Updated distribution and local abundance of the endangered Cuvier's gazelle (Mammalia, Bovidae) in Algeria

Identifying priority conservation areas in a Saharan environment by highlighting the endangered Cuvier’s Gazelle as a flagship species

“…One of the species that inhabits this desert is the endangered Cuvier's Gazelle (Gazella cuvieri Ogilby 1840), a medium-sized ungulate endemic to North Africa. Over the last century, the Cuvier's Gazelle population has undergone major fragmentation and its numbers have declined dramatically to 2,360-4,560 individuals due to overhunting and habitat loss [9][10][11][12][13] . Currently, the distribution of Cuvier's Gazelle is limited to the Atlas Mountains and the neighbouring mountain ranges in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia 11,[13][14][15] .…”

“…Over the last century, the Cuvier's Gazelle population has undergone major fragmentation and its numbers have declined dramatically to 2,360-4,560 individuals due to overhunting and habitat loss [9][10][11][12][13] . Currently, the distribution of Cuvier's Gazelle is limited to the Atlas Mountains and the neighbouring mountain ranges in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia 11,[13][14][15] . It is included within the subset of Sahelo-Saharan antelopes along with dama gazelle (Nanger dama), dorcas gazelle (Gazella dorcas), slender-horned gazelle (G. leptoceros), scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah) and addax (Addax nasomaculatus).…”

First data on the seasonal diet of the vulnerable Gazella cuvieri (Mammalia: Bovidae) in the Djebel Messaâd forest, northern Algeria

“…The diet of this gazelle has also been characterised in unpublished graduate dissertations (Bouredjli 1989, Talbi 1989, Benamor 2014) and as part of an unpublished thesis (Sellami 1999), mainly in the Mergueb nature reserve (M'Sila, Algeria). However, Bounaceur et al (2016) pointed out that a more comprehensive investigation of the diet of the Cuvier's gazelle is urgently needed to identify critical habitats and suggest necessary conservation. Cuvier's gazelle is endemic to northwest Africa (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia) and classified as "Vulnerable" by IUCN (IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group 2016) due to ongoing habitat degradation, mainly related to the loss of forest to cultivation and pasture.…”

“…Cuvier's gazelle is endemic to northwest Africa (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia) and classified as "Vulnerable" by IUCN (IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group 2016) due to ongoing habitat degradation, mainly related to the loss of forest to cultivation and pasture. Widely distributed in Algeria until the 19 th century, the species experienced a dramatic range decrease during the last century (Bounaceur et al 2016). It has recently disappeared from a few localities and the remaining populations are highly fragmented, except possibly in the large national forests of native Aleppo pines, Pinus halepensis (Beudels et al 2013).…”

“…As such, conservation of this declining species, nationally listed as "Endangered" (Bounaceur et al 2016), should be a priority.…”