The wildlife of Mali, composed of its flora and fauna, is widely varying from the

Saharan desert , photo = Sahara real color.jpg , photo_caption = The Sahara taken by Apollo 17 astronauts, 1972 , map = , map_image = , location = , country = , country1 = , ...

zone (covering about 33% of the country) to the

Sahel The Sahel (; ar, ساحل ' , "coast, shore") is a region in North Africa. It is defined as the ecoclimatic and biogeographic realm of transition between the Sahara to the north and the Sudanian savanna to the south. Having a hot semi-arid c ...

ian east–west zone, to Mali, a landlocked francophone country in North Africa; large swathes of Mali remain unpopulated but has three sub-equal vegetation zones; the country has Sahara Desert in the north, the Niger River Basin at its center and the

Senegal River ,french: Fleuve Sénégal) , name_etymology = , image = Senegal River Saint Louis.jpg , image_size = , image_caption = Fishermen on the bank of the Senegal River estuary at the outskirts of Saint-Louis, Senegal ...

on the south. The vegetation zones are the Saharan, the Sahel, and the Sudan–Guinea Savanna. Mali has many protected areas which include two national parks, one biosphere reserve, six faunal reserves, two partial faunal reserves, two sanctuaries (one is a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site), one chimp sanctuary, six game reserves, and three

Ramsar Site A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention,8 ha (O) *** Permanent 8 ha (P) *** Seasonal Intermittent < 8 ha(Ts) **

The rich biodiversity of the country is reflected in its more than 1,700 plant species and about 1,000 animal species.

Geography

Vegetation Change Wet-Dry Season Niger Inland Delta

Niger River valley

The Niger River valley, which dominates the topography of Mali, drained by the Niger River and its tributaries. Along its course, the central southern region is the narrowest and is known as the Inner Delta or the Inundation Zone of the Niger, formed of of flood-plains, along a river length of ; these form its wetlands of great ornithological interest.

Saharan zone

Habitat wise, the Saharan zone occupies a third of the country, and is made up of Sahara Desert and the Sahel (which is a zone of transition between the two). There is hardly any vegetation as the habitat comprises "unvegetated regs, hamadas, dunes and wadis" and also a few

oases In ecology, an oasis (; ) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environment'ksar''with its surrounding feeding source, the palm grove, within a relational and circulatory nomadic system.” The location of oases has been of critical imp ...

. On the south-eastern part of this zone is the Adrar des Iforhas Massif rising to a height of , which is part of the Ahaggar Massif in southern Algeria. Average precipitation in the zone is reported to be less than .

Sahelian zone

The Sahelian zone, widest in an east–west direction, has the Dogon plateau () elevation) and the Hombori mountains (, highest location in Mali) with the Inundation Zone of the Niger River located to its west. Average annual rainfall varies from about in the south to under in the north; the vegetation also changes accordingly from

acacia ''Acacia'', commonly known as the wattles or acacias, is a large genus of shrubs and trees in the subfamily Mimosoideae of the pea family Fabaceae. Initially, it comprised a group of plant species native to Africa and Australasia. The genus na ...

-wooded grassland and deciduous bushland to thin coverage of annual grasslands (of ''

Cenchrus biflorus ''Cenchrus biflorus'' is a species of annual grass in the family Poaceae. Common names include Indian sandbur, ''Bhurat'' or ''Bhurut'' in India, ''Haskaneet'' in Sudan, ''Aneeti'' in the Arabic dialect of Mauritania, ''K 'arangiya'' in the ...

'').

Sudan–Guinea zone

The Sudan–Guinea zone is part of south-western region of Mali. The

and the Bafing and Baoulé Rivers rise here, and the basin is known for the lowest-lying land in the country of area which is below the contour. The zone also includes the Manding plateau (near Bamako, the capital of Mali) which is part of Fouta Djallon Mountains ( elevation) of

Guinea Guinea ( ),, fuf, 𞤘𞤭𞤲𞤫, italic=no, Gine, wo, Gine, nqo, ߖߌ߬ߣߍ߫, bm, Gine officially the Republic of Guinea (french: République de Guinée), is a coastal country in West Africa. It borders the Atlantic Ocean to the we ...

. This forms the upper region of the catchment area that lies between the Senegal and Niger River systems. Geological formation reported is of sandstone. Vegetation in this zone is mainly of '' Isoberlinia'' sp.

Protected areas

There is very little wild life and a few national parks in Mali. The reserve and largest national park is the

Boucle du Baoulé National Park The Boucle du Baoulé National Park lies in western Mali, in Kayes Region and Koulikoro Region, set up in 1982. It has an area of 25,330 km² but has little large wildlife. The park is known for its prehistoric rock art and tombs. It is pa ...

(). located to the northeast of Bamako. There is hardly any wild life left in this park due to intense poaching of elephants, giraffes, buffalo, chimpanzees and lions. Monkeys are the only animals seen now. The Reserve de Ansongo Menaka is in the southeast, near the border with Niger. The Reserve de Douentza is the most interesting in terms of wildlife.

Bafing National Park The Bafing National Park lies in southern Mali. It was established on 1 July 2000. This site is 5000 km². Bafing National Park is the only protected area for chimpanzees within the Manding Plateau area. Woodland A woodland () is, in the ...

(). is in the south west bordering with

which is a dry area between

Mopti Mopti ( Bambara: ߡߏߕߌ tr. Moti) is a town and an urban commune in the Inner Niger Delta region of Mali. The town is the capital of the Mopti Cercle and the Mopti Region. Situated 630 km northeast of Bamako, the town lies at the conflue ...

and

Gao Gao , or Gawgaw/Kawkaw, is a city in Mali and the capital of the Gao Region. The city is located on the River Niger, east-southeast of Timbuktu on the left bank at the junction with the Tilemsi valley. For much of its history Gao was an impor ...

