FAUNA AND FLORA :

Few countries in the Mediterranean region can match the variety and quality of the wildlife habitats to be found in Morocco. Vegetation zones provide a wide variety of habitat types from coastal cliffs, sand dunes, and estuarine marshlands, to the semi- arid and the desert areas of the south.

The Moroccan coastline  extends over 2200 miles , consisting of rocky scree and mountains dropping steeply to the sea , while the sandstone cliffs  of the Atlantic  shoreline  are punctuated by  beaches .The whole stretch has one of the richest concentrations of Moroccan  plants  and wildlife .Bordered by vast reed  beds  and , its broad  sand banks attract migrating  or overwintering  birds that  cross an area of traditional agricultural  land and nature reserves  that extend  to the shoreline , with its vast stretch of dunes,  cliffs and forests .Many places , due south  , look like a flat terrace with shallow , flat bottomed pools within a tracery of ridges .  Here seaweed grows in abundance, and fish and shellfish are a rich source of food for seabirds.

Moving inland to the high Atlas ranges , the  entire line consists of mountains of vast plateaus, deep valleys , almost bottomless canyons , craggy peaks and mountain tops eroded by wind and rain .The northern slopes are mainly forested with Holm oaks , thujas, cedars and Aleppo pines growing at mid-altitude .Higher-up, these are replaced by thuriferous juniper and then by plants growing  in cushion-like formations. The southern slopes, under the influence of the Sahara winds, have steppe-like vegetation, with a scattering of red cedar juniper dominating altitude.

Further north, cedar forest several thousand years old cover around 352.000 acres of the Rif , the high Atlas and the middle Alas. Some fine specimens of conifers  grow  very high up to 200 feet , and are prized for their  special wood.These dark forests provide shelter for a large number of macaques struggling to survive the last  leopards’ attacks , and  represent a perfect  and rich undergrowth for plants and flowers that thrive in this area. In the misty and arid regions of the high Atlas foothills and, to a lesser extent, at the foot of the Draa, grows an indigenous tree called Argan.In addition to its strongly scented, orange-coloured oil, the evergreen foliage of this endemic tree provides grazing for herds of goats.

Between the south - east and  north -east , the vegetation becomes typical of the steppe and arid regions .Dominated by Alfa grass  on the higher ground and sagebrush in the low-lying lands  , drier areas,  along wadis ,the steppes are teeming with life .Below ground , termites form the basis of the food chain  and add a potential  resource to the abundance of wildlife. The various insects, lizards and spiders lead a fierce existence avoiding birds and mammals, such as small rodents, gazelles, foxes and jackals.

True desert, however, has developed a wide variety of vegetation that ranges from the succulent plants that grow in the relatively damp oceanic belt to the desert flora of the drier, pre-Saharan parts. The Moroccan desert is indeed stony rather than sandy, having been formed from a vast rocky plateau. Sand carried by burning Saharan winds accumulates there and forms dunes .And between day and night wildlife keeps roaming  around the expanses  for shelter or food , while some nocturnal desert animals would move only to survive or to put up with the cold nights of winter.

MERJA ZERKA (blue lagoon):

Used by nomadic tribes to graze  on the dwarf palm  and the giant succulent  agave, this huge habitat  and the diversity of its vegetation  ensures a rewarding  bird watching .Besides the large numbers of waders , including a large colony of flamingoes , ringed plovers , black-winged stilts and black-tailed godwits, gulls and terns that roost  on the central island  are  worth the closest inspection. Night falls offer a chance to see several pairs of marsh owls that hunt over the grassland.

TAZZEKA national park:

Set between the Rif mountains and the middle Atlas , Tazzeka  slopes  are covered in cork oak , Holm oak and pink flowered  cistus  and braken , and represent a perfect environment for wildlife. Including  knapweed , Barbary skippers , the woodlands glades abound hoopoe ,wood pigeon , nuthatch , short toed tree creeper and numerous titmice .While driving out , brightly-coloured rollers  and great grey shrikes  and  woodchat  swoop  on  passing insects and lizards.

DAYET AAOUA:

This fresh water lake in the middle Atlas supports a wide variety of animals due to its suitable environment .Dragonflies and damselflies patrol the shallow waters where the green frogs  take refuge from drought. This diversity attracts all kinds of waders , wild flow , greb,grey heron cattle egret and fan-tailed-warbler use these reed beds as a cover to breed. When summer comes, the skies are filled with migrating swallows and martins, which permit regular sightings of acrobatic and spectacular birds of prey.

