The Egyptian deserts used to contain an abundance of animals and birds, including dozens of rare species, until wealthy foreign hunters and tourists started to push them towards extinction in areas that are now protected.
Cheetah: the fastest land animal in the world was revered in ancient Egypt; now it has almost completely disappeared. Hunters view it as the "ultimate kill" because of its speed and agility. A few are still found in the western desert, near the Libyan border.
Barbary sheep: Bedouin tribesmen have found hunters roasting the sheep in their makeshift camps around the desert.
Hyena: hunters use night sights to kill this mainly nocturnal scavenger.
Bustard: a heavy bird that is reluctant to fly is an easy target for hunting parties.
Mountain rabbit: hunting falcons are trained to kill rabbits and other small prey.