; it is home for

desert elephant Desert elephants or desert-adapted elephants are not a distinct species of elephant but are African bush elephants (''Loxodonta africana'') that have made their homes in the Namib and Sahara deserts in Africa. At one time they were classified as ...

s which move with change of seasons. The other notable parks are the

Wongo National Park The Wongo National Park ( French: ''Parc national de Wongo'') is found in Mali Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, جمهور ...

and the

Kouroufing National Park The Kouroufing National Park (French: ''Parc national de Kouroufing'') is found in Mali Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, ...

. The Bafing Biosphere Reserve covers an area of and the Bafing Chimpanzee Sanctuary is exclusive to conserve chimpanzees.

Flora

The dominant vegetation in the inland delta of the Niger consists of hygrophilous grassland species of ''

Eragrostis atrovirens ''Eragrostis atrovirens'' is a species of grass. It is found in the tropical and subtropical parts of the world. See also * List of Eragrostis species References External links ''Eragrostis atrovirens''at The Plant List The Plant ...

'', ''

Panicum anabaptistum ''Panicum'' (panicgrass) is a large genus of about 450 species of grasses native throughout the tropical regions of the world, with a few species extending into the northern temperate zone. They are often large, annual or perennial grasses, grow ...

'', '' Panicum fluviicola'', ''

Vetiveria nigritana ''Chrysopogon nigritanus'', more widely known by the taxonomic synonym ''Vetiveria nigritana'', or the common name black vetivergrass, is a perennial grass species of the family Poaceae and therefore is also a monocotyledon. Champagnant ''et al. ...

'', ''

Echinochloa stagnina ''Echinochloa stagnina'' (Burgu millet, bourgou, hippo grass) is a species of ''Echinochloa'' widespread in tropical Africa and Asia, with an invasive status in many Pacific islands. It was once one of the major grasses cultivated in the Inner N ...

'', wild rice ''

Oryza barthii ''Oryza barthii'', also called Barth's rice, wild rice, or African wild rice, is a grass in the rice genus ''Oryza''. It is an annual, erect to semierect grass. It has leaves with a short ligule (<), and panicles that are compact to open, rarely ...

'', ''

Andropogon gayanus ''Andropogon gayanus''. commonly known as gamba grass, Rhodesian blue grass, tambuki grass, and other names, is a species of grass native to most of the tropical and subtropical savannas of Africa. History and naming ''Andropogon gayanus'' was ...

'', '' Cynodon dactylon'' and '' Hyparrhenia dissolute.'' The many tree species reported are in patches. Dominant species of grasses in the transition zone between the higher levels of flood plains and its flooded zones are '' Acacia nilotica'' with '' Mimosa'' and ''

Ziziphus ''Ziziphus'' is a genus of about 40 species of spiny shrubs and small trees in the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae, distributed in the warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions of the world. The leaves are alternate, entire, with three promi ...

'' spp. and ''

Guiera senegalensis ''Guiera'' is a flowering plant genus in the family Combretaceae. ''Guiera senegalensis'' is the only known species in the genus, found in Tropical Africa in dry areas from Senegal to Sudan (requiring much sunlight and light dry soil). The plant ...

'', ''

Borassus ''Borassus'' (palmyra palm) is a genus of five species of fan palms, native to tropical regions of Africa, Asia and Papua New Guinea. Description These massive palms can grow up to high and have robust trunks with distinct leaf scars; in so ...

'' and '' Hyphaene.'' Cram cram grasses are scattered in Mali.

Fauna

Mammals

There are 146 species of mammals in Mali of which 2 are critically endangered (CR), 3 are endangered (EN), 10 are vulnerable (VU), and 3 are near-threatened (NT). The threatened species are the following. * '' Addax nasomaculatus'' (addax) (CR) * ''

Gazella dama The dama gazelle (''Nanger dama''), also known as the addra gazelle or mhorr gazelle, is a species of gazelle. It lives in Africa, in the Sahara desert and the Sahel. A critically endangered species, it has disappeared from most of its former r ...

'' (dama gazelle) (CR) * '' Pan troglodytes'' (common chimpanzee) (EN) * ''

Gazella leptoceros The rhim gazelle or rhim (''Gazella leptoceros''), also known as the slender-horned gazelle, African sand gazelle or Loder's gazelle, is a pale-coated gazelle with long slender horns and well adapted to desert life. It is considered an endangered ...

'' (rhim gazelle) (EN) * '' Lycaon pictus'' (African wild dog) (EN) * '' Ammotragus lervia'' (Barbary sheep) (VU) * ''

Acinonyx jubatus The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large Felidae, cat native to Africa and central Iran. It is the Fastest animals, fastest land animal, estimated to be capable of running at with the fastest reliably recorded speeds being , and as suc ...

'' (cheetah) (VU) * ''

Loxodonta africana The African bush elephant (''Loxodonta africana'') is one of two extant African elephant species and one of three extant elephant species. It is the largest living terrestrial animal, with bulls reaching a shoulder height of up to and a body ...

'' (African bush elephant) (VU) * ''

Trichechus senegalensis The African manatee (''Trichechus senegalensis''), also known as the West African manatee, is a species of manatee that inhabits much of the western region of Africa – from Senegal to Angola. It is the only manatee species to be found in the ...

'' (African manatee) (VU) * '' Profelis aurata'' (African golden cat) (VU) * '' Panthera leo'' (lion) (VU) * '' Gazella dorcas'' (dorcas gazelle) (VU) * '' Hippopotamus amphibius'' (hippopotamus) (VU) * ''

Gazella rufifrons The red-fronted gazelle (''Eudorcas rufifrons'') is widely but unevenly distributed gazelle across the middle of Africa from Senegal to northeastern Ethiopia. It is mainly resident in the Sahel zone, a narrow cross-Africa band south of the Sahara ...

