Western Sahara wildlife
“I’ve not noted down exactly where we go,” Martin says, “I don’t like to know in case I tell people without thinking.”
Martin Royle is the director and a guide at Royle Safaris, our specialist wildlife watching partner. He’s been running successful wildlife watching trips in Western Sahara for a couple of years, making the most of its abundant desert wildlife.
He’s very careful not to disclose exactly where the tours go. These places are best protected when they’re kept secret – both from poachers, and from becoming overrun. Too many visitors would disturb both the wildlife, and the nomadic peoples who live here.
Martin Royle is the director and a guide at Royle Safaris, our specialist wildlife watching partner. He’s been running successful wildlife watching trips in Western Sahara for a couple of years, making the most of its abundant desert wildlife.
He’s very careful not to disclose exactly where the tours go. These places are best protected when they’re kept secret – both from poachers, and from becoming overrun. Too many visitors would disturb both the wildlife, and the nomadic peoples who live here.
Deserted landscapes
Western Sahara has no national parks, because it has no ‘national’ protection, leaving its natural wonders vulnerable.The disputed territory is non-self-governing and has been under Moroccan control since 1985. Lacking the right to self-determination, the Sahrawi people – the collective name for the tribes who live here – have found their natural resources plundered.
Land in much of Western Sahara isn’t owned – which means that those who use it have few legal rights to how it is used by others. It also means that the land can be damaged with little consequence. The seas are threatened by overfishing. Almost three quarters of the world’s phosphate – the key ingredient in synthetic fertiliser production – is in Western Sahara, making the land a target for mining.
Travel organisations like Royle Safaris are careful not to take advantage of the precarious legal position of their hosts. “You can seriously alienate the local herders who use these areas if you don’t ask for their permission to be there,” Martin explains, sensitive that they already face persecution.
The Moroccan government has made it hard for the Sahrawi people – many of whom fled to Algeria as refugees in the 1970s. They are also victims of climate change, which is making the country more arid, and causing the desert to expand.
Living deserts
Despite this, there is surprising desert life here, and that’s exactly what people like Martin are trying to preserve.“Fennec foxes, sand cats, Libyan striped weasels, Rüppell’s foxes and desert hedgehogs,” lists Martin. “They are not too commonly seen anywhere else, and you can see them all here.”
Fennec foxes and sand cats are on the top of many people’s ‘most wanted’ list for desert sightings. The fennec fox, the world’s smallest fox, is as dainty as a deer, but wields improbably large ears. The fox is a victim of its own anime-character-esque cuteness, and is often sold into the exotic pet trade. Sand cats, on the other hand, look uncannily like the house cat you may or may not have curled up on your comfiest chair at home.
Slinking low to the ground, and most active under the cover of darkness, both species are very hard to track, as their fur-covered feet barely leave a pawprint in the sand. They are rarely spotted. A sand cat kitten was only believed to have been filmed for the first time in 2017.
They join other specialist animals that have adapted to living in the margins of the desert: Rüppell’s fox, who looks like the fennec fox’s older brother, and the North African hedgehog, who you might spot bumbling around at night.
What to expect from a Western Sahara desert safari?
To see these desert specialists takes some adaptation on your part, too. The best way to see animals in the Western Sahara is to go on a nocturnal safari, which means you should expect to channel your inner night owl for the duration of the trip. Every night, starting around 7pm in the evening, you’ll go out in search of creatures, staying out until 1am or 2am. It means you can rest out of the heat of the day – the wildlife is usually doing the same.
Deserts have massive diurnal range, meaning that temperatures fluctuate hugely between hot days, and cold nights. The air above the desert contains very little moisture, which could be expected to absorb heat in the day and provide a bit of insulation for the land at night. Because the air is so dry, temperatures plummet as soon as the sun goes down. Safari after sunset can get chilly.
Deserts have massive diurnal range, meaning that temperatures fluctuate hugely between hot days, and cold nights. The air above the desert contains very little moisture, which could be expected to absorb heat in the day and provide a bit of insulation for the land at night. Because the air is so dry, temperatures plummet as soon as the sun goes down. Safari after sunset can get chilly.
