User:Marc J Francis/sandbox

Lebanon is a country on the Eastern Mediterranean, and so it has a Mediteranean Climate, the perfect climate for many different types of living things to live. Birds, mammals, reptiles, and even amphibians all thrive in Lebanon, whether in small or big numbers. But Lebanon isn't only forests. Its also got a Steppe and Urban Areas. 13.4% of Lebanon is all forests, (not including forests high up on mountains thousands of meters high). Lebanon is a migration stop for different birds. 150,000 Lesser Spotted Eagles use Lebanon as a stop for migration. Pelicans also migrate in Lebanon, feeding on the fish from the rivers. There are several main landscapes in Lebanon:

Main Landscapes
The main landscapes in Lebanon are :


 * Pine Forests
 * Oak Woodland
 * Cedar Forests
 * Icy and Snowy Mountain Peaks
 * Wetlands
 * Steppe

The Wildlife of Lebanon all thrive in these different landscapes.

Wildlife around Lebanon
Birds

Many thousands of birds of prey migrate through Lebanon each spring and autumn. As these are mostly large birds most are classified as soaring birds. This means we tend to see them in large flocks spiraling over head. Indeed Lebanon is hugely important for the conservation of these magnificent birds as so many pass through. It is estimated that as many as 150,000 Lesser Spotted Eagles migrate through Lebanon annually, a very large proportion of the world’s population. Not only are they amazing to see but they also perform an important function in the environment – controlling pests such as rats, mice, and rabbits. Sadly, some people kill those eagles during their stops in the Lebanese Forests. Flocks of the Levant Sparrow Hawk can number hundreds over the hills of the Shouf and Metn.

Mammals

The last Brown Bear (Ursus arctos syriacus),, and Leopard (Panthera pardus) in Lebanon were hunted in the early 20th Century, and both species are still found in small numbers in the wider region.It is not only the large fierce animals that have been lost from the Lebanese mammal list. Large herbivores such as the Fallow Deer (Dama mesopotamica), left, and Nubian Ibex (Capra ibex) are also extinct.Despite millennia of hunting in Lebanon many species are still with us, albeit some with tiny and highly threatened populations. Even such large predators as the Wolf and Striped Hyena, shown below, can still be found in Lebanon’s wilder spots.


 * The Jackal is quite common throughout a range of habitats in Lebanon.
 * The wolf is e rare in Lebanon, with the total population being a handful of individuals
 * The Red Fox is common throughout a variety of habitats in Lebanon.

Badgers :


 * Otters are very rare in Lebanon but known to breed in the Bekaa wetlands and in the Chouf reserve.

Badgers aren't rare in Lebanon, but they aren't common either, they are extremely secretive and mysterious and as a result, we can't know how many there are in Lebanon.

Snakes


 * Large Whip Snake
 * Dahls Whip Snake
 * Red Whip Snake
 * Blunt-Nosed Viper

Snakes are extremely common throughout Lebanon, despite being hunted constantly. The landscape of Lebanon is perfect for a snake to thrive in.