biological diversity and tropical forests in tunisia - PART

B. Fauca
Mammals living or. Dj. Mrhilla !include the North Africac ecdemic gufidi,
which is preyed upon by red fox and jackals. Other rodects, brow. hare,
bats, wild boar and occasional hyenas also occur in the area.
- Birds icclude many species of diurnal and cocturnal raptors acd:
Wood ptgeon Goldfinch Black wheatear
Barbary partridge Chaffinch Nigh ticgale
Crested lark Hoopoe Raven
C. Icfluences
Although Hrhilla has beec protected for 3 years, some grazirg still
occurs.
3.4.3.L. Djebel Selloum
Arother moactaic flackicg the maic 'backbore' of the Tanisiar Dorsal
is Dj. Selloum, located 5 km southeast of Kasserice. The altitude is 1248
meters at the sammit, which is quite blunt and approaches plateaz form ic
some places. There are several bards of low cliffs (2 - 20 m) frscgicg
the samait, and the lower slopes are icterrapted by macy rock oztcrops.
The maic vegetation associations are essectially the same as those on
Dj. Mrhilla acd similar fauna wozld also be expected. A plact of special
irterest is the Tucisian ecdemic Gecista microcephala var. tucetaca.
3.4.3.5. Djebel Ousselat 35'42' I4 9'44' E
Forty km northwest of Kairouan is acother outlying moaetaic of the
Tacisiac Dorsal. Dj. Ousselat has ac altitzde of 895 m, which descecds
steeply, with macy cliffs, to the Low Steppes. Substrates of the south
face are often dominated by marble. Soils are thin, dark and very rocky
on the slopes.
A. Vegetatioc
Formerly, the dominant associatior. was aleppo pine, Juciperds
phoecicea, Dtplotaxis harra (~uecot 1965) , but there is ltttle aleppo pjne
remainicg and the degradation stages are now dominact. On some slopes
there is little soil, sparse jur.iper and few herbs. A commoc maquis
association appears to be Olea-lentiscus, carob. Rosemary occzrs, bl;t is
sparse ic macy areas. Nerium oleander grows alocg the stream beds acd ic
moist locatiocs oe the slopes.