Megafauna Parks (W Palearctic)

The Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) is an African crocodile, the largest freshwater predator in Africa, and may be considered the second largest extant reptile in the world, after the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus). The Nile crocodile is quite widespread throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, occurring mostly in the central, eastern, and southern regions of the continent and lives in different types of aquatic environments such as lakes, rivers and marshlands. Althoug less ↑

The North African elephant (Loxodonta africana pharaohensis), a subspecies of the African savanna elephant, used to occur throughout North Africa until becoming extinct in Roman times. It was probably smaller than the savanna elephants south of the Sahara, the same size as African forest elephant. Loxodonta africana is extinct in the Western Palearctic and currently occurs in 0% of its original range in our region. less ↑

The Barbary macaque (Macaca sylvanus) is a monkey that occurs in the forests of northwestern Africa, with a small (re)introduced population in Gibraltar. During the interglacials this macaque or a closely related species occurred over a much wider range: remains that were identified to this species have been found in France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom. less ↑

The Hamadryas baboon (Papio hamadryas) lives in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, in the southwest of the Arabian peninsula. It is unknown whether the range of this species was formerly more extensive. Baboons were revered by Egyptians and historically occurred north up to the region of the Nile known as Upper Egypt, but it's not clear if the species occurred naturally further north in Egypt. No fossil or subfossil remains are known from this area, the Levant or northwestern Arabia. Current evidence seems to suggest this species still occurs in most of its original range in the W Palearctic. less ↑

The Northern giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) used to occur in Morocco, Algeria, Lybia and Egypt. The northwestern population went extinct around 600 AD in Morocco, supposedly due to the drying climate, which I personally don't find very convincing. As is almost always the case with very recent megafauna extinctions, it was probably the human practices that went along with the natural changes that pushed the species over the edge, e.g. starting fires, clearing vegetation, hunting and competition with livestock. The Giraffe is currently extinct in the W Palearctic and occurs in 0% of its original range in our region. less ↑

The reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), is a species of deer native to arctic, subarctic, tundra, boreal, and mountainous regions of northern Europe and Siberia. Three subspecies occur in the region: the Forest reindeer (R. t. fennicus), the Mountain Reindeer (R. t. tarandus) and the Svalbard Reindeer (R. t. platyrhynchus) of the high Arctic. There are a lot of domesticated reindeer herds in Sami territory in northern Scandinavia, which exclude wild reindeer in these areas. Wild reindeer currently occur in southern Norway (tarandus) and Finland and Russia (fennicus), where their ranges are much smaller than before. Reindeer used to occur in Scotland, as well. Wild reindeer occur in about 25% of their original range in the W Palearctic. less ↑

The Fallow deer (Dama dama) used to occur over much of temperate and Mediterranean Europe in the last interglacial. After the last ice age it was pushed into a refugium in Anatolia and Southeastern Europe. The Romans reintroduced them to many parts of their former range, where often the authorities treat them as a non-native species. A recent study (https://www.nature.com/articles/hdy201711) suggests Italian and Iberian populations, like the Anatolian ones, are the descendants of wild fallow deer, and not the result of ancient translocations. The Fallow Deer currently occurs in about 25% of its former range in our region, if we only count free ranging populations. less ↑

The European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), also known as the western roe deer, is endemic to the W Palearctic and occurs throughout most of Europe except for Ireland, and the far east where it is replaced by Eastern roe deer. It also occurs in northern Anatolia and the Caucasus east to Iran. While the Roe deer has been displaced from some places where it used to occur (mostly heavily urbanised areas), its range is by far the most intact of all w Palearctic ungulates. Probably occurs in more than 95% of its original range. less ↑

Cattle, in the form of Aurochs (Bos (taurus) primigenius) used to occur throughout the Western Palaearctic except for Northern Europe and the Saharan and Arabian deserts. Two subspecies used to occur in the W Palearctic: The Eurasian Aurochs (B. p. primigenius) and the North African Aurochs (B. p. africanus). Both are now extinct, but their domesticated form still occurs over much of their former range (and beyond). Wild-living cattle currently occupy less than 1% of their original range in our region, and all populations are the result of reintroductions. less ↑

