Hundreds of millions of years ago the Sahara was covered by
a great sea called the Tethys Sea. Around 40 million years
ago the tectonic plates gradually began
pushing Africa against Europe for 20 million years. Around
20 million years ago Africa collided with Europe and closed
the Tethys Sea. As Africa continued to push against Europe
northern Africa began to slowly
emerge from the bottom of the sea; leaving
behind a tropical swamp. Eventually
the swamps turned into massive expanse of searing desert around
3 million years ago. See
documentary at the end of this page for details.
Around 800,000 years ago, the Sahara was hot,
damp and covered with swamps and vegetation
everywhere. This period of heavy rain lasted for hundreds of
thousands of years; leaving behind wet and lush-green land,
covered with rivers and lakes, and teeming with hippopotami, rhinoceroses,
crocodiles and elephants; as well as three megalakes (giant
lakes of fresh water): one lake was situated in Tunisia
(the tiny Chott el Djerid of today, the ancient Lake Tritonis); the
second megalake was in southern Libya (the
Fezzan lakes of today); and the third is the Chad megalake in
Chad. According to the Sahara Megalakes Project, Megafezzan is the only lake
that provides long term record of climate change in the central Sahara.
Ever since, the Sahara comes and
goes just as ice ages do elsewhere. However, according to an article published
in the Independent Newspaper (September 8, 1999), titled: "Tilt of
Earth's axis turned Sahara into a desert",
scientists have
found that the Sahara was abruptly transformed from fertile
land into a desert
after the Earth underwent
one of its periodic changes in orientation between 9000
and 6000 years ago; during which its tilt lessened
from 24.14 degrees off vertical to its present 23.45 degrees,
and its closest position to the sun gradually shifted
from July to January.
The documentary embedded at the end of this page shows
the last cycle to have started around 5,500 years ago; after which the
inhabitants of the Sahara left to build the great civilisation of all
times: the Egyptian civilisation along the Nile. Scientists say
15,000 years from now the tilt of the Earth will turn the Sahara green
once more; and therefore each dry-green cycle is around 20,000 years long.
The Sahara today is the largest desert in the world, estimated
to be between seven and nine million square kilometres (7-9m
km2) - that is about one third of Africa.
Winters in the subtropical north can be very cold where temperatures
can fall below freezing point, as opposed to the mild tropical
south, where rain falls more during the summer than it does
in the north. Similarly, temperatures are high during the
day and low at night. The highest temperature in the world
was recorded in Libya on the 13th of September 1922, in el-Azizia,
close to Tripoli: a staggering 136.4 degree Fahrenheit (or
58 degrees Celsius). Although in the summer temperatures
reach 50 degrees Celsius in the shade, and in the winter
can reach -9 (minus nine), the average year round temperature
is about 30 degrees Celsius. Between the 27th of December and the 18th
of January some areas of the Sahara become covered with a thin white layer very
similar to frost, which turns the surface white and hence the name of this period: "The
White Nights".
Ground-creeping desert plant, with inedible gourds, the
size of small melons. The milky sap of these gourds is used as
a remedy for scorpion stings by the local Tuareg people. The gourd
is also a
purgative - that is cleanses and purifies the body. For further
details, see
"Traditional
medicine in Central Sahara: Pharmacopoeia of Tassili N?ajjer",
by Hammiche, H.
&
K. Maiza; Journal of Etnopharmacology,
Volume 105 (2006) pp. 358-367.
In prehistoric times the Sahara was significantly wetter, but
climatic desiccation over the past few thousand years has destroyed
much of its wildlife. The flora of the Sahara is estimated to include
about 1,200 species, consisting mainly of xerophytes and ephemeral
plants, with halophytes in moister areas, and Acacia, Tamarisk
and Calotropis procera along the wadis. However, according to another
scientific study, the Sahara's flora still includes about 3000
species.