'' (red-fronted gazelle) (VU) * ''

Hipposideros jonesi Jones's roundleaf bat (''Hipposideros jonesi'') is a species of bat in the family Hipposideridae. It is endemic to southern West Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, savanna, subtropical or tropical dry lowland gr ...

'' (Jones's roundleaf bat) (NT) * ''

Felis margarita The sand cat (''Felis margarita'') is a small wild cat that inhabits sandy and stony deserts far from water sources. With its sandy to light grey fur, it is well camouflaged in a desert environment. Its head-and-body length ranges from with a ...

'' (sand cat) (NT) * '' Crocuta crocuta'' (spotted hyena) (NT) Chimpanzees are found in the southernmost forests and

monkey Monkey is a common name that may refer to most mammals of the infraorder Simiiformes, also known as the simians. Traditionally, all animals in the group now known as simians are counted as monkeys except the apes, which constitutes an incomple ...

s are found in the Parc national de la Boucle du Baoule. Elephants in the Gourma region, known as the Sahelian herds of 360 to 630 numbers, migrate over (round trip) during the dry season between Burkina Faso and Mali to lake areas and return to Mali during the rainy season. Mali lions are found only around the Faleme River in the far west of ''cerde'' of Kenieba. ''

Papio papio The Guinea baboon (''Papio papio'') is a baboon from the Old World monkey family. Some (older) classifications list only two species in the genus ''Papio'', this one and the hamadryas baboon. In those classifications, all other ''Papio'' species ...

'' (Guinea baboon) and '' Massoutiera mzabi'' (Mzab gundi) are also reported. The African manatee (also known as the sea cow and West African manatee) is found all along the Niger River was hunted for meat in the past but its meat is now not marketed, which may be due its decreasing numbers or due to the legal protection given for its conservation.

Birds

Seventeen Important Bird Areas (IBAs) have been designated in Mali, encompassing an area of (about 2.3% of the surface area of the country). Ten include wetlands, nine are in the Inner Delta of the Niger river (key bird area), four (under the A3 criterion) include the Sudan–Guinea ecoregion of the Savanna biome, four are in the Sahel biome, and two in the Sahara–Sindian biome. The Kulicoro firefinch, also known as the

Mali firefinch The Mali firefinch (''Lagonosticta virata'') is a species of estrildid finch found in Western Africa. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 120,000 km2. It is found in Mali and Senegal. The IUCN has classified the species as bei ...

(''Lagonostica virata''), is the only endemic bird of Mali, found in rocky and grassy areas near

and Bamako. In these IBAs 622 birds species have been record, including 335 resident birds out of which 202 breed in Mali. Of these, 137 species of the 243 migratory species are of

Palearctic The Palearctic or Palaearctic is the largest of the eight biogeographic realms of the Earth. It stretches across all of Eurasia north of the foothills of the Himalayas, and North Africa. The realm consists of several bioregions: the Euro-Sibe ...

origin. There are twelve species which are of global conservation concern and seven are vagrants (Palearctic migrants). These are ''

Marmaronetta angustirostris The marbled duck, or marbled teal (''Marmaronetta angustirostris'') is a medium-sized species of duck from southern Europe, northern Africa, and western and central Asia. The scientific name, ''Marmaronetta angustirostris'', comes from the Greek ...

'' (VU), ''

Aythya nyroca The ferruginous duck (''Aythya nyroca''), also known as ferruginous pochard, common white-eye or white-eyed pochard, is a medium-sized diving duck from Eurosiberia. The scientific name is derived from Greek '' aithuia'' an unidentified seabi ...

'' (VU), ''

Circus macrourus The pale or pallid harrier (''Circus macrourus'') is a migratory bird of prey of the harrier subfamily. The scientific name is derived from the Ancient Greek. ''Circus'' is from ''kirkos'', referring to a bird of prey named for its circling fl ...

'' (NT), ''

Falco naumanni The lesser kestrel (''Falco naumanni'') is a small falcon. This species breeds from the Mediterranean across Afghanistan and Central Asia, to China and Mongolia. It is a summer migrant, wintering in Africa and Pakistan and sometimes even to Indi ...

'' (VU), ''

Neotis nuba The Nubian bustard (''Neotis nuba'') is a species of bird in the bustard family. This is a medium-large bustard found in the sparsely vegetated interface between the southern margins of the Sahara desert and the northern part of the Sahel. It is ...

'' (Nubian bustard) (NT), ''

Gallinago media The great snipe (''Gallinago media'') is a small stocky wader in the genus ''Gallinago''. This bird's breeding habitat is marshes and wet meadows with short vegetation in north-eastern Europe, including north-western Russia. Great snipes are mig ...

'' (NT), ''

Glareola nordmanni The black-winged pratincole (''Glareola nordmanni'') is a wader in the pratincole bird family, Glareolidae. The genus name is a diminutive of Latin ''glarea'', "gravel", referring to a typical nesting habitat for pratincoles. The species name ...

'' (NT), '' Acrocephalus paludicola'' (VU), '' Lagonosticta virata'' (NT), ''

Prinia fluviatilis The river prinia (''Prinia fluviatilis'') is a species of bird of the family Cisticolidae. It is found in northwestern Senegal, along the Niger River (near the border between Mali and Niger), in the Lake Chad region and in northwestern Kenya. It ...

'' (DD), ''

Ceratogymna elata The yellow-casqued hornbill (''Ceratogymna elata''), also known as the yellow-casqued wattled hornbill, is found in the rainforest of coastal regions of West Africa, for example in Côte d'Ivoire. The yellow-casqued hornbill is one of the larges ...