Local guides
Local guides can be very useful. Though they might not have had formal training, they provide vital orientation. “Years of working in the region has taught them where and how to see the wildlife,” says Martin, “Their intimate knowledge of the dunes and rocky desert is key in not getting lost, and also locating the best places for wildlife.” A zoologist or ecologist often accompanies trips too, to provide extra support.
The secret ‘best places to go’ change every year, depending on where the rain has fallen, and where the vegetation is. “This underpins the ecosystem for our sightings,” Martin explains. Where food is, so is life.
The secret ‘best places to go’ change every year, depending on where the rain has fallen, and where the vegetation is. “This underpins the ecosystem for our sightings,” Martin explains. Where food is, so is life.
Follow the honey
Tourist sightings can be invaluable out here. There aren’t many researchers in Western Sahara, and that’s where tourism can play an important role. Their species sightings can be handed over to researchers.
“In 2022 we had two sightings of honey badgers,” says Martin. There is an ongoing taxonomic study of the badger, and researchers are trying to build a case for splitting the species in two. “These sightings and pictures were given over to the researchers and are a valuable part of their study,” says Martin. On a cold night in the desert, the promise of praise from the world’s scientific community might help lure you out of your tent with your torch.
The sun sets over the rocky landscape as you drive. There is no road to follow, but your guide knows where you’re going. Still, allow yourself to feel a little lost. After all, you can tell people what you saw when you return – just don’t tell them where you saw it.
“In 2022 we had two sightings of honey badgers,” says Martin. There is an ongoing taxonomic study of the badger, and researchers are trying to build a case for splitting the species in two. “These sightings and pictures were given over to the researchers and are a valuable part of their study,” says Martin. On a cold night in the desert, the promise of praise from the world’s scientific community might help lure you out of your tent with your torch.
The sun sets over the rocky landscape as you drive. There is no road to follow, but your guide knows where you’re going. Still, allow yourself to feel a little lost. After all, you can tell people what you saw when you return – just don’t tell them where you saw it.
Sahara rare wildlife tour
Search for rare mammals in the Western Sahara
From
£2095
8 days
ex flights
Western Sahara desert wildlife tour
Spot Fennec foxes & Sand cats in the Sahara
From
£1995
8 days
ex flights
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What wildlife can I see in Western Sahara?
Very rare sand cats call the desert home. The ears of a sand cat are especially adapted to hear low frequency sounds – like a scurrying rodent 500m away under the sand, which means it’s definitely heard you approach. African wild cats live here too.
The African Golden Wolf, Rüppell’s fox and fennec foxes can all be spotted in the desert.
You might see mustelids like the fearless honey badger or the bold Saharan striped polecat, which struts around at night-time with its tail held high, seeking nests to ransack.
Among the smaller wildlife, you might spot hedgehogs, gerbils and jerboas.
Dolphins… in the desert? Not exactly. Dakhla Bay on the coast of the Western Sahara used to be a hotspot for sea life – overfishing and human traffic has ruined the population, though there are dolphins, orcas and false killer whales to be seen if you’re patient.
The coast of Western Sahara is a vital migration stop for birds from Europe. Among the resident birdlife there are some flashes of colour from the greater flamingos, and the eye-catching plumage of Sudan golden sparrows standing out amid the flocks of roving desert sparrows.
The African Golden Wolf, Rüppell’s fox and fennec foxes can all be spotted in the desert.
You might see mustelids like the fearless honey badger or the bold Saharan striped polecat, which struts around at night-time with its tail held high, seeking nests to ransack.
Among the smaller wildlife, you might spot hedgehogs, gerbils and jerboas.
Dolphins… in the desert? Not exactly. Dakhla Bay on the coast of the Western Sahara used to be a hotspot for sea life – overfishing and human traffic has ruined the population, though there are dolphins, orcas and false killer whales to be seen if you’re patient.
The coast of Western Sahara is a vital migration stop for birds from Europe. Among the resident birdlife there are some flashes of colour from the greater flamingos, and the eye-catching plumage of Sudan golden sparrows standing out amid the flocks of roving desert sparrows.
Practicalities
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