The fauna of the Sahara includes about 70 species of mammals,
300 species of birds, including 90 species of resident birds,
and around 100 species of reptiles. Owing to extreme heat,
most small desert creatures are nocturnal. The populations
of these species were greatly reduced by over-hunting and
many are now endangered species, like the ostrich, addax, some
species of gazelles and the cheetah. Most of the African large
mammals that were reported to have been present in the desert until
the second half of the 19th century have now become extinct. Some
of these animals can be seen in Fezzan Park, and also in Tripoli's
zoo.
The Sahara is also rich in oil and metallic, mineral deposits,
the most common of which is iron ore (found in large quantities
in Algeria and Mauritania), followed by copper, manganese,
phosphates, and uranium (with large deposits in Niger).
Desert Roses
Desert Roses from the Sahara around the Ghadames Area, Libya.
Desert roses grow in size just like plants and animals
do. The leaf-like structure of its crystals makes the stone
look like a rose flower and hence its name. This leafy structure
is slowly built using the mineral gypsum which grows in the
tiny gaps between the specks of sand. A handful of sand would
appear compact to the naked eye, but under the microscope one
can easily see more cavities than sand. As it grows in these
cavities the gypsum seals the surrounding
sand particles in leaf-like flakes. These flakes then grow
with time just like plant leaves do, and develop complex forms
(see above).
This type of desert rose is found after Tmessah and before reaching
Waw Alkabeer, Fezzan, southern Libya.
Life In The Desert
Most of the Sahara's oases are situated in depressions and
sustained by underground basins and rivers.
But how do plants survive in the desert?
For plants to survive in the desert, they must invent ingenious
ways to deal with lack of water. Some species germinate within
72 hours of rainfall and sow their seeds 2 weeks later.
Shrubs and trees have extensive
root systems which can penetrate as far as 50 metres into the
ground; tamarisk and acacia have short, fat trunks that act
as reservoirs for excess water. The seeds of ephemerals germinate
only after heavy rain, and then very quickly consume their
entire life-cycle; producing brightly coloured flowers to attract
insects. Grasses develop large and complex root systems
for collecting water over a wide area, enabling them to survive
when the overground parts are scorched to death.
Geophytes survive by remaining underground as bulbs, and
like ephemerals, they quickly grow and develop when rain comes.
Saharan succulents, like euphorbia, suck the extra water to store
for later.
Some
insects collect moisture from the air and then direct it as droplets
of water into their mouths. While desert-ships (the camels)
vary their bodies' temperature according to the conditions: low
when it is cool and high when hot; when they are thirsty transpiration
drops to zero.
Humans, however, resort to nomadic way of life in order
to survive in the Sahara, travelling from one location to another in search
of water and vegetation. In short, life has a mind of its own, long
before it created ours!
The only permanently inhabited
zones in the Sahara are the oases and areas along the few fertile
valleys, such as
Wadi Alhayat (the Valley of Life) in Fezzan. The palm trees
in these regions, which are normally arranged in narrow rows
with an east-west orientation (in line with the apparent sun's
course across the sky), occur where water is relatively close
to the surface, and thus allowing the digging of shallow wells
to support
settled life.
Rain in the Sahara falls at rare intervals, mostly between
the months of
January and April, with a variation from 0.5 inch to 4 inches
over a 5 year period.
Calotropis procera (Asclepiadaceae)
Berber (Tuareg) name: Torha, Torcha or Torh N'ajjer;
while in Libya it is called Branbakh or Albranbakh.
Its wood is light, and thus used to light fire (by
rubbing it against hard wood to generate heat and then sparks), and also used
for roofing material for small huts.
According to
Sahara-Nature
one should not touch the plant, as the latex (the milky sap) produced is very irritant, especially to the eyes: can become blind.