The European bison or Wisent (Bison bonasus), used to occur throughout Europe except for the north. Three subspecies existed in the recent past, but only one survives today: (B. b. bonasus). The other two, Carpathian Wisent (B. b. hungarorum) and Caucasian Wisent (B. b. caucasicus) were hunted to extinction. European Bison went extinct in the wild in 1927, but some free ranging population have been established since. Wisent currently occurs in less than 5% of its former range and all populations are the result of reintroductions. less ↑

The Arabian oryx or white oryx (Oryx leucoryx) used to occur throughout the desert and steppe areas of the Arabian Peninsula. The Arabian oryx was extinct in the wild by the early 1970s, but was saved in zoos and private preserves, and was reintroduced into the wild starting in 1980. It currently occurs in less than 1% of its original range and all populations are the result of reintroductions. less ↑

The addax (Addax nasomaculatus), also known as the white antelope and the screwhorn antelope, is an antelope of the genus Addax, that lives in the Sahara desert. It was first described by Henri de Blainville in 1816. As suggested by its alternative name, this pale antelope has long, twisted horns - typically 55 to 80 cm (22 to 31 in) in females and 70 to 85 cm (28 to 33 in) in males. Males stand from 105 to 115 cm (41... less ↑

The Cuvier's gazelle (Gazella cuvieri) is a species of gazelle found in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. It is also known as the edmi. It is one of the darkest species of gazelle in coloring, due to its partial woodland habitat. It is sometimes placed in a separate genus, Trachelocele, from other gazelles, together with goitered gazelles and rhim gazelles. It is very rare in the wild with only 2000 individuals. less ↑

The Arabian gazelle (Gazella arabica) is a species of gazelle known from the Arabian Peninsula. Until recently, it was only known from a single lectotype specimen mistakenly thought to have been collected on the Farasan Islands in the Red Sea in 1825. A 2013 genetic study of the lectotype specimen revealed that skull and skin do not stem from the same individual but belong to two distinct lineages of the mountain gazelle (Gazella gazella), necessitating restriction... less ↑

The mountain gazelle (Gazella gazella) is a species of gazelle widely but unevenly distributed in Israel, Lebanon, the Golan Heights, Iran and Turkey. It inhabits mountains, foothills, and coastal plains. Its range coincides closely with that of the acacia trees that grow in these areas. It is mainly a grazing species, though this varies with food availability. It is less well adapted to hot, dry conditions than the Dorcas gazelle, which appears to have replaced the... less ↑

The dorcas gazelle (Gazella dorcas), also known as the ariel gazelle, is a small and common gazelle. The dorcas gazelle stands about 55–65 cm (1.8-2.1 ft) at the shoulder, with a head and body length of 90–110 cm (3-3.6 ft) and a weight of 15–20 kg (33-44 lb). The numerous subspecies survive on vegetation in grassland, steppe, wadis, mountain desert and in semidesert climates of Africa and Arabia. About 35,000 - 40,000 exist in the wild. The extinct Saudi gazelle from the... less ↑

The goitered or black-tailed gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) is a gazelle found in northern Azerbaijan, eastern Georgia, Iran, parts of Iraq and southwestern Pakistan, UAE, southeastern Turkey, Afghanistan, and in Uzbekistan and the Gobi Desert. The specific name, meaning "full below the throat", refers to the male having an enlargement of the neck and throat during the mating season. less ↑

The dama gazelle, addra gazelle, or mhorr gazelle (Nanger dama, formerly Gazella dama) is a species of gazelle. It lives in Africa in the Sahara desert and the Sahel. This critically endangered species has disappeared from most of its former range due to overhunting and habitat loss, and natural populations only remain in Chad, Mali, and Niger. Its habitat includes grassland, shrubland, semi-deserts, open savanna and mountain plateaus. Their diets includes grass less ↑

The chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) is a species of goat-antelope native to mountains in Europe, including the European Alps, the Pyrenees, the Carpathians, the Tatra Mountains, the Balkans, parts of Turkey, the Caucasus, and the Apennines. The chamois has also been introduced to the South Island of New Zealand. Some subspecies of chamois are strictly protected in the EU under the European Habitats Directive. less ↑

The Pyrenean chamois (French: izard or isard, Spanish: rebeco or gamuza, Catalan: isard, Italian: camoscio, Aragonese: sarrio or chizardo), Rupicapra pyrenaica, is a goat antelope that lives in the Pyrenees, Cantabrian Mountains and Apennine Mountains. It is one of the two species of the genus Rupicapra, the other being the Chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra. It is in the Caprinae subfamily of bovids, along with sheep and goats. less ↑

