Legal Protection of Biodiversity in Algeria: An Analytical and Evaluative Study in Light of Modern Environmental Legislation

Abstract

This study examines the legal protection of biodiversity in Algeria through an integrated analysis combining environmental legislation, taxonomic standardization, IUCN conservation assessments, and biogeographical information. Algeria’s exceptional ecological diversity, extending from Mediterranean ecosystems to Saharan landscapes, hosts numerous endemic, rare, and evolutionarily significant species requiring targeted conservation strategies.

The research analyzes the national regulatory framework established by Law No. 03-10, Ordinance No. 06-05, Executive Decree No. 12-235, and Executive Decree No. 12-03. A database of 948 legal records was evaluated, comprising 397 fauna and 551 flora entries. The study emphasizes that legal protection lists represent normative instruments rather than complete ecological databases, highlighting the necessity of integrating current taxonomy and field-based conservation information.

A methodological comparison with the IUCN Red List was conducted using a sentinel subset of 14 taxa of high conservation value. The results reveal the presence of critically endangered, endangered, and vulnerable taxa among Algeria’s protected biodiversity. Important conservation areas were identified, particularly Mediterranean mountain regions such as Djurdjura, Kabylia, Babors, and Numidia, as well as Saharan refugia including Tassili n’Ajjer and Ahaggar.

The study concludes that effective biodiversity governance requires a dynamic digital conservation register linking legal names, updated taxonomy, distribution data, threats, and monitoring indicators. By connecting legal frameworks with ecological knowledge, Algeria can improve species prioritization, ecosystem management, and long-term biodiversity conservation.