Sahara Animals
& Insects
Baboons
Barbary Sheep (Ammotragus Lervia)
Scarab Beetles
Wild Ass
Ants
Locusts
Ostriches
Oryxes
Rock Hyrax (Procavia capensis)
Chameleons
Dwarf Crocodiles (in Chad's portion of the Sahara)
Bears (in Al-Hamada Al-Hamra around March and April)
Fish (in pools):
Brine Shrimp
Clarias Anguillaris
Barbus Biscarensis
Tilapia Zillii
Birds (Migratory & Breeding):
Vultures
Crows
Hawks
Moula Moula bird ('the messenger')
Alectoris Barbara Duprezii
Golden Eagle
Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus)
Brown Desert Larks
White Stork (Ciconia)
Moorhen Gallinula Chloropus
Desert Sparrow
Botaurus Stellaris
Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni)
Stone Curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus)
Lxobrychus Minutus
Short-toed Eagle (Circaetus gallicus)
Night Heron (Nycticorax)
Desert Eagle Owls
Rock Martins
Coot Fulica Atra
Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides)
Purple Heron (A. purpurea)
Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellis)
Desert Camels:
Camels are nearly 50 million years old; and, like horses, were
as big as domesticated cats, living in North America's
forests. By 12 million years ago, several types of camels
evolved, including the one-meter-tall Procamelus of the Camelus
genus, from which modern camels descended. The Camelus crossed
North America to Asia, some 3 million years ago, and then
reached Africa rather recently (between 4 and 3 thousand
years ago). 90 % of
camels are dromedaries (with one hump), most of which live in
North/East Africa. On average camels can travel the hot Sahara
for two weeks without drinking water, slowly loosing weight;
and when water is found, their large stomachs can carry as much
as 100 litres of water. Camels do not carry water in their humps,
which are mainly fat.
The ship of the desert: the camel.
Libyan Serpents:
There are about 95 species of reptiles in the Sahara, consisting
mainly of three types: lizards, snakes and tortoises. Although
most of them are small creatures, the desert monitor lizard
can reach up to 1.5 meters long. Unlike other vertebrates reptiles
are cold-blooded and therefore are unable to produce their
own heat. They live on insects and small mammals, and their
thick skin helps them minimises water loss.
There are about 400 species of snakes in Africa
today, 90 of which are venomous. According to classical Greek
sources the Sahara was infested with serpents, mythical and
real, like those of the Libyan Gorgon Medusa. Libyan traditions
state that snakes are harmless if they are left alone. For some reason, probably
to do with the low temperature, snakes are completely timid and harmless between
the months of October and February. The photo shows a sand viper (about fifty
centimetres long), which has a pair
of horns just above the eyes. The "trouble" with
the sand viper is that it is usually buried just
under the surface of the sand, which means good
desert boots are essential. The ancient
Garamantes of Fezzan carried Libyan Neith's tattoos
on their legs, just above the ankle, properly
to protect from snake bites, which can be a
bit painful, but rarely fatal.
However,
be reminded
that when travelling in the desert it is best to always wear
thick leather boots and avoid disturbing stones and small rocks. If you have
to turn some stones, like when camping, then beware of scorpions and serpents
and never do it at night. Camping preparations should always be undertaken
in full day light. If you see snakes "sneaking" about,
then learn to live with them, leave them alone, keep a safe distance
from them, and remember to never corner a snake or a cobra as
they might attack before you get a chance to react. Respect
nature if you seek the same respect for yourself!
Pythons:
Although venomous snakes inject poison, pythons "end the life"
of their prey by constriction: they coil their bodies around their prey, slowly
suffocating them
to death. At up to twenty five feet long (the reticulated python: Python reticulatus),
you are not left with much choice but to avoid them in the first place. Always
keep a safe distance, as they can leash out to half their bodies' length in an
instant. However, the African Ball python (Python regius) rarely gets
bigger than six feet long, and is very well tamed and popular pet.
If you have
been bitten and cannot get medical
care
within half an hour, then the Red Cross recommends the
traditional technique of washing the affected area with soap
and water and then applying a bandage, about three inches above the wound, but
not very tight. However lack of washing has its benefits too (see below).