The Alpine ibex (Capra ibex), also known as the steinbock or bouquetin, is a species of wild goat that lives in the mountains of the European Alps. It is a sexually dimorphic species with larger males who carry larger, curved horns. The coat colour is typically brownish grey. Alpine ibex tend to live in steep, rough terrain above the snow line. They are also social, although adult males and females segregate for most of the year,... less ↑

The Nubian ibex (Capra nubiana) is a desert-dwelling goat species found in mountainous areas of Algeria, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Yemen, Lebanon and Sudan. It is generally considered to be a subspecies of the Alpine ibex (Capra ibex), but is sometimes considered specifically distinct (Capra nubiana). The wild population is estimated at 1,200 individuals. less ↑

The Iberian ibex, Spanish ibex, Spanish wild goat, or Iberian wild goat (Capra pyrenaica) is a species of ibex with four subspecies. Of these, two can still be found on the Iberian Peninsula, but the remaining two are now extinct. The Portuguese subspecies became extinct in 1892 and the Pyrenean subspecies became extinct in 2000. An ongoing project to clone to the Pyrenean subspecies resulted in one clone being born alive in January 2009. This is... less ↑

The East Caucasian tur or Daghestan tur (Capra caucasica cylindricornis) is a mountain-dwelling caprine found only in the eastern half of the Greater Caucasus Mountains. The East Caucasian tur lives in rough mountainous terrain, where it eats mainly grasses and leaves and is preyed upon by wolves and lynxes. It is sometimes considered a subspecies of the West Caucasian tur, and sometimes as a full species in its own right. The species is listed as Near... less ↑

The wild boar (Sus scrofa), a..... After being extirpated from many regions, the wild boar now occurs in most if its former range again, although in many areas densities are still artificially low due to over-hunting. The largest areas still devoid of boars are the British Isles and eastern North Africa.
Wild boar currently occurs in ~90% of its former range in the Western Palearctic. less ↑

The North African white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium mauritanicum) used to occur in savannah-type landscapes north of the Sahara in Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. The species is now extinct, but its sister taxon, the White rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) still exists in southern Africa. It may have disappeared due to savannah habitat becoming scarce in the Maghreb, but there's a good chance human pressures necked the species. And as always with these things, maybe the savannah disappeared because the megafauna that kept it intact disappeared, instead of the other way around. It's always difficult to determine what's the chicken and what's the egg in these coincidal landscape changes/megafauna extinctions. The White rhinoceros is currently extinct in our region and occurs in 0% of its former range in the W Palearctic. less ↑

The Onager (Equus hemionus), also known as Asiatic wild ass, used to occur throughout much of the W Palearctic, with the exception of North Africa and northern Europe. Two subspecies, both now extinct, occured in the region: the European wild ass (E. h. hydruntinus) in Europe and Anatolia, east to Iran, and the Syrian Wild Ass (E. h. hemippus) in the Middle East. Wild ass currently occur in less than 1% of their original range in our region and all populations are the result of reintroductions. less ↑

The African wild ass or African wild donkey (Equus africanus) is critically endangered and only a few individuals survive in the wild in Ethiopia and Eritrea. Formerly, the ass was distributed over the more habitable parts of Northern Africa, and perhaps in the stony parts of the Sahara as well. Wild asses avoid sandy deserts. Two subspecies used to occur in our region, the extinct Atlas Wild Ass (E. a. atlanticus) in the west and the most likely also extinct Nubian Wild Ass (E. a. africanus) in the east. African Wild Asses currently occur in 0% of their original range within the region. less ↑

The wild horse (Equus ferus) was one of the most widespread herbivores native to Europe. They occurred throughout, from the semi-deserts in the south to the frozen steppes of the north. The last wild horses in Europe went extinct in the 19th century. Wild-living domesticated horses are now increasingly being used as proxy for the wild horse in nature projects throughout Europe. The next step would be wild status and free-roaming herds established back into the landscape. less ↑

The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a hypercarnivorous bear whose native range lies largely within the Arctic Circle, encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is a large bear, approximately the same size as the omnivorous Kodiak bear (Ursus arctos middendorffi). A boar (adult male) weighs around 350–700 kg (772–1,543 lb), while a sow (adult female) is about half that size. Polar bears are the largest land carnivores currently in exis less ↑

