This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Libya. There are ninety-seven mammal species in Libya, of which three are critically endangered, one is endangered, five are vulnerable, and one is near threatened. Two of the species listed for Libya can no longer be found in the wild.This list is derived from the IUCN Red List which lists species of mammals and includes those mammals that have recently been classified as extinct (since 1500 AD). The taxonomy and naming of the individual species is based on those used in existing Wikipedia articles as of 21 May 2007 and supplemented by the common names and taxonomy from the IUCN, Smithsonian Institution, or University of Michigan where no Wikipedia article was available.
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature: EX Extinct No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. EW Extinct in the wild Known only to survive in captivity or as a naturalized populations well outside its previous range. CR Critically endangered The species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild. EN Endangered The species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. VU Vulnerable The species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. NT Near threatened The species does not meet any of the criteria that would categorise it as risking extinction but it is likely to do so in the future. LC Least concern There are no current identifiable risks to the species. DD Data deficient There is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species.
Some species were assessed using an earlier set of criteria. Species assessed using this system have the following instead of near threatened and least concern categories: LR/cd Lower risk/conservation dependent Species which were the focus of conservation programmes and may have moved into a higher risk category if that programme was discontinued. LR/nt Lower risk/near threatened Species which are close to being classified as vulnerable but are not the subject of conservation programmes. LR/lc Lower risk/least concern Species for which there are no identifiable risks.
Order: Macroscelidea (elephant shrews) Often called sengi, the elephant shrews or jumping shrews are native to southern Africa. Their common English name derives from their elongated flexible snout and their resemblance to the true shrews. Family: Macroscelididae (elephant shrews) Genus: Elephantulus North African elephant shrew, Elephantulus rozeti LC
Order: Hyracoidea (hyraxes)
The hyraxes are any of four species of fairly small, thickset, herbivorous mammals in the order Hyracoidea. About the size of a domestic cat they are well-furred, with rounded bodies and a stumpy tail. They are native to Africa and the Middle East. Family: Procaviidae (hyraxes) Genus: Procavia Cape hyrax, Procavia capensis LC
Order: Proboscidea (elephants)
The elephants comprise three living species and are the largest living land animals. Family: Elephantidae (elephants) Genus: Loxodonta African bush elephant, L. africana North African elephant, L. a. pharaohensis extirpated
Order: Primates
The order Primates contains humans and their closest relatives: lemurs, lorisoids, tarsiers, monkeys, and apes.
Suborder: Haplorhini Infraorder: Simiiformes Parvorder: Catarrhini Superfamily: Cercopithecoidea Family: Cercopithecidae Genus: Macaca Barbary macaque, Macaca sylvanus EN
Order: Rodentia (rodents)
Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40% of mammalian species. They have two incisors in the upper and lower jaw which grow continually and must be kept short by gnawing.
Suborder: Hystricognathi Family: Hystricidae (Old World porcupines) Genus: Hystrix Crested porcupine, Hystrix cristata LC Suborder: Sciurognathi Family: Sciuridae (squirrels) Subfamily: Xerinae Tribe: Xerini Genus: Atlantoxerus Barbary ground squirrel, Atlantoxerus getulus LC Suborder: Sciurognathi Family: Gliridae (dormice) Subfamily: Leithiinae Genus: Eliomys Asian garden dormouse, Eliomys melanurus LC Family: Dipodidae (jerboas) Subfamily: Allactaginae Genus: Allactaga Four-toed jerboa, Allactaga tetradactyla DD Subfamily: Dipodinae Genus: Jaculus Lesser Egyptian jerboa, Jaculus jaculus LC Greater Egyptian jerboa, Jaculus orientalis LC Family: Spalacidae Subfamily: Spalacinae Genus: Nannospalax Middle East blind mole-rat, Nannospalax ehrenbergi LC Family: Cricetidae Subfamily: Arvicolinae Genus: Microtus Günther's vole, Microtus guentheri LC Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.) Subfamily: Deomyinae Genus: Acomys Cairo spiny mouse, Acomys cahirinus LC Subfamily: Gerbillinae Genus: Dipodillus North African gerbil, Dipodillus campestris LC Genus: Gerbillus Pleasant gerbil, Gerbillus amoenus DD Anderson's gerbil, Gerbillus andersoni LR/lc Lesser Egyptian gerbil, Gerbillus gerbillus LC Grobben's gerbil, Gerbillus grobbeni DD Pygmy gerbil, Gerbillus henleyi LC Lataste's gerbil, Gerbillus latastei DD Balochistan gerbil, Gerbillus nanus LC Lesser short-tailed gerbil, Gerbillus simoni LC Sand gerbil, Gerbillus syrticus DD Tarabul's gerbil, Gerbillus tarabuli LC Genus: Meriones Sundevall's jird, Meriones crassus LC Libyan jird, Meriones libycus LC Shaw's jird, Meriones shawi LC Genus: Pachyuromys Fat-tailed gerbil, Pachyuromys duprasi LC Genus: Psammomys Sand rat, Psammomys obesus LC Thin sand rat, Psammomys vexillaris DD Subfamily: Murinae Genus: Mus Algerian mouse, Mus spretus LC Family: Ctenodactylidae Genus: Ctenodactylus Gundi, Ctenodactylus gundi LC Val's gundi, Ctenodactylus vali DD Genus: Massoutiera Mzab gundi, Massoutiera mzabi LC
Order: Lagomorpha (lagomorphs) The lagomorphs comprise two families, Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pikas). Though they can resemble rodents, and were classified as a superfamily in that order until the early 20th century, they have since been considered a separate order. They differ from rodents in a number of physical characteristics, such as having four incisors in the upper jaw rather than two.