Also try to keep the affected area below the heart level to slow down the flow
of venom. Traditionally one would make a small cut and squeeze as much blood
out of the wound as possible, but nowadays academic experts advise against making
any cuts to prevent the risk of infection or the risk of cutting sensitive tissues.
Instead they recommend a suction device (a kit, see below) which can be used
to draw the venom without making a cut. We have included these kits among the
things you should take with you to Libya in our travel
guide to Libya. Polluting local water resources must be avoided at all times.
Dry Bite:
Snakes can bite but they do not have to deliver (or waste) precious venom on a creature that is too big to eat. You might get bitten but it does not mean you were poisoned, and so the importance of staying clam and never to panic. However, always seek medical help even if you do not get any symptoms.
Sahara Scorpions:
Insects are very numerous in the Sahara,
especially scorpions, termites, ants, sacred scarab beetles,
intelligent spiders, and the most devastating of
all: locusts, which
can cover massive areas very quickly and consume entire fields
in a matter of minutes. Most desert insects are nocturnal and
the secret of their survival is their hard,
crusty and waxy skin which minimises water loss, in addition
to hiding under rocks (like scorpions) and under the sand (like
centipedes).
The common scorpion
in the Sahara is the Leiurus
quinquestriatus (the deathstalker), which although can be fatal
to a child, an elderly or a weak person, it rarely causes
serious harm to a healthy adult. The poison is administered via the tail
sting, which if cut away the scorpion becomes edible. Scorpions get their fluids
from their prey and thus they rarely drink. If scorpions are left alone and not
disturbed, they, like serpents, are harmless and rarely attack humans for no
reason, like many humans do. Stepping over them accidentally forces
them to spontaneously react, thinking they were attacked. If you are a healthy
adult, then there is nothing to worry about. [I have been stung twice in one
night and sought no help because there was none around.]
Flying scorpions:
These are not flying scorpions as such, but they call them "Wind Scorpions" because
they utilise the wind to glide, just as many forest creatures do jump from one
tree to another; and therefore one can call them "gliding scorpions".
These are mainly found in Edhan Murzuq and Al-Kufrah during the months of April
and May, especially when it is very hot. {You better get your spacesuit ready
for the Sahara.}
Snake-bite & scorpion-sting kits
Anti venom kits are usually used to extract
the painful venom left by common insects, such as wasps,
bees, midges, mosquitoes, spiders and even the extremely
painful jellyfish. A typical kit
normally contains a
mini vacuum pump, which painlessly extracts poison from stings
and thereby reducing itching and pain. However, these kits
are also used to treat snake bites and scorpion stings, as they allow
you, using only one hand if need to,
to
take as much poison out
of the system as possible, especially when used immediately
after applying the bandage above the wound (to slow down the
spread of venom). The human body is very resilient
and often can deal with small amounts of poison that are left in, if any, and
so these kits can make a difference.
How Fatal is a snake bite?
Reassuringly, more than 50% of those who were bitten
by poisonous snakes escape without any harm, simply because not all snakes inject
venom when they bite, and so never panic, but always seek medical help to be
100% safe. In a research carried out in Australia, scientists discovered that
out of 3000 snakebites taking place every year, on average only around 300 receive
antivenom, out of which only one or two prove to be fatal. While in America only
around 10 victims out of 8000 who were bitten by venomous snakes actually die.
What are these snake-bite and scorpion sting kits and what do they contain?
The kits do not contain any anti venom injections, simply because venoms
differ from snake specie to another and therefore it is always important to remember
what type of snake you were bitten by so that the nurse can administer the correct
antidote at the hospital. Of course, there is the polyvalent antivenom,
which can be used against most types of poisons if the identification of the
snake fails. However it is generally agreed that it is much safer to use snake-specific
antivenoms than polyvalent antivenoms. This is why in Australia each state has
its special polyvalent antivenom specifically made for the local snakes present
in the area. Anti-venom needs to be prescribed by a professional doctor or a
specialist and should be administered in a clinic or a hospital. If you can remember
what type of snake you were bitten by or what kind of a scorpion you were stung
by then that description will help the doctor to administer the specific antigen.
