Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin (ISSN 0178 – 6288) . Number 91, July 2009, pp. 1-31. | Page 11

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Raptors of today are, however, only a fraction of the large population that lived in the
country as recently as the 19th century. Hunting, poisoning and drastically fewer
animal carcasses left lying in open fields have all taken their toll, and it is now planned
to bolster endangered raptor species and reintroduce those that are extinct. Griffon
vultures (Gyps fulvus), lappet-faced or Nubian vultures (Torgos tracheliotos), lanner
falcons (Falco biarmicus), white-tailed sea eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla), Egyptian vultures
(Neophron percnopterus) and lesser kestrels (Falco naumanni) are being bred in captivity;
feeding stations are provided in the wild, and their nesting sites are protected.

Reptiles:
There are 97 different native reptile species. They include two chameleon subspecies,
the Mediterranean chameleon (chamaeleo chamaeleon recticrista), found in central and
northern Palestine, and the Sinai chameleon chamaeleo chamaeleon musae, found in
southern desert regions. Many lizards like the Lebanon lizard (lacerta laevis), the
roughtail rock agama (laudakia stellio stellio), desert monitors (Varanus griseus), Egyptian
dabb or mastigure or spiny-tailed lizard (uromastyx aegyptius), skinks, geckos like the
Mediterranean gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus) are all living in Palestine.
Palestine is home to a broad selection of turtles representing several different orders:
pond turtles, land turtles, softshell turtles, sea turtles and leatherback turtles
(Dermochelys coriacea).
Palestine has two species of land tortoises: the Mediterranean spur-thighed tortoise
(Testudo graeca ibera), the most common turtle in Palestine and the much rarer Egyptian
tortoise (Testudo kleinmanni), a desert species. The temperate Mediterranean tortoise was
one of the first creatures in Palestine to be declared a protected species because its
popularity as a pet, and in some Mediterranean countries, as a delicacy. In fact in many
parts of its range it is now extinct or endangered. In Palestine though you can still come
across the tortoise in many areas, local parks and gardens, especially during the spring.
Another easily seen turtle is the Caspian turtle or Striped-neck terrapin (Mauremys
caspica), which is found in ponds, drainage ditches, lakes, sewage ditches and wetland
areas. While the highly endangered African softshell turtle (Trionyx triunguis) is on the
verge of extinction in this country, due to the pollution of Palestine's coastal rivers, the
Caspian turtle thrives in polluted water, with particularly high concentrations found in
sewage runoff and sewage treatment pools. While Caspian turtles can be found all over
central and northern Palestine, the Hula nature reserve in northern Palestine is a
particularly good place to see them, as wooden boardwalks allow you to walk over the
marsh and lake and see the turtles up close. They enjoy sunning themselves on rocks
and logs by the water, often stacked on top of each other in piles as many as seven
turtles high.

Gazelle – Number 91 – July 2009