Amazing Animals Tunisia

Tunisia is a small North African country, situated between Algeria to the west, Libya to the east, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north. Historically it was the seat of the Carthaginian Empire, still remembered today for its rivalry with Rome. The coast of Tunisia has a mild Mediterranean climate and rich farmland, while the interior is mostly comprised of dry deserts and hills. One of the longest ranges is the Tunisian Dorsal or High Tell. It’s comprised of low rolling hills that extend from the Saharan Atlas mountains of Algeria. The country is also rich in wetlands and forests.

Official National Animal

Dromedary one-humped camel

Tunisia has 17 unique national parks to protect its natural wildlife, amongst them are two that are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Boukomine National Park is a short distance from the capital of Tunisia, Tunis. The park has Aleppo cedar and pine forests at the foothills of the Jebel Boukomine.

Here you can find mountain gazelles and Ethruscan shrews, the smallest mammals in the world.

Chambi National Park is located in the western Kasserine governorate The park is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve surrounded by the country’s highest peak, Mount Chambi.

Here one can find Barbary sheep, Cuvier’s gazelle, Egyptian vultures, peregrine falcons, Tunisian crossbills, Bonelli’s eagles, and many reptiles and snakes.

El Feijda National Park is located in the northwest governorate of Jendouba. The park consists of forests, mountains, natural springs, and lakes.

Visitors might be able to find Barbary stags, Barbary boars, African golden wolves, and other mammals here.

Ichkeul National Park was named after the nearby lake and is located just outside the city of Bizerte, near the northernmost point in all of Africa. This wetland area was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its importance as a winter bird sanctuary.

Among the most interesting birds here are the graylag geese, coots, and wigeons.

Zembra and Zembretta National Park encompass two Mediterranean islands located in the Gulf of Tunisia.

Officially declared an important UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1977, the park hosts thousands of migrating birds every year, including the threatened Mediterranean shearwater.

Native Animals

Addaxes are also known as screwhorn antelopes. These are a species of antelopes found in Tunisia. This antelope has been reintroduced to Tunisia (in Bou-Hedma National Park and Jebil National Park) and Morocco after being extirpated, and it is legally protected in the country.

African wolves are also known as the African golden wolves. They are a species of canine native to North and West Africa, northern East Africa, the Horn of Africa, and the Sahel. They're carnivorous predators which feed on invertebrates and mammals as big as gazelle fawns. This wolf plays a very important role in all of the North African cultures, where it is seen as untrustworthy.

Barbary stags are also known as African elks or Atlas deer. They are is a subspecies of red deer native to North Africa. It is the only surviving deer native to the continent, the other one having disappeared about 6,000 years ago. These deer inhabit the dense, humid forests of Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria.

Cape hares are also referred to as desert hares. They are a species of hares native to Arabia and Africa, and as far as India. These hares have white rings around their eyes. They make their homes in grasslands, bushveld, deserts, and semi-desert areas. Cape hatres are nocturnal herbivores that feed on shrubs and grasses. They run incredibly fast, and can only be outsped by one of its natural predators, the cheetah.

Dama gazelles are also known as mohoor gazelles and are a critically endangered species of gazelles native to the Sahel and the Sahara Desert in Africa. They inhabit the grasslands, mountain plateaus, and semi-deserts of Tunisia.

Fennec foxes are a small species of foxes that are native to the deserts of Northern Africa. They have large ears used for thermoregulation in one of the most extreme environments of the planet: the Sahara Desert. These foxes find prey by listening to their movement. They can survive very hot temperatures with little water and primarily feed on small mammals, birds, and insects.

North African elephant shrews are also known as North African sengis. They are a species of rodents native to Tunisia, Libya, Algeria, and Morocco as well. They inhabit the deserts and Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetated lands of Tunisia. They can be recognized by their lon, flexible snouts.

North African hedgehogs are also known as the Algerian hedgehogs. They are a species of mammals native to Tunisia, Spain, Morocco, Libya, Algeria, and Malta. These hedgehogs inhabit the Mediterranean conifer areas of Tunisia.

Servals are a medium-sized species of wild cats that are native to Africa.

Birds

Tawny eagles are a large species of birds of prey native to North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, the south-westernmost parts of the Arabian Peninsula, and the Indian subcontinent. They are a part of the booted eagles family and inhabit the semi-deserts, savanna plains, and desert steppes of Tunisia. These birds mostly feed on carrion.

Griffon vultures are also referred to as Eurasian griffons. They are a large species of Old World vultures that are native to southwestern Europe, northwestern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, northeastern Africa, the Middle East, and southwestern Asia. Griffon vultures are scaventers feeding on carrion.

Marine Animals

Rough-toothed dolphins can be found along the Mediterranean coast. They enjoy deep tropical and warm waters. These dolphins are social and gather in groupd os 10 to 20.

There are also bottle-nosed dolphins.

Along the coast you can sport Loggerhead sea turtles.