The verdant atmosphere of the cedar forest contrasting starkly with the surrounding aridity and barrenness of this range is a unique habitat for Barbary apes; itself is highlight to visit Morocco. This shy macaque lives of the margins and uses treetops as a lofty sanctuary to evade people’s intrusion.

In their domains, birds lead an exhilarating life in the forest; woodpeckers and booted eagles remain the highlight of these splendid spectacles.

Late May is a wonderful moment to watch blooming carpets of flowers .Pink peonies, scarlet dianthus, blue germander, golden compositae and numerous orchids make an ideal haven for a host of butterflies.

THE CEADR FORESTS (middle Atlas):

The verdant atmosphere of the cedar forest contrasting starkly with the surrounding aridity and barrenness of this range is a unique habitat for Barbary apes; itself is highlight to visit Morocco. This shy macaque lives of the margins and uses treetops as a lofty sanctuary to evade people’s intrusion.

In their domains, birds lead an exhilarating life in the forest; woodpeckers and booted eagles remain the highlight of these splendid spectacles.

Late May is a wonderful moment to watch blooming carpets of flowers.Pink peonies, scarlet dianthus, blue germander, golden compositae and numerous orchids make an ideal haven for a host of butterflies.

SIDI BOURHABA :

The large freshwater lake of sidi Bourhaba and its permanently present dragonflies and damselflies display a fantastic show of flight and colour accompanied by the vocal symphony of frogs  and toads from the  reed bed near the lake .The later, throngs with melodious warblers , crested  coots and marbled teal  ever alert to avoid marsh harriers and kites. Moroccan uses this reserve to educate young people to protect this rich heritage.

THE HIGH ATLAS:

The access to this area even to the most reluctant rambler, with a base during spring bloom on the lower slopes of the high Atlas comprises aromatic thyme and thorny caper and remains an ideal height for reptiles, butterflies and alpine flowers. Higher slopes are dominated by more resilient species such as the cushion like hedgehog -broom, spiny hare’s ear and spiny Alison, spurge and cotton thistles.

In this sparse vegetation, an important number of red-start, chaffins , finches  feed on the grassy slopes in flocks. Overhead, darting lanner falcon, bee-eaters and wheaters  add to the feeling of this abundance crowning in beauty when  lammergeyers , lords of these Berber skies , show signs over reefs and inaccessible rocky outcrops. Down to the regal valleys and their fantastic spread of hooped-petitcoat daffodils, romulea, bulbs and velvet orchids, birds such as shore larks , buntings , alpine accentors, redstarts and wheaters  draw stunning and happy valleys.

On the southern slopes  continuously linked to the desert  fringe  through grassy valleys and introducing an austere environment , dry but ideal for cold-blooded species. The climate conditions , too , are favourable for snakes , agama and lizards , while the grassy plains are usually recognized as  a homeland for Edmi gazelles , addax antelope and many small birds , falcons and buzzards. 

 DESERT:

The  fauna and flora of arid space of desert show  many species’ ingenious adaptations to these inhospitable environmental  conditions .In addition to the most usual creatures that appear in such conditions  such as reptiles , lizards , skinks , some typical mammals are often located by their tracks including jerboa , hedgehog and fennec( long-eared desert fox).

The scarcity of water does not allow vegetation to proliferate apart from the latex bush(cheggaga dunes) , tamarisk in wadis ,  lichens and algae that take up adequate  water  from dew. Yet, the barren expanses have an all-too-short spring bloom when it rains, and pink asphodels and mauve satice can be everywhere.

 THE SOUTH-WEST:

From the oued Souss and its northern banks, birdwatchers generally spot a variety of waders, wildflow , flamingo , spoonbill, ruddyshelduck, avocet, greenshanck  and curlew. Other banks have a decent number of migrant warblers and Barbary partridges.

Further south , oued Massa , holds the richest habitat mix in the country. Besides the early morning flocks of sand grouse, cranes, waders, godwit, turnstone, dunlin ,snipe and little crake,  the inland waters hem with sounds,  where nature genders feeding grounds for flamingoes, spoonbill, stork, stilt , and its skies are patrolled by marsh harrier and osprey.

The jewel of the reserve is one of the world’s rarest birds , bald ibbis. This unique bird is emblematic for a whole country. But more likely sightings in spring could be hoopoe, woodchat, shrike , orphean , sub-alpine and bonnelli’s warbler, bee-eater. While stone curlew , great grey shrike and serin are common in winter. In the skies , hovering kites ,griffon vultures and eagle fill the scenery  with a  thrilling paradise-like feel .

back...