the difficult slopes which all are provided the required shelter and food. Key Words. Protected area, Mammalian fauna, Libya.