So what does the anti snake-bite kit really contain?
It contains:
instructions
a sterile blade
a small plastic device for sucking the venom through the cut (also known as an extraction pump)
tourniquet (an instrument or a device used to temporarily stop or restrict the flow of blood, usually a tightly encircling bandage
sterile bandage
sterilising solution (alcohol) or antiseptic wipes.
These kits are mainly used to suck as much of the poison as possible, keep
the cut clean and safe from infection until you get to the nearest hospital or
clinic.
Snake Identification Kits
To administer the correct (and snake-specific) antivenom one needs to know
the type of the snake. But then how would you identify a snake at night or in
a jungle where there is no sight of the snake? If all means to identify the snake
fail then doctors will prescribe a polyvalent antivenom, even though this can
have negative side affects and hence
the importance of the identification. This is where Snake Venom Detection Kits
(SVDK), or snake identification kits, come in. The kit can identify the correct
type from samples taken from the bite site within half an hour and therefore
allowing the correct antivenom to be administered very quickly. The sample can
also be taken either from a urine sample (where systemic envenoming is present
in the patient) or from the snake's fangs (if the snake is present).
What can I do if I were bitten by a snake or stung by a scorpion?
(1) Prevention:
Prevention Better Than Cure:
Snakes never attack unless they feel threatened.
Stay still: if you see a snake passing by stay absolutely still as snakes attack only when they sense danger: it is their instinct. But standing still in their territories maybe taken as a sign of being attacked. If you can just run for it as quickly as possible.
Exercising caution in areas where snakes are to be found (near stones and rocks): in the Sahara this translates to Metkhendoush area where the ground is covered in stones and rocks.
Do not turn stones; leave them as they are. Warm rocks are homes for scorpions and snakes. The worst thing to do is send a signal to the scorpion
or snake that its home has been destroyed.
Never set camp at night; always in broad day light.
If sleeping under the stars then try to make a raised bed (with logs or wood) at least one foot from the ground
Sleep in sealed tents.
Never corner a snake or a cobra if you see one.
Do not panic if you see a snake and keep away as quickly and normal as possible.
Never attack a snake.
Make plenty of noise when walking in woods to warn snakes ahead of you and give them a chance to get out of your way and hide.
Thumping your feet on the ground as you walk will frighten away most snakes (but never do it when snakes are in sight as they may feel they wee threatened.
Do not place your hands in holes or places where you cannot see what is inside.
Always watch where you place your feet, if you can.
Always walk with a torch at night - never plod in darkness.
Use good hiking boots, just in case you step on a snake.
Take extra care near stone or log piles, crevices and caves
Carry an anti snake-bite kit with you.
Carry the telephone number of the nearest hospital in the area where you would be travelling.
Always shake off garments and loose items and check all containers
in the morning.
Always shake out your boots in the morning, although there
are those who prefer to sleep with their boots on, and then
take them off during the day while driving in the car.
(2) Mild Symptoms
Panic
Fear
Emotional confusion
Nausea
Vomiting
Vertigo
Fainting
Cold skin
Redness & swelling of affected area
Slight pain
Neurotoxicity (some venoms attack the nervous system)
If you notice of feel any symptoms
of muscular spasm or respiratory difficulties, then medical help
is paramount - in fact in all conditions, regardless of symptoms, medical assistance must be sought as soon as possible, just in case.
(3) Serious Symptoms:
Headache
Nervousness
Sickness
Vomiting
Diarrhoea
Occasional sudden hypotension (with loss of consciousness)
Cranial nerve paralysis
Stomach pain
Haemoglobinuria
Hypertension
Tachycardia
Haemmorrhage
Limb & respiratory muscle paralysis
Peripheral circulatory failure
Myoglobinuria
Death (rare).
(4) Treatment
Stay calm, strong and positive at all time.
Do not panic and get to a hospital as soon as you can. Do not ignore it even
if you did not develop any symptoms.
