Wildlife of Cyprus
Encyclopedia
The wildlife of Cyprus includes its flora
and fauna
and their natural habitats. Cyprus
has a rich flora and a diverse fauna albeit with relatively few mammal
s. Like most modern countries, the natural habitats in Cyprus have been steadily disappearing, currently retaining only 18% of its original habitat due to rapid urbanization
, usage of forests for commercial purposes, tourism
and various other reasons.. One of the unique features of Cyprus' habitats is the wild and sharp differences in elevations and habitats in different parts of the island as well as different climate conditions, all of which supply a diverse habitat for a unique array of fauna and flora.
. Other notable mammals are the large critically endangered Mediterranean Monk Seal
and the endemic Cypriot Mouse
, which the only remaining endemic rodent
on the Mediterranean islands.
The great majority of the amphibian and reptilian fauna of Cyprus Island is without poison or venom. Two species of the Island's snakes; Telescopus fallax (Cat Snake) and Malpolon monspessulanus (Montpellier Snake) are usually harmless unless they bite thin regions (like fingers). However, the Blunt-nosed Viper, Macrovipera lebetina, may be dangerous to small and large mammals, even to man, being venomous.
3 of which are endangered.
.
of bird
due to being on routes of migrations between Africa
to Europe
and western Asia
including Eleonora's falcon, Flamingo
and the Imperial Eagle.
such as Prickly Pears
and the Yellow Oxalis
.
Flora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
and fauna
Fauna
Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
and their natural habitats. Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
has a rich flora and a diverse fauna albeit with relatively few mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
s. Like most modern countries, the natural habitats in Cyprus have been steadily disappearing, currently retaining only 18% of its original habitat due to rapid urbanization
Urbanization
Urbanization, urbanisation or urban drift is the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change. The United Nations projected that half of the world's population would live in urban areas at the end of 2008....
, usage of forests for commercial purposes, tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
and various other reasons.. One of the unique features of Cyprus' habitats is the wild and sharp differences in elevations and habitats in different parts of the island as well as different climate conditions, all of which supply a diverse habitat for a unique array of fauna and flora.
Mammals
Cyprus is currently home to 21 known mammals, of which three are endangered. The largest wild animal and mammal currently residing in Cyprus is the endemic Cypriot MouflonMouflon
The mouflon is a subspecies group of the wild sheep Ovis aries. Populations of Ovis aries can be partitioned into the mouflons and urials or arkars...
. Other notable mammals are the large critically endangered Mediterranean Monk Seal
Mediterranean Monk Seal
The Mediterranean monk seal is a pinniped belonging to the Phocidae family. At some 450-510 remaining individuals, it is believed to be the world's second-rarest pinniped , and one of the most endangered mammals in the world.It is present in parts of the Mediterranean Sea and the eastern Atlantic...
and the endemic Cypriot Mouse
Cypriot Mouse
The Cypriot mouse is a species of mouse native to Cyprus. Its primary habitat seems to be the vineyards and fields of the Troödos Mountains region....
, which the only remaining endemic rodent
Rodent
Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
on the Mediterranean islands.
Reptiles
Cyprus contains 11 lizards (Lacertilia), 3 turtles (Testudinata) and 10 snakes (Ophidia). />The great majority of the amphibian and reptilian fauna of Cyprus Island is without poison or venom. Two species of the Island's snakes; Telescopus fallax (Cat Snake) and Malpolon monspessulanus (Montpellier Snake) are usually harmless unless they bite thin regions (like fingers). However, the Blunt-nosed Viper, Macrovipera lebetina, may be dangerous to small and large mammals, even to man, being venomous.
3 of which are endangered.
Amphibians
The fauna of Cyprus contains very few amphibians, among them are the European Tree Frog and Hyla savignyiHyla savignyi
Hyla savignyi is a species of frog in the Hylidae family. It is found in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Egypt, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kurdistan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, and Yemen...
.
Birds
Cyprus also has over 380 identified speciesSpecies
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
due to being on routes of migrations between Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and western Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
including Eleonora's falcon, Flamingo
Flamingo
Flamingos or flamingoes are gregarious wading birds in the genus Phoenicopterus , the only genus in the family Phoenicopteridae...
and the Imperial Eagle.
Flora
The flora of Cyprus contains many endemic species, with about 1800 total identified species, about 128 species of which are endemic. Its flora also contains various invasive speciesInvasive species
"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
such as Prickly Pears
Opuntia
Opuntia, also known as nopales or paddle cactus , is a genus in the cactus family, Cactaceae.Currently, only prickly pears are included in this genus of about 200 species distributed throughout most of the Americas. Chollas are now separated into the genus Cylindropuntia, which some still consider...
and the Yellow Oxalis
Oxalis pes-caprae
Oxalis pes-caprae is a species of tristylous flowering plant in the wood sorrel family Oxalidaceae...
.