'' (NT). The Inner Delta is also rich in

heron The herons are long-legged, long-necked, freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae, with 72 recognised species, some of which are referred to as egrets or bitterns rather than herons. Members of the genera ''Botaurus'' and ''Ixobrychus ...

species, particularly ''

Bubulcus ibis The western cattle egret (''Bubulcus ibis'') is a species of heron (family Ardeidae) found in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zones. Most taxonomic authorities lump this species and the eastern cattle egret together (called the cattle ...

'' and ''

Casmerodius albus The great egret (''Ardea alba''), also known as the common egret, large egret, or (in the Old World) great white egret or great white heron is a large, widely distributed egret. The four subspecies are found in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and ...

.'' '' Poicephalus senegalus'' (Senegal parrot), ''

Serinus mozambicus The yellow-fronted canary (''Crithagra mozambica'') is a small passerine bird in the finch family. It is sometimes known in aviculture as the green singing finch. The yellow-fronted canary was formerly placed in the genus ''Serinus'', but phylo ...

'' (yellow-fronted canary) and ''

Haliaeetus vocifer The African fish eagle (''Haliaeetus vocifer'') or the African sea eagle, is a large species of eagle found throughout sub-Saharan Africa wherever large bodies of open water with an abundant food supply occur. It is the national bird of Malawi, Na ...

'' (African fish eagle) are some of the other species reported in Mali.

Reptiles and amphibians

A few reptile species reported are '' Cerastes cerastes'' (desert horned viper) and ''

Geochelone sulcata The African spurred tortoise (''Centrochelys sulcata''), also called the sulcata tortoise, is a species of tortoise inhabiting the southern edge of the Sahara desert in Africa. It is the largest mainland species of tortoise in the world, and t ...

'' (African spurred tortoise). Other species of snakes or cobra are: '' Bitis arietans'' (puff adder), '' Cerastes cerastes'' (horned viper), ''

Dispholidus typus The boomslang (, , or ; ''Dispholidus typus'') is a large, highly venomous snake in the family Colubridae. Taxonomy and etymology Its common name means "tree snake" in Afrikaans and Dutch – ''boom'' meaning "tree", and ''slang'' meaning "sna ...

'' (boomslang), '' Echis jogeri'' (Joger's carpet viper), ''

Echis leucogaster ''Echis leucogaster'', also known as the white-bellied carpet viperMallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G. 2003. ''True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers''. Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing Company. 359 pp. .Spawls S, Branch B. ...

'' (white-bellied carpet viper), ''

Echis ocellatus ''Echis ocellatus'', known by the common names West African carpet viperMallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G. 2003. ''True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers''. Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing Company. 359 pp. .Spawls S, Bra ...

'' (West African carpet viper), ''

Naja katiensis The Mali cobra (''Naja katiensis''), also called the Katian spitting cobra or West African brown spitting cobra, is a species of spitting cobra found in West Africa. Geographic Distribution This species ranges from Senegal to Cameroon, with re ...

'' (West African brown spitting cobra), ''

Naja melanoleuca The forest cobra (''Naja melanoleuca''), also commonly called the black cobra and the black and white-lipped cobra, is a species of venomous snake in the Family (biology), family Elapidae. The species is native to Africa, mostly the central and ...

'' (forest cobra), ''

Naja nigricollis The black-necked spitting cobra (''Naja nigricollis'') is a species of spitting cobra found mostly in sub-Saharan Africa. They are moderately sized snakes that can grow to a length of in length. Their coloration and markings can vary considerab ...

'' (black-necked spitting cobra), and '' Naja senegalensis'' (Senegalese cobra).

The Mali Uromastyx, ''Uromastyx maliensis'', is a widely known species of lizard in Mali. Skink genera in Mali include ''

Chalcides ''Chalcides'' is a genus of skinks (family Scincidae). It is usually placed in the subfamily Scincinae (= Scincidae ''sensu'' Hedges 2014), a monophyletic clade of primarily African skinks. Species The following species are recognized as bei ...

'' and ''

Trachylepis ''Trachylepis'' is a skink genus in the subfamily Mabuyinae found mainly in Africa. Its members were formerly included in the "wastebin taxon" ''Mabuya'', and for some time in '' Euprepis''. As defined today, ''Trachylepis'' contains the clade ...

''. Other lizard species known in the Dogon Country of Mali are '' Agama sankaranica'', '' Uromastyx geyri'', '' Sphenops delislei'', '' Trachylepis perrotetii'', ''

Trachylepis quinquetaeniata The African five-lined skink (''Trachylepis quinquetaeniata'', formerly ''Mabuya quinquetaeniata''), sometimes called rainbow mabuya, is a species of African skink in the subfamily Lygosominae. '' T. margaritifera'' is also known as the rainbow s ...

'', ''

Chalcides ocellatus ''Chalcides ocellatus'', or the ocellated skink (also known as the eyed skink or gongilo) is a species of skink found in Greece, southern Italy, Malta, Lebanon, and parts of northern Africa.Arikan, ''et al.''"An Investigation on the Blood-Serum P ...

'', '' Chamaeleo africanus'', ''

Ptyodactylus ragazzii Ragazzi's fan-footed gecko (''Ptyodactylus ragazzii''), also known commonly as the Sahelian fan-toed gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Phyllodactylidae. The species is endemic to northern Africa. Etymology The specific name, ''ragazzi ...

'', ''

Tarentola ephippiata The African wall gecko, or fig tree gecko (''Tarentola ephippiata'') is a species of gecko. It is found in northern Africa and parts of North America. Description The African Wall Gecko lives primarily in Afrotropic regions, though it has been ...

'', ''

Tarentola annularis ''Tarentola annularis'', also known as the white-spotted wall gecko or ringed wall gecko, is a species of gecko Geckos are small, mostly carnivorous lizards that have a wide distribution, found on every continent except Antarctica. Belong ...

