Open Veterinary Journal, (2025), Vol. 15(2): 1064-1065

Case Report

10.5455/OVJ.2025.v15.i2.55

First record of common Myna, Acridotheres tristis (Linnaeus, 1766) in Libya

Khaled Salem Etayeb^1,2* and Housameddin M. Elkrew³

¹Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, University of Tripoli, Tripoli, Libya

²Libyan Society for Birds (LSB), Tripoli, Libya

³Department of Environmental and Food Sciences, Libyan Centre for Biotechnology Research, Tripoli, Libya

*Corresponding Author: Khaled Salem Etayeb. Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, University of Tripoli, Tripoli, Libya. Email: khaledetayeb [at] yahoo.com

Submitted: 18/12/2024 Accepted: 26/01/2025 Published: 28/02/2025

---

Abstract

Background: Invasive or alien species are organisms that exist outside their natural habitat, including plants and animals. They are considered as one of the greatest threats to native biodiversity. The common Myna (Acridotheres tristis) (Linnaeus, 1766) is considered one of the most dangerous invasive or alien species. It is a carnivorous, ferocious, and strong competitor species that can mimic different voices.

Case Description: A pair of Mynas was observed in the Ain Zara region in Tripoli on June 19, 2024, among the houses in the area. Some locals confirmed that there is a group gathering in a garbage place near houses in the same area.

Conclusion: The spread of invasive species remains a major threat to native biodiversity, especially the common Myna. However, it poses a threat to birds in Libya if the necessary measures are not taken to control their spread.

Keywords: Common Myna, Invasive, Alien, Libya.

---

Introduction

Invasive or alien species are organisms that exist outside their natural habitat, including plants and animals, and they are considered one of the greatest threats to native biodiversity (Dyer et al., 2017). Despite the integration of some alien species into the new environment and their consideration as commercial species, such as what occurred with some fish species (Streftaris and Zenetos, 2006). However, the impact of invasive species remains clear and evident when the invasive species is a highly competitor to local species and may lead to their extinction. Birds do not have geographical boundaries but are known for their regions and migrations through their geographical distribution, according to globally known migration routes. However, if this system is breached and the migration balance is disturbed, perhaps due to environmental factors, including climate change, or an imbalance due to human intervention in introducing these species. The common Myna (Acridotheres tristis) (Linnaeus, 1766) is considered one of the most dangerous invasive or alien species. It is a carnivorous, ferocious, and strong competitor species that can mimic different voices. It is considered one of the most successful birds to have adapted to the urban environment (Pell and Tidemann, 1997).

---

Case Details

A common Myna was observed in the Ain Zara region in Tripoli (32°49′24.6″N 13°16′29.4″E) on June 19, 2024. A pair of Myna is found among the houses in the area (Fig. 1), but when some locals were interviewed, they confirmed that there are more than one pair, i.e., a group sometimes gathers in a garbage place near the houses in the same area.

---

Discussion

The entry of these species, which is native to the Asian continent, is likely via pet trading. However, it was not unlikely that it would have entered Libyan territory, particularly after it was first recorded in Egypt in 1998 (Millington, 2000), and spread rapidly to several Egyptian cities and regions (Rabia et al., 2015; Orabi et al., 2024). However, because it is not recorded in the eastern region of Libya, it is likely that it was brought in by traders and accidentally released into the environment. This possibility was confirmed by recording these species in Algeria, with the confirmation that they escaped from pet traders (Nedjah et al., 2023).

Fig. 1. Common myna on the roof of a house in the Ain Zara area.

---

Conclusion

The spread of invasive species remains a major threat to native biodiversity and causes changes in the natural composition of biodiversity in the areas it enters, especially the common Myna, regardless of how it spreads or introduces new environments outside fits natural range because it has more abilities that make it a strong and successful competitor in all environments. This threat poses a species to the lives of birds in Libya if the necessary measures are not taken to control their spread.

---

Acknowledgment

The authors are grateful to the team of the Libyan Society for Birds for their efforts in finding the site where the Common Myna existed.

Conflict of interest

The authors of this case report declare that they have no conflicts of interest to declare with any person or institution.

Funding

This work was not funded; it is a normal duty of the Libyan Society for Birds.

Authors’ contribution

The bird was photographed by Mr Elkrew on the roof of his house in the same area as that reported and identified by Prof. Etayeb as an ornithologist. The manuscript has been written and reviewed by the authors.

Data availability

All supporting data on the findings of this report are available in the manuscript. Any further data required are available from the corresponding author.

---

References

Dyer, E.E., Redding, D.W. and Blackburn, T.M. 2017. The global avian invasions atlas, a database of alien bird distributions worldwide. Sci. Data. 4, 170041; doi:10.1038/sdata.2017.41

Millington, L. 2000. The first common Mynah Acridotheres tristis in Egypt. Sandgrouse 22, 69–70.

Nedjah, R., Samraoui, F., Boucheker, A., Touati, L., Mohammed Athamnia, M. and Samraoui, B. 2023.The pet trade as a source of introduction for the invasive common Myna (Acridotheres tristis) and the protected common hill Myna (Gracula religiosa) into Algeria. Bull. Soc. Zol. Fr. 148(4), 79–85. Available via http://societe-zoologique.fr/

Orabi, G.M., Semida, F.M., Medany, D.M., Issa, M.A.,Ragab, S.H. and Kamel, M. 2024. Predicting the invasion range of the common Myna, Acridotheres tristis Linnaeus, 1766 in Egypt under climate change. Sustainability 16, 6495; doi: 10.3390/su16156495

Pell, A.S. and Tidemann, C.R. 1997. The ecology of the common Myna in urban nature reserves in the Australian Capital Territory. Emu-Austral Ornithol. 97(2), 141–149; doi: 10.1071/MU97018

Rabia, B., Baha El Din, M., Rifai, L. and Attum, O. 2015. Common Myna Acridotheres tristis, a new invasive species breeding in Sinai, Egypt. Sandgrouse 37, 87–89.

Streftaris, N. and Zenetos, A. 2006. Alien marine species in the mediterranean—the 100 ‘Worst Invasives’ and their impact. Mediterr. Mar. Sci. 7(1), 87–118.