Do not walk, if possible, until treatment is applied.
Immobility: if possible use a sling to minimise
all limb movement, and call for help to come to the site (if possible).
Stay standing, if you can, and as still as possible, and try to keep the
affected part below the heart level.
To help the medical staff with applying the correct
antidote, the scorpion can be kept in a special container
(alive in a glass jar with small holes in the lid) for identification. Or take
a photo of it using your phone or digital camera and release it in the wild,
as snakes and scorpions only defend if they feel they were provoked or attacked.
Do not make a cut on or around the bite, as
you would be taking the risk of infection.
Do not place any cooling element, such as ice, on the bite, as this would
make it much harder to remove the venom with the suction device.
Although some sources recommend cleaning the wound with soap and water, others
go against the practice, and say the residue or traces of poison left on the
skin and bandages can be used to identify the correct type of poison and hence
the correct anti-venom quickly.
Apply the bandage about 3 inches above the wound,
very gently making sure not to restrict the flow of blood. Improper use of tourniquets
can be dangerous.
Use the kit (if you have one and if you have
to) to suck out as much as possible of the venom without making any cuts: just
place the pump over the bite mark(s).
Do not suck blood with your mouth, as you would be taking the risk of taking the venom into your bloodstream.
Antivenin: for serious snake bites, physicians apply antivenin,
which is an antidote derived from antibodies made in
a horse's blood serum after injecting it with the poison; and therefore the need for the specialist to test for known allergies before administering the vaccine.
The wild gourds (Citrullus
colocynthis, pictured above) are traditionally used
by the Tuareg of the Sahara to treat scorpion stings. There are those
who say one should not attempt traditional remedies and should
get help instead. But then how can one get help in the desert?
Traditional Environmental Knowledge, known as TEK to scientists,
is currently being collected from around the world as human
heritage, and most of it, if not all, is rather impressive. Use your common
sense and always try to get to the nearest hospital.
Gazelle Species:
Scimitar-Horned Oryx (now extinct in the wild)
Dorcas Gazelle (Gazella dorcas)
Dama Gazelle (Gazella dama)
Red-Fronted Gazelle
Sahara Foxes:
Fennec (Vulpes zerda): small, clever fox, with large ears, capable of tracking down lizards and beetles at night from their slightest sounds.
Ruppell's (Vulpes rueppellii)
Pale fox (Vulpes pallida).
Desert Crocodiles:
Crocodiles were the masters of the Sahara some 100 million years
ago, and were very common to the Sahara, especially in large
lakes and rivers, until a century ago. Today, some survived in
small numbers, particularly in the Ennedi mountains of
Chad and the Tagant in Mauritania.
Scarab Beetle
Beetles are very common in North Africa and there
are several species of them, ranging from the classical and
mythical scarab beetle to the flying and extremely noisy
beetles. It was thought the ancient Egyptians' fascination
with the scarab beetle stemmed from the apparent spontaneous
birth of newborn beetles from beetle dung-balls.
Hello!
Mosquitoes
The Italians were among the first researchers to study mosquitoes
in the Libyan Sahara. They have collected a large
number of samples from various areas and conducted extensive
studies.
Tribe Anophelni:
Genus Anopheles:
Sub-genus Myzomyia:
Anopheles multicolor Camb
.:
The most widely distributed anopheline in
Fezzan. Lo Monaco Croce (1931) recorded this
species from Murzuq, Gatroun and Tmassah.
Anopheles sergenti Theob.:
Chidini (1934) reported this species from Adiri
and Tmassah. Also reported from el-Jidid near
Sebha.
Anopheles broussesi Edw.:
Vermeil (1953) reported it from an area near el-Barkat,
near Ghat, west of the southern part of Jabel Acacus
Anopheles hispaniola Theob.:
Foley (1939) reported it from Ghudwah, south of
Sebha.