The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), also known as the European otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter, and Old World otter, is a semiaquatic mammal native to Eurasia. The most widely distributed member of the otter subfamily (Lutrinae) of the weasel family (Mustelidae), it is found in the waterways and coasts of Europe, many parts of Asia, and parts of northern Africa. The Eurasian otter has a diet mainly of fish, and is strongly territorial. It is... less ↑

The honey badger (Mellivora capensis), also known as the ratel (/ˈreɪtəl/ or /ˈrɑːtəl/), is the only species in the mustelid subfamily Mellivorinae and its only genus Mellivora. It is native to Africa, Southwest Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. Despite its name, the honey badger does not closely resemble other badger species; instead, it bears more anatomical similarities to weasels. It is classed as Least Concern rather than a threatened species by the less ↑

The European badger (Meles meles) also known as the Eurasian badger or simply badger, is a species of badger in the family Mustelidae and is native to almost all of Europe and some parts of West Asia. Several subspecies are recognized; the nominate subspecies (Meles meles meles) predominates over most of Europe. The European badger is classified as being of least concern by the IUCN as it has a wide range and a large population size less ↑

The spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta), also known as the laughing hyena, is a species of hyena, currently classed as the sole member of the genus Crocuta, native to Sub-Saharan Africa. It is listed as being of least concern by the IUCN on account of its widespread range and large numbers estimated between 27,000 and 47,000 individuals. The species is, however, experiencing declines outside of protected areas due to habitat loss and poaching. The species may have... less ↑

The striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) is a species of hyena native to North and East Africa, the Middle East, the Caucasus, Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. It is listed by the IUCN as near-threatened, as the global population is estimated to be under 10,000 mature individuals which continues to experience deliberate and incidental persecution along with a decrease in its prey base such that it may come close to meeting a continuing decline of 10%... less ↑

The tiger (Panthera tigris) is the largest cat species, most recognizable for their pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with a lighter underside. The species is classified in the genus Panthera with the lion, leopard, jaguar, and snow leopard. Tigers are apex predators, primarily preying on ungulates such as deer and bovids. They are territorial and generally solitary but social animals, often requiring large contiguous areas of habitat that support their p less ↑

The leopard (Panthera pardus) /ˈlɛpərd/ is one of the five species in the genus Panthera, a member of the Felidae. The leopard occurs in a wide range in sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia and is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because leopard populations are threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, and are declining in large parts of the global range. In Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuwait, Syria, Libya, Tunisia and most likely in... less ↑

The cheetah /ˈtʃiːtə/ (Acinonyx jubatus) is a large felid of the subfamily Felinae that occurs mainly in eastern and southern Africa and a few parts of Iran. The only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, the cheetah was first described by Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber in 1775. The cheetah is characterised by a slender body, deep chest, spotted coat, a small rounded head, black tear-like streaks on the face, long thin legs and a long... less ↑

The caracal (Caracal caracal) is a medium-sized wild cat native to Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and India. The caracal is characterised by a robust build, long legs, a short face, long tufted ears and long canine teeth. Its coat is uniformly reddish tan or sandy, while the ventral parts are lighter with small reddish markings. It reaches 40–50 cm (16–20 in) at the shoulder and weighs 8–18 kg (18–40 lb). It was first scientifically described by German naturalist... less ↑

The serval /ˈsɜːrvəl/ (Leptailurus serval), also known as the tierboskat, is a wild cat found in Africa. It is the sole member of the genus Leptailurus and was first described by German naturalist Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber in 1776. Eighteen subspecies are recognised. The serval is a slender, medium-sized cat that stands 54–62 cm (21–24 in) at the shoulder and weighs 9–18 kg (20–40 lb). It is characterised by a small head, large ears, a golden-yellow to buff less ↑

The Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) is a medium-sized cat native to Siberia, Central, East, and Southern Asia, North, Central and Eastern Europe. It has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List since 2008 as it is widely distributed, and most populations are considered stable. Eurasian lynx have been re-introduced to several forested mountainous areas in Central and Southeastern Europe; these re-introduced subpopulations are small, less than 200 animals. less ↑