'', ''

Tropiocolotes tripolitanus ''Tropiocolotes tripolitanus'', also known as the northern sand gecko or Tripoli gecko, is a species of gecko found in northern Africa. References tripolitanus Reptiles described in 1880 Taxa named by Wilhelm Peters {{gecko-stub ...

'', ''

Latastia longicaudata ''Latastia longicaudata'', also known as the southern long-tailed lizard or common long-tailed lizard, is a species of lizard found in Senegal, Mali, Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Somalia, Yemen, Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ni ...

'', ''

Varanus griseus The desert monitor (''Varanus griseus'') is a species of monitor lizard of the order Squamata found living throughout North Africa and Central and South Asia. The desert monitor is carnivorous, feeding on a wide range of vertebrates and inverteb ...

'', and '' Varanus niloticus''. Turtles include ''

Pelomedusa subrufa The African helmeted turtle (''Pelomedusa subrufa''), also known commonly as the marsh terrapin, the crocodile turtle, or in the pet trade as the African side-necked turtle, is a species of omnivorous Pleurodira, side-necked terrapin in the Famil ...

'', and crocodiles include the Nile crocodile and '' Mecistops cataphractus'' (African slender-snouted crocodile). The Dogon are also familiar with the colubrid species ''

Psammophis sibilans ''Psammophis'' is a genus of snakes in the family Psammophiidae. The genus comprises 33 species, which are found in Africa and Asia.. www.reptile-database.org. ''Psammophis'' are diurnal and prey on lizards and rodents which they actively hunt. A ...

'', ''

Psammophis elegans ''Psammophis elegans'', the elegant sand racer, is a species of psammophiid snake. It is found in tropical Africa. See also * List of reptiles of Ghana References Psammophis Reptiles described in 1802 {{snake-stub ...

'', and '' Bamanophis dorri'', and the cobra species ''

'' (

black spitting cobra ''Naja nigricincta'' is a species of spitting cobra in the genus ''Naja'', belonging to the family Elapidae. The species is native to the deserts and drier regions of southern Africa. The species is largely nocturnal, and is often found while cro ...

) and ''

Naja haje The Egyptian cobra (''Naja haje''), also known as Ouraeus ''(derived from the Ancient Greek word: ''οὐραῖος'' - )'', is one of the most Venomous snake, venomous snakes in North Africa, which has caused many snakebite incidents to humans. ...

'' (

Egyptian cobra The Egyptian cobra (''Naja haje''), also known as Ouraeus ''(derived from the Ancient Greek word: ''οὐραῖος'' - )'', is one of the most venomous snakes in North Africa, which has caused many snakebite incidents to humans. It averages rou ...

). Other snake species of the Dogon Country in Mali include '' Atractaspis watsoni'', ''

Eryx muelleri ''Eryx muelleri'', known commonly as Müller's sand boa or the Saharan sand boa, is a species of snake in the family Boidae. The species is endemic to Africa. Etymology The specific name, ''muelleri'', is in honor of Swiss herpetologist Fritz ...

'', ''

Python regius The ball python (''Python regius''), also called the royal python, is a python species native to West and Central Africa, where it lives in grasslands, shrublands and open forests. This nonvenomous constrictor is the smallest of the African p ...

'', ''

Python sebae The Central African rock python (''Python sebae'') is a species of large constrictor snake in the family Pythonidae. The species is native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of 11 living species in the genus ''Python''. Africa's largest snake and ...

'', '' Telescopus obtusus'', and '' Cerastes vipera''.Christfried Naumann & Tom Güldemann & Steven Moran & Guillaume Segerer & Anne-Maria Fehn & Robert Forkel (eds.) 2020.
Tsammalex: A lexical database on plants and animals
'. Leipzig: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. Most fatal snakebites in Mali are due to encounters with ''

Bitis ''Bitis'' is a genus of venomous vipers found in Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula. It includes the largest and the smallest vipers in the world. Members are known for their characteristic threat displays that involve inflating and defla ...

'' spp. (particularly '' Bitis arietans'') and '' Echis'' spp. (particularly ''

'' and others). Untreated bites from ''

'' species can result in hemorrhage (bleeding) within 5 hours, and '' Echis'' bites can cause hemorrhage in 1-2 days. Among the amphibians, ''

Tomopterna milletihorsini ''Tomopterna milletihorsini'', commonly known as the Mali screeching frog, is a species of frog in the family Pyxicephalidae. It is endemic to Mali where it is known from near Bamako (its type locality) and Nara. This species was transferred fro ...

'' (Mali screeching frog) and '' Bufo chudeaui'' (Bata marsh toad) are notable in Mali. In Dogon country, amphibian species that are well known by the local

Dogon people The Dogon are an ethnic group indigenous to the central plateau region of Mali, in West Africa, south of the Niger River, Niger bend, near the city of Bandiagara, and in Burkina Faso. The population numbers between 400,000 and 800,000. They spe ...

include the edible bullfrog ''

Hoplobatrachus occipitalis The crowned bullfrog (''Hoplobatrachus occipitalis'') is a species of frog in the family Dicroglossidae. It is found in the Sub-Saharan Africa (Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic ...

'', ''

Amnirana galamensis ''Amnirana galamensis'' is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It is found in western, central, and eastern Africa. Its natural habitats are dry savanna, moist savanna, subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, rivers, shrub-dominated wetlan ...

'' (

Galam white-lipped frog ''Amnirana galamensis'' is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It is found in western, central, and eastern Africa. Its natural habitats are dry savanna, moist savanna, subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, rivers, shrub-dominated wetlan ...

), ''

Phrynobatrachus accraensis ''Phrynobatrachus latifrons'', the Ahl's river frog or savanna puddle frog, is a species of frog in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is found from Senegal in West Africa east to northern Cameroon and eastern Chad in western Central Africa. The I ...

