Biodiversity Hotspots “The most remarkable places on Earth, and the most threatened.”

Stretching west to east – from the Iberian Peninsula to the Middle East – and from southern Europe to northern Africa, the Mediterranean boasts diverse cultures, beautiful coastlines and deep blue waters. Once the cradle of civilization, the region today faces a host of environmental problems that threaten its future. The Mediterranean Basin Connecting 3 continents – Europe, Africa and Asia – the Mediterranean has from ancient times been an important hub for trade and cultural exchange, and today is one of the world's leading tourist destinations.

Surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, the hotspot's 2,085,292 km² includes parts of Spain, France, the Balkan states, Greece, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria, as well as around five thousand islands scattered around the Mediterranean Sea. West of the mainland, the hotspot includes the Macaronesian Islands of the Canaries, Madeira, the Azores, and Cape Verde.

The basin's location, at the intersection of two major landmasses, Eurasia and Africa, has contributed to its high diversity and spectacular scenery. The region boasts mountains as high as 4,500 meters, peninsulas, and one of the largest archipelagos in the world. The climate of the Mediterranean Basin is dominated by cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers, and rainfall ranges from as little as 100 millimetres to as much as 3,000 millimetres. Original extent (km²)2,085,292 Vegetation remaining (km²)98,009 Endemic plant species11,700 Endemic threatened birds9 Endemic threatened mammals11 Endemic threatened Amphibians14 Extinct species5 Human population density(per km²)111 Area protected(km²)90,242

Diversity and Endemism GroupSpeciesEndemic SpeciesPercent Endemism Plants22,50011, Mammals Birds Reptiles Amphibians Freshwater Fish Like other Mediterranean-type ecosystems, the Mediterranean Basin has high levels of plant diversity and endemism but relatively poor representation of mammals and birds compared to other hotspots.

Flora The flora of the Mediterranean Basin is dramatic. Its 22,500 vascular plant species are more than four times the number found in all the rest of Europe. As a popular holiday destination, many of threatened species are increasingly fragmented and isolated to make way for resort development and infrastructure.

Examples of Endemic Plant Species: Tetraclinis articulataMalopeSolanum Dead horse arum lilyChamaerops humilis Leuzea

The waters are home to whales, dolphins, seals, turtles, valuable fish species and other marine life. The Mediterranean monk seal and Atlantic Bluefin tuna are two of the Sea's most imperilled species. On land, the Mediterranean forest mosaics of cork oaks, cedars, pines and olive trees are home to critically endangered Iberian lynx as well as brown bear, wolf, Barbary deer, and many species of rare birds and plants. Fauna

The Mediterranean Monk-Seal: The Mediterranean Monk Seal is a pinniped seal. There is only an estimated remaining. It is one of the most endangered mammals in the world. Where the Monk Seal used to rule the waters of the Med, it is now only found in a very small percentage of the Basin. Many Turkish and Greek fisherman still hunt the seals out of revenge for destroying their nets. Conservation Status: Critically Endangered

The Iberian Lynx: The Iberian Lynx, also known as the Spanish Lynx, is native to the Iberian Peninsula in Southern Europe. It is the most endangered cat species in the world! It is also the most endangered carnivore in Europe. This lynx was once distributed over the entire Iberian Peninsula. It is now restricted to very small areas, with breeding only confirmed in two areas of Andalucía, southern Spain. The Iberian lynx prefers environments of open grassland mixed with dense shrubs. It also prefers mountainous areas covered with vegetation. But these types of environments are becoming increasingly rare to find in some areas of Andalucía where towns such as Monda and Coin are spreading further and further back into the mountains. Conservation Status: Critically Endangered

The Barbary Macaque: The Barbary Macaque is found in the Atlas Mountains of Algeria and Morocco with a small, possibly introduced, population in Gibraltar. Besides humans they are the only primates that live freely in Europe The habitat of the Barbary Macaque is under threat from increased logging activity. They are listed as endangered. Local farmers view the monkeys as pests, and engage in extermination of the species. Once common throughout northern Africa and southern Europe, there are estimated to be just 12,000 to 21,000 Barbary Macaques left. Conservation Status: Endangered

Climate Change An increase of just 2 ⁰ C could result in a huge expansion of the Sahara desert reaching into Europe. Warmer and dryer conditions reduce the productivity of forests and increase forest fires. Increased sea temperatures may trigger large scale disease-related mortality events of dolphins in the Med. Water shortages and poor harvests during the droughts of the early 1990s exposed the acute vulnerability of the Mediterranean region to climatic extremes.

Human Impacts Due to the high rise in tourism in areas such as France and Spain, many habitats have been destroyed to create hotels, parks, camping sites and car parks. There has been a rise in immigration in Spain over recent years which has increased urbanisation. Beaches all around the basin are far more crowded which is a threat to local wildlife. In particular areas of the basin, long wars have had a negative effect on large areas and many ecosystems have suffered. The Suez canal, completed in 1869, was built through some thick deciduous forest which majorly effected many species in the area.

Conservation The Mediterranean Basin has a long history of land conservation. As early as 2,000 years ago, the Romans and Greeks set aside areas for the protection of natural resources. Nonetheless, today, protected areas only cover4.3% of the total land area. In recognition of the valuable, but extremely threatened, natural heritage of the Mediterranean Basin, most countries within the region are planning significant expansion of their protected area systems, especially in Turkey, Lebanon and Syria. However, widespread development and human land-use means that many of the new protected areas will be too small to adequately support animal populations. Many existing and proposed protected areas suffer from pollution and water shortages, problems that will only intensify as the human population increases in the Basin. Future conservation efforts need to address population pressures on the land, especially in the coastal zone, issues of infrastructure impact and connectivity, and above all, how to maintain traditional rural livelihoods in a way that benefits biodiversity. This will require achieving sustainable levels of grazing, as well as forest and fire management.