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Thewildlife of Cyprus includes itsflora andfauna and their naturalhabitats.Cyprus has a rich flora and a diverse fauna albeit with relatively fewmammals. Like most modern countries, the natural habitats in Cyprus have been steadily disappearing, currently retaining only 20% of its original habitat due to rapidurbanization, usage of forests for commercial purposes,tourism and various other reasons.[1] One of the features of Cyprus' habitats is the wild and sharp differences in elevations and habitats on the island as well as climate, all of which supply a diverse habitat for an array of fauna and flora.[2] Terra Cypria was established as a trust in 1992 to conserve the Cypriot environment and its biodiversity.[3]
The fauna of Cyprus has fouramphibians.
Cyprus also has over 380species ofbird due to being on migration routes between Africa, Europe and western Asia including Eleonora's falcon (Falco eleonorae),flamingo and the imperial eagle (Aquila heliaca). There are twoendemic species of songbirds, theCyprus warbler (Sylvia melanothorax) and theCyprus wheatear (Oenanthe cypriaca). Both only breed on the island of Cyprus and migrate south to overwinter.[4]
Cyprus is currently home to 21 knownmammals, of which three areendangered.[5] The largest wild animal and mammal currently residing in Cyprus is theendemicCypriot mouflon. Other notable mammals are the large endangeredMediterranean monk seal[6] and the endemicCypriot mouse, which is the only remaining endemicrodent on theMediterranean islands.[7] During theLate Pleistocene, theCyprus dwarf hippopotamus, theCyprus dwarf elephant and a species ofgenet (Genetta plesictoides) were also native to the island, but became extinct at the beginning of theHolocene, following the arrival of humans to Cyprus.[8]
Most of the reptiles of Cyprus are harmless, and non-venomous such as theCyprus whip snake (Hierophis cypriensis) and the European blind snake (Typhlops vermicularis). Other snakes,European cat snake (Telescopus fallax) and Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus) are nominally venomous, but neither aggressive nor particularly dangerous. In contrast, theCyprian blunt-nosed viper, (Macrovipera lebetina lebetina), though not aggressive, is a large,front-fangedviper. Its bite is dangerous even to large mammals, including people.[9] Three of the reptile species on Cyprus, includingMacrovipera lebetina, are endangered.[5]
Cyprus has several species of lizards and a few species of turtles such asloggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta).
Cyprus has an especially wide array of arachnids with around 60 species of spiders, including the European tarantula (Lycosa tarantula).[10]
Mt Olympus (Chionístra) harbours severalendemicweevils, includingMelanobaris troodi Stüben, 2024,Otiorhynchus crassicollis Stierlin, 1861,Psallidium chionistrae Alziar, 2006, andStrophomorphus exophthalmus Pelletier, 1999.[11]
The flora of Cyprus contains about 1800 species, of which circa 128 are endemic.[1] The flora also includeinvasive species such asprickly pears and theyellow oxalis.
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