'', '' Hyperolius nitidulus'' (or ''

Hyperolius viridiflavus The common reed frog (''Hyperolius viridiflavus'') is a species of tree frogs in the family Hyperoliidae found in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda, and possibly the Central Af ...

''), ''

Amietophrynus xeros The subdesert toad (''Amietophrynus xeros'') is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is found in Algeria, Cameroon, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan, ...

'', ''

Amietophrynus regularis ''Sclerophrys regularis'', commonly known as the African common toad, square-marked toad, African toad, Egyptian toad, African bouncing toad (due to the bouncing motion) and Reuss's toad, is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is found ...

'', and '' Sclerophrys pentoni''. '' Amietophrynus channingi'' and ''

Hildebrandtia ornata ''Hildebrandtia'' may refer to: *''Hildebrandtia (frog)'', a genus of frogs *''Hildebrandtia (plant) ''Hildebrandtia'' is a genus of plants in the bindweed family Convolvulaceae Convolvulaceae (), commonly called the bindweeds or morning ...

'' are also reported from Dogon Country.

Fish

There are approximately 200 fish species in Mali. Fishing is a common practice in the Niger and other rivers in Mali, and the most popular variety of fish is capitaine. Many species of fish are found in the Niger River and its tributaries. Along the northern bend of the river in the eastern half of Mali, reported fish species include ''

Alestes baremoze ''Alestes baremoze'', the pebbly fish or silversides, is a species of characin fish from the freshwater systems of northern and western Africa. It has some importance as a commercially exploited food fish. Description ''Alestes baremoze'' is a s ...

'', ''

Alestes dentex ''Alestes dentex'' is a species of freshwater fish in the family Alestidae. It is found in Africa. Distribution ''Alestes dentex'' is typically found in Central and West Africa. However, the species has also been found in Lake Turkana of the Ke ...

sethente'', ''

Brycinus macrolepidotus ''Brycinus'' is a genus of ray-finned fish in the family Alestiidae. Like other "African characids", they were formerly included in the Characidae but are actually somewhat more distantly related Characiformes. Like some other Alestiidae, they a ...

'', ''

Brycinus nurse ''Brycinus'' is a genus of ray-finned fish in the family Alestiidae. Like other "African characids", they were formerly included in the Characidae but are actually somewhat more distantly related Characiformes. Like some other Alestiidae, they a ...

'', ''

Hydrocynus forskahlii ''Hydrocynus forskahlii'', the elongate tigerfish, is a species of predatory characin from the family Alestidae which is found in northern and western Africa. Description ''Hydrocynus forskahlii'' has pronounced stripes along the length of the bo ...

'', ''

Micralestes elongatus ''Micralestes'' is a genus of African tetras. There are currently 17 species in this genus. Species * '' Micralestes acutidens'' ( W. K. H. Peters, 1852) (Sharptooth tetra) * '' Micralestes ambiguus'' Géry, 1995 * '' Micralestes argyrotaen ...

'', ''

Marcusenius senegalensis ''Marcusenius'' is a genus of elephantfishes native to Africa. Its members are highly diverse in size, with the smallest species reaching less than and the largest more than . The genus is named after Johann Marcusen. Species There are cur ...

'', '' Bagrus bajad'', ''

Synodontis schall ''Synodontis schall'', the Wahrindi, is a species of upside-down catfish widespread in northern Africa. This species is in the largest genus of the family Mochokidae. This species grows to a length of TL. Distribution ''Synodontis schall'' is ...

'', ''

Schilbe intermedius ''Schilbe intermedius'' or the silver butter catfish is a widespread species of African catfish. It seems closely related to '' Schilbe uranoscopus'' and these two species are sympatric over part of their ranges. Distribution Widespread in sub- ...

'', ''

Clarias anguillaris ''Clarias anguillaris'' is a species of African airbreathing catfish also known as the mudfish. This species is of minor importance in commercial fisheries Commercial fishing is the activity of catching fish and other seafood for commercial pr ...

''/'' Clarias gariepinus'', '' Malapterurus electricus'', ''

Mastacembelus nigromarginatus ''Mastacembelus'' is a genus of many species of spiny eel fish from the family Mastacembelidae. They are native to Africa (c. 45 species) and Asia (c. 15 species). Most are found in rivers and associated systems (even in rapids), but there are al ...

'', '' Lates'', ''

Oreochromis niloticus The Nile tilapia (''Oreochromis niloticus'') is a species of tilapia, a cichlid fish native to the northern half of Africa and the Levante area, including Land of Israel, Israel, and Lebanon. Numerous Introduced species, introduced populations ex ...

'', ''

Citharinus latus ''Citharinus latus'' is a species of lutefish from tropical Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) ...

'', '' Labeo senegalensis'', ''

Mormyrus rume ''Mormyrus rume'' is a species of electric fish in the family Mormyridae, found in the basins of the Gambia, Senegal, Niger, Volta, Chad, Bandama, Sassandra, Komoé, Mono, Ouémé, Ogun and Culufi rivers, among others. This species contain ...

'', ''

Protopterus annectens The West African lungfish (''Protopterus annectens''), also known as the Tana lungfish or simply African lungfish, is a species of African lungfish. It is found in a wide range of freshwater habitats in West and Middle Africa, as well as the nort ...

'', '' Tetraodon lineatus'', ''

Brycinus leuciscus ''Brycinus'' is a genus of ray-finned fish in the family Alestiidae. Like other "African characids", they were formerly included in the Characidae but are actually somewhat more distantly related Characiformes. Like some other Alestiidae, they ...

