No animal species are known to occur only in Lebanon.
Define strict endemism first. Require an entire species to live inside Lebanon’s political borders. Lebanon sits in the middle of the Levant. Habitats and species cross the border into Syria, Israel and nearby Turkey. Small countries and connected landscapes rarely host animals that exist nowhere else. Islands or long‑isolated mountain ranges more often produce true endemics.
Understand the technical reasons behind this result. Species ranges rarely follow human maps. Many Lebanese populations are part of wider regional species. Taxonomy also matters: some local forms are distinct but are classified as subspecies or populations, not full species. Survey gaps and new science can change lists, but current authoritative sources (IUCN, GBIF, peer‑reviewed studies, Lebanese conservation reports) show no animals restricted only to Lebanon.
Explore useful close alternatives instead. Look for near‑endemics (species mostly found in Lebanon plus neighboring areas), endemic subspecies and local races, and animals with very limited local ranges such as some cave or mountain invertebrates. Also check Lebanon’s many plant endemics and regionally unique species that use Lebanese habitats (for example, nesting sea turtles and migratory birds). Use IUCN, GBIF, and Lebanese NGO reports to find these near matches and the best conservation information.