Family: Leporidae (rabbits, hares) Genus: Lepus Cape hare, Lepus capensis LR/lc African savanna hare, Lepus microtis LR/lc
Order: Erinaceomorpha (hedgehogs and gymnures)
The order Erinaceomorpha contains a single family, Erinaceidae, which comprise the hedgehogs and gymnures. The hedgehogs are easily recognised by their spines while gymnures look more like large rats.
Family: Erinaceidae (hedgehogs) Subfamily: Erinaceinae Genus: Atelerix North African hedgehog, Atelerix algirus LR/lc Genus: Hemiechinus Desert hedgehog, Hemiechinus aethiopicus LR/lc Long-eared hedgehog, Hemiechinus auritus LR/lc
Order: Soricomorpha (shrews, moles, and solenodons)
The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and solenodons closely resemble mice while the moles are stout-bodied burrowers.
Family: Soricidae (shrews) Subfamily: Crocidurinae Genus: Crocidura Cyrenaica shrew, Crocidura aleksandrisi LC Genus: Suncus Etruscan shrew, Suncus etruscus LC
Order: Chiroptera (bats)
The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals.
Family: Pteropodidae (flying foxes, Old World fruit bats) Subfamily: Pteropodinae Genus: Rousettus Egyptian fruit bat, Rousettus aegyptiacus LC Family: Vespertilionidae Subfamily: Myotinae Genus: Myotis Felten's myotis, Myotis punicus DD Subfamily: Vespertilioninae Genus: Eptesicus Serotine bat, Eptesicus serotinus LR/lc Genus: Nyctalus Greater noctule bat, Nyctalus lasiopterus LR/nt Lesser noctule, Nyctalus leisleri LR/nt Genus: Otonycteris Desert long-eared bat, Otonycteris hemprichii LR/lc Genus: Pipistrellus Egyptian pipistrelle, Pipistrellus deserti LC Kuhl's pipistrelle, Pipistrellus kuhlii LC Common pipistrelle, Pipistrellus pipistrellus LC Rüppell's pipistrelle, Pipistrellus rueppelli LC Genus: Plecotus Christie's big-eared bat, Plecotus christiei DD Canary big-eared bat, Plecotus teneriffae DD Subfamily: Miniopterinae Genus: Miniopterus Common bent-wing bat, Miniopterus schreibersii LC Family: Rhinopomatidae Genus: Rhinopoma Egyptian mouse-tailed bat, R. cystops Lesser mouse-tailed bat, Rhinopoma hardwickei LC Greater mouse-tailed bat, Rhinopoma microphyllum LC Family: Nycteridae Genus: Nycteris Egyptian slit-faced bat, Nycteris thebaica LC Family: Rhinolophidae Subfamily: Rhinolophinae Genus: Rhinolophus Geoffroy's horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus clivosus LC Mehely's horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus mehelyi VU Subfamily: Hipposiderinae Genus: Asellia Trident leaf-nosed bat, Asellia tridens LC
Order: Cetacea (whales)
The order Cetacea includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. They are the mammals most fully adapted to aquatic life with a spindle-shaped nearly hairless body, protected by a thick layer of blubber, and forelimbs and tail modified to provide propulsion underwater.
Species listed below also includes species being recorded in Levantine Sea.Update on the Cetacean Fauna of the Mediterranean Levantine Basin
Suborder: Mysticeti Family: Balaenopteridae Genus: Balaenoptera Common minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata LC Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus EN Blue whale, Balaenoptera m. musculus EN (possible) Subfamily: Megapterinae Genus: Megaptera Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae LC and CR (Arabian Sea population)Are humpback whales electing the Mediterranean Sea as new residence? Family: Balaenidae Genus: Eubalaena North Atlantic right whale, Eubalaena glacialis CR (possible) Suborder: Odontoceti Superfamily: Platanistoidea Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins) Genus: Steno Rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis DD Genus: Delphinus Short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis LR/lc Genus: Orcinus Orca, Orcinus orca LR/cd Genus: Pseudorca False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens DD Genus: Globicephala Long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas LR/lc Genus: Grampus Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus LC Genus: Stenella Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba DD Genus Tursiops Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus LC Family Physeteridae (sperm whales) Genus: Physeter Sperm whale, Physeter catodon VU Superfamily Ziphioidea (beaked whales) Family Ziphidae Genus: Ziphius Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris LC
Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)
There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition. Suborder: Feliformia Family: Felidae (cats) Subfamily: Felinae Genus: Acinonyx Cheetah, A. jubatus Northwest African cheetah, A. j. hecki Genus: Caracal Caracal, Caracal caracal LC Genus: Felis African wildcat, F. lybica Sand cat, Felis margarita NT Subfamily: Pantherinae Genus: Panthera Leopard P. pardus extirpated Family: Viverridae (civets, mongooses, etc.) Subfamily: Viverrinae Genus: Genetta Common genet, Genetta genetta LC Family: Herpestidae (mongooses) Genus: Herpestes Egyptian mongoose, Herpestes ichneumon LC Family: Hyaenidae (hyaenas) Genus: Hyaena Striped hyena, Hyaena hyaena NT Suborder: Caniformia Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes) Genus: Canis African golden wolf, Canis lupaster LC Genus: Lycaon African wild dog, Lycaon pictus EN Genus: Vulpes Rüppell's fox, Vulpes rueppelli LC Red fox, Vulpes vulpes LC Fennec, Vulpes zerda LC Family: Mustelidae (mustelids) Genus: Ictonyx Saharan striped polecat, Ictonyx libyca LC Genus: Mustela Honey badger, Mellivora capensis LC presence uncertain Least weasel, Mustela nivalis LC Family: Phocidae (earless seals) Genus: Monachus Mediterranean monk seal, Monachus monachus EN
Order: Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)