Morocco offers its lucky visitors a truly extraordinary variety of wildlife. This natural wealth comes from the range of ecosystems the country has to offer, from the Atlas Mountains to the Sahara Desert, not to mention Mediterranean forests and the Atlantic coast.
The result is a surprising array of animals that organized tours in this North African country will let you admire safely.
Dromedary
The first animal we’ll look at in this guide to Morocco’s typical wildlife is the dromedary, the symbol of the Moroccan desert.
This ungulate is perfectly adapted to the harsh desert environment, partly thanks to its hump, which acts as a fat reserve. Up to 2 meters (about 6.5 feet) tall and long-lived (it can live over 40 years), it’s essential to local Berber culture, so much so that it’s still used today as a means of transport in the desert.
Gazelle
Cuvier’s gazelle is another typical Moroccan animal, endemic to North Africa. It’s found mainly in the mountainous regions of the Atlas and can be recognized by its light brown back and white belly.
Sadly, it’s an increasingly endangered animal, and year after year its conservation is more at risk. Its body is perfectly suited to its environment: it’s agile on rocky terrain and can survive even when water is scarce.
Jackal
Morocco’s golden jackal (today classified as the African golden wolf) is a predator found in various parts of the country. Intelligent and adaptable, it lives in permanent monogamous pairs and eats everything from small mammals to fruit. This voracious appetite makes it particularly useful for keeping rodent populations in check.
Eagle
Looking up at the sky, we have to mention Bonelli’s eagle, a bird of prey that nests mainly on the cliffs of the Atlas Mountains.
A skilled hunter (it can catch prey both in flight and on the ground), it rarely strays far from its nesting area and, sadly, its population is shrinking.
Barbary macaque
The Barbary macaque is the only primate found naturally in North Africa and, as such, another symbol of Morocco’s rich wildlife.
Barbary macaques live mainly in the Atlas cedar forests, in groups of about 20 to 30 individuals with a matrilineal social structure. They eat everything, preferring fruit and leaves, and sadly their survival is seriously at risk.
Fennec fox
The fennec fox is a small animal, with a body of 30–40 cm (12–16 inches) and a weight of 1–1.5 kg (about 2–3 pounds), perfectly adapted to life in the Moroccan Sahara and easy to recognize by its large ears, which help regulate its body temperature.
The fennec’s coloring helps it survive: its sand-colored fur lets it blend in among the dunes, while its furry feet protect it from the hot sand.
Sand cat
The sand cat is a fairly rare mammal, hard to spot, and perfectly adapted to life in Morocco’s most arid areas.
Like the fennec fox, it’s well suited to these harsh environments: the fur on its paws is very long to protect it from the hot sand, its large ears help disperse heat, and its ability to survive without drinking water lets it go a long time on its own resources.
Griffon vulture
Back to Moroccan skies, it’s worth briefly mentioning the griffon vulture, an essential part of the country’s ecosystem, especially in mountain areas.
It plays a very useful role in preventing the spread of disease, as it can spot carcasses from great distances, reducing health risks in the areas where it lives.
Spiny-tailed lizard
The spiny-tailed lizard is another typical animal of the Moroccan desert. As its name suggests, it’s best known for its spiny tail, which it uses for defense.
With a mainly herbivorous diet and advanced thermoregulation, it’s one of the animals best able to adapt to harsh environmental conditions.
Barbary sheep
Let’s wrap up our guide to Morocco’s iconic animals with the Barbary sheep, sometimes called the Atlas goat, an ungulate that lives on the slopes of the Atlas and moves with extraordinary agility even on the steepest terrain.
An agile, skilled climber, it has a particularly marked hierarchical social behavior. It can stand up to 100 cm (about 3.3 feet) at the shoulder and weigh over 100–120 kg (about 220–265 pounds). Its coat is reddish in summer and turns darker in winter.
Lisa
