Rodents
Rodents are a huge group of mammals world wide and are well represented in Lebanon, this group includes the Squirrel, Porcupine (information given here) as well as dormice, mice, rats, voles, mole rats, hamsters, Jirds and Jerboas.
Below is a selection of Lebanon’s rodents:
(Sciurus anomalus syiacus)
Status: The Persian squirrel is scarce in Lebanon and is extremely wary of any human presence.
Description: Persian squirrels are quite similar in size (head and body measure approximately 20 cm) and appearance to the European Red Squirrel Sciurus vulgaris, but they do not grow ear tufts during the winter months as the European Red Squirrel does. They have flattened, bushy tails and generally their fur is reddish brown on the back and buff-white on the belly, although this seems to vary by region.
Habitat: This species can be found in both the mixed deciduous woodlands and the pine woodland habitats.
Habits: Persian Squirrels are mostly active during the day. They feed on cedar and pine seeds and the acorns of oaks trees, but may occasionally feed on birds and their eggs. Like other squirrels, they hoard seeds and acorns for the winter months, but they spend more time on the ground than other arboreal squirrels. Persian Squirrels breed throughout the spring and summer, with a litter size of about three. Nests are built in trees and made of moss and dry leaves.
Distribution: The Persian Squirrel is widespread throughout Asia Minor, northern Arabia, Transcaucasia, western Iran and the eastern Mediterranean region.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rK_U2fm4Dyw
Rock Hyrax (Procavia capensis)
If they look like rodents, feed, and behave like rodents, Hyrax are not rodents. If one wants to find him cousins among mammals, he has to mention elephants and sea cow! Hyrax are native from the African continent, and only one species can be found out of sub-Saharan Africa, Procavia carpensis, which settled in the Middle East up to Lebanon. They inhabit rocky terrain, and their feet have rubbery pads with numerous sweat glands, which may help the animal maintain its grip when quickly moving up steep, rocky surfaces. Hyraxes live in small family groups, with a single male that aggressively defends the territory from rivals. The remaining males live solitary lives, often on the periphery of areas controlled by larger males. They nest in holes under the rocks, but do not dig dens.