'', '' Sarotherodon galilaeus'', '' Polypterus senegalus'', ''

Hydrocynus brevis ''Hydrocynus brevis'', also known as the tigerfish, Nile tigerfish or Sahelian tigerfish, is a predatory freshwater fish distributed throughout Africa. Appearance The tigerfish is silver in colour when young, with thin black horizontal stripes an ...

'', ''

Heterotis niloticus The African arowana or Nile arowana (''Heterotis niloticus'') is a species of bonytongue. Despite being called an "arowana", the African arowana is more closely related to arapaimas, the only other members in the subfamily Arapaiminae, than ...

'', '' Hyperopisus bebe'', ''

Gymnarchus niloticus ''Gymnarchus niloticus'' – commonly known as the ''aba'', ''aba aba'', frankfish, freshwater rat-tail, ''poisson-cheval'', or African knifefish – is an electric fish, and the only species in the genus ''Gymnarchus'' and the family Gymnarchid ...

'', ''

Hepsetus odoe ''Hepsetus odoe'', the African pike characin, is a predatory freshwater characin belonging to the family Hepsetidae. It was formerly considered that there was a single species of ''Hepsetus'' pike characin but recent studies have led to the speci ...

'', ''

Distichodus brevipinnis ''Distichodus'' is a genus of freshwater fish in the family Distichodontidae found in Africa. Species There are currently 23 recognized species in this genus: *'' Distichodus affinis'' Günther, 1873 (Silver distichodus) *'' Distichodus altus' ...

'', '' Citharidium ansorgei'', '' Citharinops distichodoides'', ''

Citharinus citharus ''Citharinus citharus'' is a species of lutefish from tropical Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square mile ...

'', ''

Labeo coubie ''Labeo coubie'', the African carp, is a cyprinid fish, widespread in Africa, where it occurs within the drainage basin of the Nile The Nile, , Bohairic , lg, Kiira , Nobiin: Áman Dawū is a major north-flowing river in northeastern A ...

'', '' Bagrus docmac'', ''

Clarotes laticeps ''Clarotes'' is a genus of claroteid catfishes native to East Africa. Species There are currently two extant species and one fossil species recognized in this genus: * '' Clarotes bidorsalis'' Pellegrin, 1938 *†''Clarotes eocenicus ''Cl ...

'', ''

Chrysichthys auratus The Golden Nile Catfish, ''Chrysichthys auratus'' is a species of fish belonging to the family Claroteidae The Claroteidae are a family of catfish (order Siluriformes) found in Africa. This family was separated from Bagridae. However, the mono ...

'', '' Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus'', ''

Auchenoglanis biscutatus ''Auchenoglanis'' is a genus of relatively large, up to SL, claroteid catfishes native to various freshwater habitats in Africa. ''Auchenoglanis'' is a primitive member of the subfamily Auchenoglanidinae (also includes ''Notoglanidium'' and '' ...

'', ''

Auchenoglanis occidentalis The giraffe catfish, ''Auchenoglanis occidentalis'', is an African catfish. It eats plants off the floor of lakes and streams. Distribution and habitat The giraffe catfish is found throughout Africa in lakes and rivers, partially due to introduct ...

'', ''

Schilbe mystus The African butter catfish (''Schilbe mystus'') is a species of fish in the family Schilbeidae. It is native to many major river systems in Africa. Other common names for the fish include butter fish, butter barbel, African glass catfish, luban ...

'', ''

Heterobranchus bidorsalis ''Heterobranchus bidorsalis'', the African catfish or eel-like fattyfin catfish, is an airbreathing catfish found in Africa. It is closely related to the vundu catfish, which is well-known among fishermen. Description The head of ''Heterobranch ...

'', ''

Synodontis batensoda right ''Synodontis batensoda'', the upside-down catfish, is a species of mochokid upside-down catfish. It is unevenly distributed in inland waters across Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia, and is also known as a squeaker or giant upside-down cat ...

'', '' Synodontis membranacea'', ''

Synodontis resupinata ''Synodontis resupinatus'' is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to the Niger basin and the Bénoué River of Cameroon, Mali, and Nigeria. It was first described by British-Belgian zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1904, from s ...

'', ''

Synodontis clarias ''Synodontis clarias'', known as the red tailed synodontis, or the mandi, is a species of upside-down catfish that occurs widely in the waters of northern Africa. It was first described by Swedish zoologist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 as ''Silurus cla ...

'', ''

Synodontis budgetti ''Synodontis budgetti'', known as Budgett's synodontis, is a species of Mochokidae, upside-down catfish native to Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria where it occurs in Lake Nokoue and the Niger Riv ...

'', ''

Synodontis vermiculata ''Synodontis vermiculatus'' is a species of upside-down catfish native to the Niger basin of Guinea, Mali, Niger and Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officia ...

'', '' Synodontis sorex'', ''

Synodontis gobroni ''Synodontis gobroni'' is a species of upside-down catfish native to the Niger River basin where it is found in the nations of Guinea, Mali, Niger and Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naa ...

'', ''

Synodontis filamentosa ''Synodontis filamentosus'', known as the longfin synodontis, is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to the basins of the Nile, Volta and Niger Rivers as well as the Chad Basin. It was first described by British-Belgian zoologist Ge ...

'', '' Synodontis melanoptera'', ''

Synodontis nigrita ''Synodontis nigrita'', known as the false upside down catfish, is a species of upside-down catfish that occurs widely in northern Africa. It was first described by French zoologist Achille Valenciennes in 1840. The type specimen is in the Mus ...

'', ''

Arius gigas The giant sea catfish (''Arius gigas''), also called the ewe or the marine catfish, is a species of sea catfish in the family Ariidae. It was described by George Albert Boulenger in 1911, originally under the genus ''Tachysurus''.Boulenger, G. A. ...

