Wildlife of Niger

The wildlife of Niger is composed of its flora and fauna. The protected areas in the country total about 8.5 million hectares (21 million acres), which is 6.6 percent of the land area of the country, a figure which is expected to eventually reach the 11‑percent target fixed by the IUCN with the addition of more areas under the reserve category.^[1] Conservation of wildlife is ensured by laws and regulations enacted by the government of Niger, which has enforced a permanent ban on hunting so that animals such as lions, hippos and giraffes are safe in the wild.

There are 136 mammal species in Niger, of which two are critically endangered, two are endangered, nine are vulnerable, and one is near-threatened. One of the species listed for Niger can no longer be found in the wild. Bird Life International has reported 528 species of birds of which three are globally threatened and one is introduced;^[2] many species may yet be discovered in the rich avifauna here in spite of thin vegetation.^[3]

The Iullemeden, a rich underground aquifer, underlies Niger and its neighbors Mali and Nigeria. It is closely monitored and these countries are trying to stop overexploitation lowering round water levels and reducing storage in Lake Chad and perennial flows of the Niger River. The wildlife is largely dependent on those sources.

The dama gazelle (Nanger dama) has become a national symbol. Under the Hausa name meyna or ménas^[4] the dama appears on the badge of the Niger national football team, who are popularly called the Ménas.^[5][6]