|Amphibians and Reptiles
A survey recorded a total of 23 species of Amphibians (4 species) and Reptiles (19). Of those species:
- 1 is a globally threatened species (Chamaeleo chamaeleon)
- 19 species are Regional or local species which are threatened in Lebanon.
Some old monographs of herpetofauna are known for the region (Lebanon and
Syria) from the works of Angel (1936), Boulanger (1923), Lortet (1883) Muller
and Wettstein (1933), Werner (1939) and Wettstein (1928).
Other recent works on the Lebanese herpetofauna have been published by Bosch
(1998) and Bosch et al (1998). The first prioritized list of Horsh Ehden
herpetofauna species was part of the survey and inventory work conducted by the
National Council for Scientific Research (NCSR) on behalf of the Protected Areas
Project (Hraoui-Bloquet in Tohmé et al., 1999). In 2002, Hraoui-Bloquet et al.
published a comprehensive paper on the distribution of the herpetofauna species
over the Lebanese territories (including Ehden).
The list of herpetofauna species comprises 28 species distributed over 13
Only the Chamaeleo chamaeleon is globally threatened whilst the regionally
threatened Salamandra infraimmaculata infraimmaculata, Bufo viridis, Rana
levantina, Hyla savignyi, Testudo graeca terrestris, Hemidactylus turcicus,
Cyrtopodion kotschyi orientalis, Chamaeleo chamaeleon, Lacerta laevis laevis,
Platiceps najadum dahlii, Malpolon monspessulanus insignatus, Hierophis
jugularis, Natrix tessellata tessellate, Vipera bornmuelleri, Vipera palestinea
and Macrovipera lebetina are limited to 16 species (57% of the Hoersh Ehden
Two reptiles Vipera bornmuelleri and Lacerta media wolterstorffi are endemic but
the second is also regionally threatened.
The uncertain status of 4 species Cyrtopodion amictopholis, Vipera palestinea,
Elaphe sauromates and Macrovipera lebetina indicates that further field
verification is needed to fill the gaps found in the acquired knowledge