'', '' Hemichromis'', and '' Tilapia zillii''. Many villages along the Niger River export fish and fish products to neighbouring regions. For example, in Mopti Region, fishing villages near

Konna Konna is a town and rural commune in the Cercle of Mopti in the Mopti Region of Mali. The town lies 60 km northeast of Mopti on the eastern edge of the flood plain of the Niger River. The main RN16 highway linking Sévaré and Gao branche ...

regularly export fish to market towns in the dry inland Dogon country, such as

Douentza Douentza (Fulfulde: ''Duwayⁿsa'') is a town and urban commune in the Mopti Region of central Mali. The town lies 145 km east-northeast of Mopti on the RN16, a paved road that links Mopti and Gao. It is the administrative center of the Do ...

. In

, fish species that are commonly found in the market are catfish (especially ''

Clarias ''Clarias'' is a genus of catfishes (order Siluriformes) of the family Clariidae, the airbreathing catfishes. The name is derived from the Greek ''chlaros'', which means lively, in reference to the ability of the fish to live for a long time out ...

'' and ''

Bagrus ''Bagrus'' is a genus of bagrid catfishes. These are relatively large catfish found in freshwater habitats in Africa, except for the virtually unknown ''B. tucumanus'' from South America, which likely is a Synonym (biology), synonym of ''Luciop ...

'' spp.),

carp Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish from the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. While carp is consumed in many parts of the world, they are generally considered an invasive species in parts of ...

('' Sarotherodon'' and '' Oreochromis'' spp.), capitaine ('' Lates'' spp.), dogfish (''

Hydrocynus ''Hydrocynus'' is a genus of large characin fish in the family Alestidae commonly called "tigerfish," native to the African continent. The genus name is derived from Ancient Greek ὕδωρ ("water"Liddell, H.G. & Scott, R. (1940). ''A Greek-Eng ...

'' spp.), ''

Mormyrus ''Mormyrus'' is a genus of ray-finned fish in the family Mormyridae. Species There are currently 22 recognized species in this genus: * '' Mormyrus bernhardi'' Pellegrin 1926 (Bernhard's elephant-snout fish) * '' Mormyrus caballus'' Boul ...

'', ''

Marcusenius ''Marcusenius'' is a genus of elephantfishes native to Africa. Its members are highly diverse in size, with the smallest species reaching less than and the largest more than . The genus is named after Johann Marcusen. Species There are cur ...

'', and '' Labeo'' fish species. Although most Dogon villages do not have direct local access to fresh fish, some villages are located near pools at the bottoms of escarpments that harbour fish species belonging to genera such as ''

'', ''

'', and ''

Brycinus ''Brycinus'' is a genus of ray-finned fish in the family Alestiidae. Like other "African characids", they were formerly included in the Characidae but are actually somewhat more distantly related Characiformes. Like some other Alestiidae, they a ...

''.

Invertebrates

Termites are a unique feature of Mali found in many uncleared locations. Their habitat is notably along with specific trees and plants, and alates or flying ants are the species housed in the ant hills. A documentary on these termite hills has been made under the title "Termites: Castles of Clay", which is about the "Soul of the White ant". Other insects reported are ''

Dracunculus medinensis ''Dracunculus medinensis'', or Guinea worm, is a nematode that causes dracunculiasis, also known as guinea worm disease. The disease is caused by the female which, at up to in length, is among the longest nematodes infecting humans. In contr ...

'' (Guinea worm) and '' Necator americanus'' (hookworm). Scorpions are noted; the female '' Anopheles'' mosquito carries malaria.

Threats

The threats to the wildlife of Mali are on account of deforestation (in 1997, the economic damage amounted to an estimated 5.35 per cent of GDP,) intensive hunting pressure, proliferation of livestock farming, extension of agricultural land and also due to

desertification Desertification is a type of land degradation in drylands in which biological productivity is lost due to natural processes or induced by human activities whereby fertile areas become increasingly arid. It is the spread of arid areas caused by ...

( Sahara desert extending, erosion and drought due to climate change). In the past, droughts in the 1970s and 1980s (last great drought was in 1984) have also contributed to the decline of wildlife resources of the country. Increased anthropogenic and livestock pressures, due to people moving to the southern part of the country and settling on river banks, has also compounded the threats. Particular mention of effect on the fauna in the wild is of

antelope The term antelope is used to refer to many species of even-toed ruminant that are indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia. Antelope comprise a wastebasket taxon defined as any of numerous Old World grazing and browsing hoofed mammals ...

species which are threatened. Other significant contributors to biodiversity degradation relate to pollution, mining, crop cultivation and also indiscriminate traditional slash and burn farming. Another aspect in the past was of concentrating protection measures only in the southwestern savannah region.

Conservation

The conservation of the protected areas is the responsibility of the National Parks Department of Mali. However, conservation and preservation of forest lands (including gazetted forest) rests with the Forest Service and both these agencies fall under the purview of the Department of Water and Forests of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Livestock. In the past, the traditional practice of protecting the forests and its flora and fauna rested with the Village elders. However, with

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

making inroads into the country, traditional rules have been relegated to a backseat and has resulted in over exploitation of the forest resources, which has been further aggravated by increased anthropological pressures. A major conservation effort has been launched with funding provided by the

Global Environmental Facility The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is a multilateral environmental fund that provides grants and blended finance for projects related to biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation, persistent organic pollutants (POPs ...

(under the aegis of the UNDP) to be completed by 2014 with the objective of substantially increasing the area under protection estate and reinforce the management instruments to achieve effective protection area, particularly the southwest region in respect of endangered mammal species of Derby eland and the western chimpanzee.

Gallery

File:Une guelta, près d'Oubankort dans l'Adrar des Ifoghas.jpg, Taguelmoust, near d'Oubankort in l'Adrar des Ifoghas

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wildlife Of Mali Biota of Mali Mali