Morocco animals
Morocco animals is as varied as the country’s topography, climate, and geography. The Sahara desert of Morocco contains both plants and trees. Animals that have adapted to this unusual habitat of rough terrain, little rain (100mm or less yearly), temperatures above 50°F in the summer, and extremely cold nights in the winter. Animals that are native to the Sahara desert environment were granted an exception in this one-of-a-kind Morocco animals. Some of these desert-dwelling Moroccan species are extinct or fully wild. It is uncommon to see this unusual Moroccan desert fauna.
There is a remarkably large variety of Sahara desert flora that inhabits the area around the dunes in Morocco’s Sahara desert, such as those at Erg Chebbi and Erg Chegaga.
The best way to view wildlife in the Sahara desert, in our opinion, is by walking or Sahara camel trekking. Keep an eye out and don’t be scared to ask your guide to stop for you if you spot a Moroccan animal if you’ve chosen to spend more time in the Sahara desert while visiting Morocco.
On a tour of the Moroccan desert, you may frequently see the following animals:
Dr. Camel’s Tale
This wonderful Morocco animals was formerly the major mode of transportation in the desert for many years since it can survive without water for a few days, making it the perfect animal to handle the harsh conditions of the desert. Today, one of the options for desert excursions in Morocco is riding camels.
Morocco animals: Beetles
Have you ever seen a footprint on the sand? Keeping tabs on this tiny creature that wanders the sand dunes is a major goal. In Saharan nature, beetles are common. Regardless of the type of desert tour you took to Erg Chebbi, beetles are common in Moroccan dune systems.
Wild ground squirrel
It is the only species to exist in North Africa, and because it prefers rocky terrain, you may find it there as well as in the Anti Atlas Mountains and little rocky oasis in the Sahara. Almonds and Argan are two of the main fruits and seeds consumed by this squirrel.
Spiny-tailed lizard of the Moroccan desert
The southeast of Morocco is home to several individuals of this species of lizard, also referred to as Uromastyx. Despite occasionally eating insects and other small animals, they are primarily herbivorous. Since Uromastyx prefer to live in a mountainous, rocky environment and enjoy the sun during the spring and summer, they are simple to spot in the Sahara.
Like many reptiles, this lizard’s color changes depending on the weather; in the winter, it seems dull and black, but in the summer, it appears lighter (green and orange at times).
Despite existing in the Sahara desert, animals are hard to come by:
Desert fox/fennec
Amazigh for “desert fox” is Qrchan. This adorable species of Morocco animals can be found in several regions of the Sahara desert in Morocco. They prefer to travel more at night, which makes it challenging to spot them during the day. The cream-colored desert fox in Morocco has a coat that reflects sunlight. The fennec consumes insects, reptiles, and small Morocco animals while living underground.
On your Sahara desert tour, you will get the chance to see them because kids frequently keep them as pets in Erg Chebbi.
striped polecat from the Sahara
It is also referred to as the Saharan striped weasel and is known to locals in the Moroccan desert by the name Tadghagha. The idea that this species could endure in such a hostile environment is difficult to accept, but it is on the list of species that are in danger of going extinct and is becoming less common. One of the African Nocturna that is getting more and more challenging to view is the striped polecat.
The Saharan striped polecat enjoys a steppe-like environment and dwells in mountain ranges, arid, stony terrain, and sandy semi-deserts.
Morocco animals: Skink of Berber (Sandfish)
Likewise called sandfish The majority of desert dwellers call it Tashershmant due of its remarkable capacity for swimming within sand dunes. After a few hours of sand-walking, it’s simple to find this tiny desert creature.
Snake with horns from the Sahara
They are small (30–60 cm) and hide in the sand to avoid the heat while ambushing their prey, which includes lizards and small mammals. They can make a sound by rubbing their coils together when they’re scared. Like other snakes, the desert horned snake blends in with its environment. They frequently travel at night during the spring and summer.
Morocco animals: sand mice (Idwi or Jerboa)
One of the most prevalent mice in the sand dunes of Morocco, they have a long tail, short front legs, and large hind legs, giving them the appearance of little kangaroos. Kangaroos and jarboas both hop and saltate when they move. They stay in their burrows throughout the day and are usually active at night. These are the kinds of creatures that trekkers in Morocco’s Chegaga Dunes and Erg Chebbi frequently encounter.
Arabesque Hedgehog
one of the desert mammals of Morocco. It is the tiniest hedgehog, with a length of 140 to 280 cm (5,5 to 11 inches). Although road traffic is suspected to be reducing the population of hedgehogs in some locations, they are not an endangered species internationally.
Up to six young can be born to a female hedgehog, and they are born blind and blingy with their quills buried under their skin to protect the mother during birth. The quills appear shortly after birth, but it takes them around 20 days to open their eyes. A unusual creature that only moves at night in the Sahara desert is the hedgehog.
Morocco animals: lizard of the desert
one of the Sahara Desert’s most threatened species in Morocco. They can be grey to vivid orange in color and are normally between one and two meters long.
Additional Threatened Morocco animals:
The aforementioned are a few of our favorite species that may be found in Morocco’s Sahara desert. A few of them are in grave danger. We are unable to fully describe the diverse fauna of the Sahara, but we do want to make visitors to Morocco aware of the endangered species there by giving them a list of them. The last one needs to be saved and protected. The number of natural creatures in Morocco’s Sahara desert and Atlas Mountains is steadily decreasing as a result of global climate change, excessive grazing, and excessive hunting. Here are a few more Moroccan creatures that are endangered.
- Golden wolf desert cat from Africa.
- Gazelles.
- Palm rats and rabbits.
- The Barbary apes.
- Genets, who primarily inhabit the Atlas Mountains ( they live mostly in the Atlas mountains ).
- shrew of the elephant.
- Golden Jackal
- The Berber frog.