Global Objective
The objective of this project is to identify the biodiversity value of the site, assess the negative impacts of current agricultural practices on olive orchards, and recommend strategies for mitigating these impacts. The findings will be shared with relevant stakeholders to guide future conservation plans.
— By Professor Ghassan Jardi, published by Environment for Life (EFL)
Apparently, there is no major herpetological work conducted at Rachaya. In 2002, Hraoui-Bloquet et al. published a comprehensive paper on the distribution of the herpetofauna species over the Lebanese territories. Some old monographs are also known for the region (Lebanon and Syria): Angel, 1936; Boulanger, 1923; Lortet, 1883; Muller and Wettstein, 1933; Werner, 1939; Wettstein, 1928. Other recent works on the Lebanese herpetofauna have been published by Bosch (1998) and Bosch et al (1998).
These works have resulted together with the recent field research undertaken by Souad Hraoui Bloquet and Ryad Sadek in a species list (Herpetofauna of Lebanon, New data of distribution) and the interviews with elderly people or environmentalists of interests in reptiles and amphibians, we have set the following list, of which three species are classified as endangered in accordance with the IUCN criteria.
- Salamandra inframmaculata inframmaculata (Martens, I885) NT
- Cyrtopodion kotschiyi orientalis ( Stepanek, 1937) LC
- Ptyodactylus puisseuxi (Boutan, 1893) LC
- Acantodactylus schreiberi syriaca (Bijttger, 1879) EN
- Parvilacerta fraasii (Lehrs, 1910) EN
- Phoenicolacerta kulzeri kulzeri (Miiller & Wettstein. 1932) EN
- MesaIina brevirostris cf. microlepis (Angel, 1936) LC
- Calchides ocelIatus ocellatus (ForsskSl, 1775) NT
- Eutneces schneideri pavimentatus (Geoffroy St.-Hilaire, 1827) LC
- Hierophis jugularis (Linnaeus, 1758) LC
- Platyceps najadum dahlii (Schinz, 1833) [formerly Coluber]. LC
Conclusion related to Herpetofauna
Beside the data that was mentioned from Rachaya, the questioning of shepherds, elderly people and interested in wildlife persons, lead us to set the above list of 1 amphibian and 10 reptiles. Of them three are globally threatened (endangered) species. It is true that the snakes are not among the threatened species but they are rarifying very fast due to persecution that doesn’t distinguish between venomous and non-venomous ones. New surveys may produce a longer list of herpetofauna in Rachaya Caza.
