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New records and potential distribution of the Barbary ground squirrel (Atlantoxerus getulus) in arid ecosystems of Western Algeria

  • Abdenour Moussouni , Badis Bakhouche ORCID logo EMAIL logo , Imed Djemadi , Feriel Benhafid , Kawther Abid , Mohamed Boussekine , Belkacem Aimen Boulaouad and Amina Saadi
Published/Copyright: October 22, 2025
Mammalia
From the journal Mammalia Volume 89 Issue 6

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the species distribution of the Barbary ground squirrel within Tindouf Cultural Park, an arid region where no prior occurrence records for this species existed. Additionally, we assessed the species’ potential range by modelling its bioclimatic niche. Our field trips conducted on 2023 to various habitats in the Tindouf cultural park have confirmed the presence of the Barbary ground squirrel in nine sites, primarily in rocky, mountainous areas with water sources. Vegetation in these areas is diverse, with a dominance of Acacia and Argan trees. The squirrels showed a preference for argan fruits. Using GBIF data, 2,133 geo-referenced observations were collected, showing an increase in occurrences from the 2000s. Due to the nature of the data collected (presence only) we used Maxent for modelling Barbary ground squirrel bioclimatic niche and distribution. The model used proved to be excellent, with an AUC value of 0.977. The Jackknife test identified the minimum temperature of the coldest month, the precipitation of the coldest quarter, and the average diurnal range as the main influencing variables on the presence of the Barbary ground squirrel. The predictive distribution map shows that the squirrel could potentially inhabit a larger area in Algeria than what is currently observed.

Keywords: mammal; habitat modelling; Maxent; Sahara; Algeria
Corresponding author: Badis Bakhouche, Laboratory of Biological Oceanography and the Marine Environment, University of Science and Technology of Houari Boumediene, BP 32, 16111 Algiers, Algeria, E-mail:

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to the entire team at the Tindouf Cultural Park, and especially to Haidas Hmida, who provided us with all the resources and support we needed to make this work a success.

  1. Research ethics: Although our study involved fieldwork, no animal was captured, handled, or disturbed in any way. All data were collected through non-invasive visual observations, GPS recordings, and habitat description. No specimens were collected, and no physical interaction with animals occurred at any time. According to current Algerian legislation, this type of purely observational fieldwork on non-threatened species outside protected areas does not require formal ethical approval. Nonetheless, we fully adhere to the ethical principles of research involving wildlife.

  2. Informed consent: Applicable.

  3. Author contributions: All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.

  4. Use of Large Language Models, AI and Machine Learning Tools: None declared.

  5. Conflict of interest: All other authors state no conflict of interest.

  6. Research funding: The Directorate-General for Scientific Research and Technology Development (DGRSDT).

  7. Data availability: Not applicable.

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Supplementary Material

This article contains supplementary material (https://doi.org/10.1515/mammalia-2024-0076).

Received: 2024-05-26
Accepted: 2025-08-19
Published Online: 2025-10-22
Published in Print: 2025-11-25

© 2025 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Ecology
  3. Feeding ecology of marsupials (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae) in different forest environments in eastern Brazil
  4. Habitat configuration and persistence of an endangered subterranean rodent in the Brazilian Pampa
  5. Formation, maintenance, and dissolution of winter nesting groups of Siberian flying squirrels
  6. Bat diversity in the middle course of the Uruguay river (Argentina)
  7. Biogeography
  8. Tapirus kabomani expanding its range in the Amazon: first record of the species in Cristalino State Park, Mato Grosso, Brazil
  9. Confirming the presence of the Bare-tailed woolly opossum, Caluromys philander (Didelphidae) in Colombia
  10. New records and potential distribution of the Barbary ground squirrel (Atlantoxerus getulus) in arid ecosystems of Western Algeria
  11. Evolutionary Biology
  12. Records of coloration anomalies in bats from protected areas of Brazilian Amazon
  13. Taxonomy/Phylogeny
  14. Morphological and molecular data reveal a species complex within Gracilinanus aceramarcae (Tate, 1931)
  15. Corrigendum
  16. Corrigendum to: The first record of the long-eared hedgehog (Hemiechinus auritus Gmelin, 1770) in Lebanon
https://doi.org/10.1515/mammalia-2024-0076
Keywords for this article
mammal; habitat modelling; Maxent; Sahara; Algeria

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Ecology
  3. Feeding ecology of marsupials (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae) in different forest environments in eastern Brazil
  4. Habitat configuration and persistence of an endangered subterranean rodent in the Brazilian Pampa
  5. Formation, maintenance, and dissolution of winter nesting groups of Siberian flying squirrels
  6. Bat diversity in the middle course of the Uruguay river (Argentina)
  7. Biogeography
  8. Tapirus kabomani expanding its range in the Amazon: first record of the species in Cristalino State Park, Mato Grosso, Brazil
  9. Confirming the presence of the Bare-tailed woolly opossum, Caluromys philander (Didelphidae) in Colombia
  10. New records and potential distribution of the Barbary ground squirrel (Atlantoxerus getulus) in arid ecosystems of Western Algeria
  11. Evolutionary Biology
  12. Records of coloration anomalies in bats from protected areas of Brazilian Amazon
  13. Taxonomy/Phylogeny
  14. Morphological and molecular data reveal a species complex within Gracilinanus aceramarcae (Tate, 1931)
  15. Corrigendum
  16. Corrigendum to: The first record of the long-eared hedgehog (Hemiechinus auritus Gmelin, 1770) in Lebanon
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