Dangerous Animals on the Travel Guide Morocco

Striped hyena
Hyena: "Hyena" comes from the Greek word "hus," which means "swine." But it is not closely related to the pig, nor to the cat, nor to the dog. It is in a family of its own.
Location: Northern and eastern Africa through Arabia and Asia Minor to India.
Habitat: Arid savanna, thorn bush, and stony desert within six miles of water.
Description: The hind legs of the striped hyena are heavier and shorter than the forelegs. The head is broad with pointed ears. The colour of the coat varies from gray to light brown. On the back there is a conspicuous, darker erect crest. This animal grows to about four feet long. It can weigh about 125 pounds.
Behaviour: This hyena generally forages alone, or in pairs, and is almost completely nocturnal. It moves noiselessly, and may be unnoticed even at close quarters. By day it stays hidden in vegetation or in dens in the cracks among rocks. It feeds on refuse, carrion, and small animals (rodents, birds, reptiles). Some will also prey on domestic animals (sheep, goats, dogs).
Reproduction: Breeding occurs at any time of year. Litters of one to five cubs are born after a gestation period of about 90 days.

Red, silver, or cross fox
Fox: "Fox" is the Old English word for the animal.
Location: Arctic regions as far south as northern Africa.
Habitat: Terrestrial. All types of habitat, even large cities.
Description: The head and body are reddish, and the underside gray and white.The tail, which is 14 to 16 inches long, is black with a white tip. The length is 24 to 36 inches, and the weight is four to fifteen pounds.
Behaviour: In its ability to adapt, this fox is a close rival to man and the rat. It lives in a den in the ground, and is active both day and night. Territoriality is based on the availability of food, and a territory may range greatly in size. The red fox is omnivorous, eating fruit and vegetables as well as whatever small animals it catches.
Reproduction: There are usually four to six young per litter, although there may be as many as ten, and usually only one litter per year. Gestation lasts about 52 days.

Golden jackal
Jackal: "Jackal" comes from the Persian word "shagal."
Location: Northern Africa, Southern Europe and Asia.
Habitat: Terrestrial. Savanna, grasslands, and arid open woodlands.
Description: The golden jackal is a uniform colour between dirty yellow and red, with some black on the back. The head and body are 24 to 30 inches long, and the tail is 9 to 14 inches. The weight is 15 to 31 pounds.
Behaviour: This jackal adjusts quickly to environmental changes. It is nocturnal. It feeds on anything that is edible, but prefers rodents, insects, and lizards. A scavenger of larger carcasses as well, the golden jackal has learned to wait until its larger competitors - hyena, lion, African hunting dog - have eaten their fill. It usually lives alone or in pairs, but occasionally forms groups.
Reproduction: After about 62 days of gestation, three to eight young are born.

Barbary Lion
The Barbary lion (panthera leo leo) was the largest of all the lion species. Weighing about 200 kg and reaching a length of 3.5 meters, these fearsome predators were once widespread across Northern Africa from Morocco to Egypt, and were the species of lion that the Romans captured for use in the arenas. Male Barbary lions were noted for their massive and very dark coloured mane, and female Barbary lions had a small light-coloured mane as well. The extinction of the Barbary lion began in the middle ages as Arabic communities expanded in the Sahara. As wild habitats shrunk, the lions began to prey on domestic livestock, causing the local Ottoman governments to call for the extermination of all lions and put a prize on any lion killed. By 1700 the Barbary lion was already quite rare. The last Egyptian Barbary lions were killed in the 1790s. In Tunisia the last lion was killed in 1891 and the last Algerian Barbary lion was killed in 1912. A hunter killed the very last Barbary lion in Morocco in 1920.