High Atlas - Morocco Information

During July 1998 I spent three weeks in Morocco, including a weeks trekking the Toubkhal massif in Morocco's High Atlas mountains. I spent a further two weeks travelling the rest of the country, but the temperatures were so extreme, 55°C, there seemed to be no Butterflies anywhere but higher in the relatively cool mountains.

All the pictures below are taken within a 10 mile radius of Djebel Toubkhal, there is also a species list which includes a couple of species from areas to the North of the mountains.

	Moroccan small skipper - Thymelicus hamza - Thymelicus hamza		Vaucher's heath - Coenonympha vaucheri
	Moroccan meadow brown - Hyponephele maroccana		Moroccan grayling - Pseudochazara atlantis
	Rosy grizzled skipper - Pyrgus onopordi		Cardinal - Argynnis pandora

My visit to Morocco was with a party from the school at which I teach, Devonport High School. We flew to Marrakech, trekked in the High Atlas on the Toubkhal Massif for a week. Really beautiful mountains, and unspoilt, and most of all quiet!

We travelled around the mountains, Beni Mellal, Er Rachidia and to the desert, Erg Chebbi the largest dune in Morocco, quite an inspiring place, one I was glad to leave.

The country was inspiring, the Berbers were fantastic, but in July, don't leave the mountains, it is far too hot! (for humans and Butterflies)

	The Hermit - Chazara briseis		Marbled skipper - Carcharodus lavatherae
	Giant grayling - Berberia abdelkader		False mallow skipper - Carcharodus tripolinus
	'Morocan' Marbled white - Melanargia lucasi		Ones that got away!

Thanks to John Tennent for his invaluable book 'The butterflies of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia' and also his personal information.

Also to Dave Adams, Brian Jackson and the lads for keeping me alive while ill in the desert, scary times!