11 Animal Species That You Probably Didn’t Know Exist In Lebanon
If you live in Beirut and far from the mountains, it’s oftentimes hard to imagine that there exists an ecosystem of wildlife that inhabit our beloved country along with us. From our national animal, the striped hyena, to lesser-known inhabitants like the loggerhead turtle and grey wolf, Lebanon is home to a beautiful array of exotic species. Here are some of the animals that share our home with us, and that are sneaky and elusive enough to have been overlooked by you before. Which, if any, have you been lucky enough to spot?
The Horned Owl
Hoo, hoo! The horned owl calls the Shouf mountains home.
The Fallow Deer
A common species from Europe, this cute type of deer was introduced to the region over ten thousand years ago, and can now still be found roaming and grazing in grasslands around the country.
The Gray Wolf
These majestic wolves roam around in the El Shouf Biosphere Reserve, other natural reserves around the country, and do so freely in some Lebanese forests.
The Striped Hyena
The national animal of Lebanon, these feisty dog-like creatures usually travel in packs and can be found in the country’s valleys and mountains. They often get a bad reputation, but have not been proven to pose any threats to humans, despite often being misunderstood as being aggressive, ferocious, and dangerous.
The Red Fox
A common animal around the world, the red fox also calls Lebanon home.
The Nubian Ibex
A desert-dwelling, mountain-loving wild goat species, this horned Ibex calls Lebanon’s mountains home, and can also be found grazing in the mountains of Algeria, Palestine, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Yemen, and Sudan.
The Syrian Brown Bear
Thought to be extinct as of 1958, the Syrian brown bear was spotted again in December of 2016 wandering in Lebanon’s snowy mountains.
The Greater Spotted Eagle
A large bird of prey, the greater spotted eagle can be found soaring the skies of the Bekaa Valley.
