Tunis/Tunisia — At the edge of the dense Quercus zen and cork oak (Quercus suber) forest of El Feija, near Ghardimaou in north-western Tunisia, a herd of Barbary stags emerge into a purpose-built clearing captivating onlookers.
Just decades ago, this emblematic cervid was presumed extinct across the Maghreb, driven to the brink by deforestation, climate disruption, and unregulated hunting.
By the 1960s, its range had dwindled to a narrow forested rectangle straddling the border between Ghardimaou and Tabarka in Tunisia, and Annaba and Souk Ahras in Algeria. Survival hung by a thread, until Tunisia launched a concerted national effort, beginning after independence, to bring the Atlas stag (Cervus elaphus barbarus) back from the precipice.
A pivotal milestone came in 2016, when Tunisia received its first consignment of 23 Barbary stags and hinds from Spain, the initial phase of a scientifically guided reintroduction programme under the national Wildlife Conservation Strategy, steered by the Tunisian authorities.
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Specialised enclosures were established, notably at El Feija (Ghardimaou) and Ain Baccouche (Tabarka). Legal protection followed: Article 7 of the Hunting Decree now explicitly safeguards the species.
After extensive reforestation within its natural sanctuary at El Feija--widely regarded as one of North Africa's finest zen oak forests, visitors may now briefly glimpse the animals as they enter the clearing. Long enough for a few photographs, before the wild silhouettes vanish again into the woodland shadows.
On December 6, 2025, the forest's deep silence gave way to animated discussion. Journalists, forestry officials, park rangers, and conservators from El Feija National Park convened for a conclave, a field session within a training programme on Biodiversity, Natural Resource Management, and Environmental Governance.
Organised by the Tunisian Media Support Programme (PAMT 2), GIZ Tunisia (via its Project to Support Environmental and Climate Governance for Ecological Transition in Tunisia (PAGECTE), the Ministry of Environment, and Tunisian Campers, the initiative underscored the stag's symbolic and ecological centrality.
A North African Biodiversity Treasure, Revived
Tunisia now hosts an estimated 1,000 heads, though precise figures were not disclosed to the press. Forestry authorities confirm that captive populations continue to rise steadily--making Tunisia the first Maghrebi nation to grant the Barbary stag full legal protection.
Yet this success story remains fragile. Despite its 2000 reclassification by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) from "Endangered" to "Lower Risk/Conservation Dependent", sustained monitoring and adaptive management are essential.
Secrets of a Mythical Cervid
A robust yet exquisitely forest-adapted creature, the Barbary stag undergoes a seasonal moult: its coat turns russet in summer, darkening to grey-brown in winter. Unlike its European counterpart (Cervus elaphus), its fawns often retain white spotting well into adulthood--a key diagnostic trait.
"Each year, males shed their antlers," Faouzi Maâmouri, independent consultant and expert in nature conservation and sustainable development, explained to the journalists, adding: "with every regrowth cycle, these noble antlers become larger and more branched, a direct indicator of the stag's age and physiological condition."
A seasoned connoisseur of El Feija and its fauna, Maâmouri speaks passionately of the species' rescue from oblivion: "The Atlas stag is polygamous. During the rut, the breeding season, the clearings echo with guttural calls, where rivalry, courtship, and territorial assertion intertwine." The dominant male establishes a harem, typically mating with eight to ten hinds, characteristic of its highly seasonal reproductive strategy, he specified.
Gestation lasts eight months. "After birth, the fawn remains motionless, hidden deep in dense vegetation for its first weeks," Maâmouri elaborates, adding that "the mother leaves it concealed while she forages, minimising olfactory cues to evade predators."
Antlers: Tunisia's Hidden Natural Asset
At the historic Forest House, built in 1908, at the heart of the park, visitors encountered a precious collection of stag antlers, displayed in glass cabinets. "Beyond this exhibit, Tunisia, through the Directorate General of Forests (DGF), holds a globally unique stockpile of Barbary stag antlers," Maâmouri revealed.
Yet this resource remains underutilised. Fallen antlers are not waste, but part of a vital regenerative cycle. Rich in calcium, phosphorus, and trace minerals, they serve as a critical dietary supplement for rodents when left in situ, and as invaluable scientific archives. Through analysis of density, beam thickness, and tine configuration, researchers can deduce a stag's age, habitat quality, vegetation health, and even historical exposure to climatic stress.
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Naturally renewed and exceptionally durable, antler material also holds artisanal promise: handles for knives and walking sticks, traditional jewellery, decorative objects, and fine carvings. Ecologically, decomposing antlers enrich forest soils, feeding the mineral cycle.
However, access to this "national heritage" remains restricted for the 250 families residing within El Feija forest. The 1988 Forestry Code prohibits collection or use, prompting calls from park rangers and local stakeholders for reform, to align legislation with both global ecological imperatives and Tunisia's stated green transition ambitions.
At El Feija, foresters, labourers, and residents alike act as custodians of its fauna and flora. Their stewardship has become a matter of pride and principle. When gently teased by a visitor about whether she had ever cooked stag meat, Nakhla, a local septuagenarian, replied firmly: "It's forbidden, otherwise, we face five years in prison."
Though still vulnerable in Tunisia and critically so in Algeria and Morocco, the Barbary stag endures. Its quiet resurgence stands as a testament: given protection, time, and commitment, nature retains an enduring capacity to heal.
