The coastal areas have a Mediterranean climate and vegetation while inland the Atlas Mountains (where the last of the Barbary lions (a clade of the asiatic lion subspecies) is forested. Further south, the borders of the Sahara Desert are increasingly arid.

One of the best known animals of this region is the barbary macaque (the same species to be found on the rock of Gibraltar.

There are few large animals, but include the Cuvier’s gazelle and wild boar (though these are not plentiful). Carnivores include the fennec fox, least weasel, Saharan striped polecat, Egyptian mongoose, striped hyena and Mediterranean monk seal; wild cats include the caracal, wildcat and sand cat. Smaller mammals include cape hares, crested porcupines, ground squirrels, gerbils, jirds, jerboas, rats and mice. There are over twenty species of bat, and a dozen species of whales and dolphins live within Moroccan waters. Morocco is rich in reptiles, with over ninety species being recorded here including small snakes, Moorish wall geckos and the Iberian wall lizards. Amphibians include Berber toads and Mediterranean painted frogs.

A migratory route for birds, linking Western Europe with North Africa, passes across the Strait of Gibraltar and through Morocco. 490 species of bird have been recorded in the country, many of them in passage or winter visitors. A single endemic bird species, the northern bald ibis occurs here, and there are about 12 globally endangered species; the white-headed duck , the Balearic shearwater , the northern bald ibis, the Egyptian vulture , the lappet-faced vulture, the hooded vulture, the white-backed vulture, the Rüppell’s vulture, the sociable lapwing, the slender-billed curlew, the great knot and the saker falcon. Other birds with restricted ranges in north Africa include the Levaillant’s woodpecker, the Moussier’s redstartand the Tristram’s warbler. Obviously, being on a migration route, at the right time of year, the number of species of birds will be much higher.

Morrocco had over 30% protected just a few years ago, but currently only 2% has official protection, hopefully this will change back in the near future.