Anopheles superpictus Grassi:
Ghidini (1934) reported it from Gatroun and Tajerhi
Tribe Culicini:
Genus Theobaldia:
Sub-genus Allotheobaldia
Theobaldia longiareolata Macq.:
Vermeil (1953) reported it from Adiri, Brak and Sebha
Sub-genus Ochlerotatus: Aedes caspiuss Pallas:
Vermeil (1953) reported it from Murzuq, Brak, Ghudwah.
Aedes mariae Sergent:
Ghidini reported it from Adiri, Murzuq and Gatroun
Sub-genus Barraudius: Culex pusillus Macq.:
Vermeil (1953) reported it from Greifa (Wadi Alajal).
It was also found near Tripoli.
Sub-genus Culex: Culex univittatus Theob.:
Vermeil (1953) reported it from Adiri, Brak, Sebha
and Serdeles (Awaynat).
Sub-genus Culex:
Cluex pipiens L.:
Zavattari reported it from Gatroun; and Vermeil (1953)
from Brak and Sabha
Some of the main plants found in the
Sahara
acacia
Date Palms
Thorny Palms
Thorny acacias
Scrubby bushes
Euphorbia
Olive-hued shrubs
Orange trees
Oleander
Fig trees
Oleander trees
Tamarind
Alfalfa grass
Esparto grass
Oat grass
Tamarisk
Anrthirrnum ramosissimuma
Ononis angustissima
Cypress
Artemisia
Thyme
Eragrostis
Panicum
Aristida
Wild gourds.
Olive trees (olives and olive oil promote healthy living
and skin, long life, and vitality).
Magaria (a tree bearing a fruit
the size of a cherry and of light brown colour. When dry it
is pounded and formed into little cakes).
Tribulus (blooms after
desert rainfall).
Calotropis (the milky sap released when the stem
is broken is poisonous and should be avoided).
Cornulaca monacantha (blooms after
desert rainfall, liked by camels).
Please click
here for a comprehensive Latin-Tuareg
list of plants in the Sahara.
Palm Dates, Sahara, Libya.
Fossilised Wildlife In The Sahara Desert
The Sahara desert is very rich in fossils of extinct wildlife.
Some of the fossils found include those of dinosaurs, petrified
tree trunks, lizards and marine shells. The following photos
show some of the fossils currently on display in Ghadames
Museum.
Petrified forest remains from the area between Ubari and Awaynat, Fezzan,
Southern Libya. The forest can be reached via the road from Sabha to Awaynat.
GPS location: N25-57.750 E11-24.616.
Libya Before The Sahara
Libya Before The Sahara, by Professor Noel T. Boaz, of Benghazi's
Libyan International Medical University, published by the International Institute
for human Evolutionary Research Integrative Centres for Science and Medicine,
2009.
The cover photograph of the paper (see below) is of
As-Sahabi Locality P28 and the Petrified
Forest fronting Garet Makada ("Elephant Hill"), west of Sebkhat al-Qunnayyin,
Libya.
The site of As-Sahabi, in North Central Libya, is one of
the greatest fossil sites in Africa; apparently so because a great river once
flowed through the region. The Eo-Sahabi River was rich in marine wildlife including
large widehead catfish, bichirs, spotted sqeaker, Nile perch, sea turtles, sea
cows, long-snouted crocodilian, iniid river dolphins, bream and white sharks,
and was surrounded by lush-green trees and many wild animals, chattering birds,
bears, hyenas, pigs, monkeys, antelopes, three-toed horses, four-tusked elephants,
six-fore-toothed hippos and many more exotic species; all of which have since
dissapeared into the corridors of history, leaving behind a sea of fossils. According
to Professor Boaz: "The site of As-Sahabi first became known not as a window to the
past, but for window panes."
Libya Before The Sahara
Libya Before The Sahara
by Professor Noel T. Boaz,
of Benghazi's Libyan International Medical University,
published by the International Institute for human Evolutionary Research Integrative Centres for Science and Medicine, 2009. Fantastic resource regarding wild life in prehistoric Sahara, including colour illustrations.