The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus), so called because by the time it was named people had already forgotten it used to occur outside of the Iberian peninsula as well. To what extent is not entirely clear, Iberian lynx had lived in Europe for about a million years before Eurasian lynx colonized the continent ~500.000 years ago. From that point on it becomes hard to confidently assign fossil finds to either species. The Iberian lynx has occurred further north into central Europe in the past, but it is unknown if it still did when Eurasian Lynx arrived. We don't know if the two species could live together, or if the Iberian lynx was pushed back to the range shown on the map. Iberian Lynx is endemic to the W Palearctic and endangered, and currently occurs in ~5% of its former range. less ↑

The jungle cat (Felis chaus), also called the reed cat or swamp cat, is a medium-sized cat native to the Middle East, South and Southeast Asia and southern China. It is a member of the genus Felis and was first described by Johann Anton Güldenstädt in 1776. Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber gave the jungle cat its present binomial name and is therefore generally considered as binomial authority. Ten subspecies are recognised at present. less ↑

The Gray wolf (Canis lupus),....
The Gray wolf currently occurs in ~75% of its former range in the W Palearctic after being extirpated from vast areas, although almost everywhere at artificially low densities. The wolf has recolonized western Europe at breakneck speeds the last couple of decades. Large parts of France and Germany have been recolonized and even Belgium and the Netherlands are now permanently inhabited by wolves. If protection is upheld and enforced, the wolf should have no problem returning everywhere except for the British Isles, where human reintroduction would be necessary. less ↑

The African golden wolf (Canis anthus), also known as the Egyptian jackal or grey jackal, is a canid native to north and northeastern Africa. The species is the descendant of a genetically admixed canid of 72% grey wolf and 28% Ethiopian wolf ancestry. The species is common in northwest and northeast Africa, occurring from Senegal to Egypt in the east, in a range including Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya in the north to Nigeria, Chad and less ↑

The Dhole or Asiatic wild dog (Cuon alpinus) used to occur over much of central and western Europe in the interglacials. Fossils of late Pleistocene age have been found in Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, on the Riviera and in the Caucasus. Dholes may have survived in Iberia until the early Holocene. Dholes are currently extinct in the region and occur in 0% of their former range in the W Palearctic. less ↑

The golden jackal (Canis aureus) is a wolf-like canid that is native to Southeast Europe, Southwest Asia, South Asia, and regions of Southeast Asia. Compared with the Arabian wolf, which is the smallest of the gray wolves (Canis lupus), the jackal is smaller and possesses shorter legs, a shorter tail, a more elongated torso, a less-prominent forehead, and a narrower and more pointed muzzle. The golden jackal's coat can vary in color from a pale creamy... less ↑

The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the order Carnivora, being present across the entire Northern Hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, North America and Eurasia. It is listed as least concern by the IUCN. Its range has increased alongside human expansion, having been introduced to Australia, where it is considered harmful to native mammals and bird populations. Due to... less ↑

Rüppell's fox (Vulpes rueppellii), also spelled Rueppell's fox, is a species of fox living in North Africa, the Middle East, and southwestern Asia. It is named after the German naturalist Eduard Rüppell. This fox is also called the sand fox, but this terminology is confusing because the corsac fox (V. corsac) and the Tibetan sand fox (V. ferrilata) are also known as "sand foxes". less ↑

The Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) was hunted to near-extinction for both its fur and castoreum; and by 1900, only 1200 beavers survived in eight relict populations in Europe and Asia. Reintroduced through much of its former range, it now occurs from Great Britain to China and Mongolia, although it is still absent from Italy, Portugal, the southern Balkans, and the Middle East. In Finland lives an introduced population of American beaver. Eurasian beaver currently occurs in ~50% of its former range in the W Palearctic. less ↑

The alpine marmot (Marmota marmota) is a species of marmot found in mountainous areas of central and southern Europe. Alpine marmots live at heights between 800 and 3,200 metres in the Alps, Carpathians, Tatras, the Pyrenees and Northern Apennines in Italy. They were reintroduced with success in the Pyrenees in 1948, where the alpine marmot had disappeared at end of the Pleistocene epoch. They are excellent diggers, able to penetrate soil that even a pickaxe would... less ↑

The European hare (Lepus europaeus), also known as the brown hare, is a species of hare native to Europe and parts of Asia. It is among the largest hare species and is adapted to temperate, open country. Hares are herbivorous and feed mainly on grasses and herbs, supplementing these with twigs, buds, bark and field crops, particularly in winter. Their natural predators include large birds of prey, canids and felids. They rely on high-speed endurance running... less ↑