National species to be formally recognised in Gibraltar law

Environment

A new bill will officially declare iconic plants and animals as national symbols to celebrate the Rock's unique natural identity

SUR in English

A bill has been published for an Act to formally declare a number of National Species for Gibraltar. The declaration is largely symbolic but reflects the reality of the separate identity of Gibraltar in the natural world, as it stands out from the surrounding region through its unique wildlife.

National mammal: The Barbary macaque

The Barbary macaque (Macaca sylvanus) has been selected as the National Mammal. Like the National Bird, the Barbary macaque is a North African species, symbolising the link between Gibraltar and the neighbouring shore of the Strait. While likely introduced to Gibraltar at some stage in the past few centuries, it has become an iconic symbol of the Rock of Gibraltar.

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• Conservation

  • The Gibraltar campion. (SUR)

    National flower: The Gibraltar campion

    The Gibraltar campion (Silene tomentosa) completes the list as the National Flower. This is a true Gibraltar endemic, found nowhere else in the world, and must rank as one of the world’s rarest flowers. Very few exist in the wild, and its survival has only been assured by propagation in the Gibraltar Botanic Gardens. It is a short-lived perennial with fragrant flowers ranging from white to pink. Through its uniqueness, it is probably the most special of the National Species.