Discover the Top 12 Fun Facts About the Majestic Atlas Mountains

1. Creature Cornucopia

From monkeying around to slithering surprises, the Atlas Mountains have it all: Hosting a cornucopia of creatures like the Barbary macaque, Barbary leopard, Cuvier's gazelle, and Atlas mountain viper, this biodiverse haven is also a somber reminder of humanity's impact, with the extinction of the Atlas bear, North African elephant, and bubal hartebeest.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

2. Mythical Mountain Origins

You might say the Atlas Mountains are truly “shouldering” a heavy responsibility, carrying the weight of the heavens on their rocky peaks: This mountain range in northwest Africa, steeped in Greek mythology, was believed to be the home of the Titan Atlas, who was doomed to hold up the heavens for all eternity, and also played a role in the Kingdom of Mauretania, ruled by King Atlas—giving map collections everywhere their name since the 16th century.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Did you know that Bern has the highest cow population in Switzerland with over 320,000 bovines grazing on its lush fields? Discover why this canton is the ultimate "Cow-munity" success story! 🐮🌿

=> Fun Facts about The-Alps

3. Jenga-like Soil Issues

Who said Mother Nature doesn't play Jenga? Well, she seems to be taking out topsoil blocks in the Atlas Mountains with the grace of a tipsy party-goer: The lack of topsoil in the region leads to swift runoff of rainwater into rivers, resulting in catastrophic floods that endanger agriculture, firewood availability, and the livelihoods of rural Moroccans.
Source => climate.earthjournalism.net

4. Tree-Climbing Goats

Forget goat yoga; goats in Morocco have taken their tree-climbing hobbies to new heights: The Atlas Mountains are home to the argan tree, producing argan oil used for culinary and cosmetic purposes, with goats often seen scaling the branches in search of the leaves and fruit that sustains them.
Source => nationalgeographic.com

5. Surprising Ski Destination

The hills are alive with the sound of skis slicing through snow: as surprising as it sounds, the Atlas Mountains leave the Swiss Alps some stiff competition when it comes to skiing! Seriously, Oukaïmeden holds the crown for the highest ski resort in these African mountains, taking skiers and snowboarders to a nose-tingling altitude of 3,268 metres. With 13 kilometres of frosty, fun-filled slopes and 15 ski lifts to match, the Atlas Mountains prove they've got ski game on lock.
Source => skiresort.info

6. Linguistic Kaleidoscope

Imagine trying to keep up with a conversation that's hopping between French, Arabic, and a language with vowels playing hide and seek and consonants puffing their chests with emphasis: Welcome to the linguistic kaleidoscope of the Atlas Mountains! The funny part is, in this mountainous region of Morocco, around 4.7 million people speak Central Atlas Tamazight – one of the widely spoken Berber languages, complete with its three-vowel system and "emphatic consonants", making it the second most-spoken language after Tachelhit in Morocco.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

7. Hollywood's Desert Double

Hey, guess who's been hogging the limelight in Hollywood's desert double? It’s none other than the Atlas Mountains, darling!: Nestled nearby in southwestern Morocco, the Atlas Film Studios boasts one of the largest film studio spaces in the world, with over 200 major movies and TV shows like "The Jewel of the Nile," "Asterix and Obelix Meet Cleopatra," and "Kingdom of Heaven" being shot here, thanks to the breathtaking landscapes, affordable production costs, and the close-knit medieval ksar of Aït Benhaddou.
Source => businessinsider.com

8. Fashionable Atlas Cedars

Timber! But make it fashion: The Atlas Mountains of Morocco flaunt their own version of towering beauties – the Atlas cedar trees, which sashay their way up to 40 meters high and boast a lifespan of over 500 years. Not just pretty bark, these evergreen wonders have served as the region's go-to building and carpentry materials for centuries.
Source => alamy.com

9. Home of the Barbary Macaque

Move over, King Kong: the Atlas Mountains are home to the only free-living primate population in Europe and the lone macaque species found outside Asia, the Barbary macaque! These swingin' simians reside in Algeria, Libya, Tunisia, and Morocco, with a small but lively introduction in Gibraltar.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

10. White-Knuckle Joyride

Get ready to buckle up, buttercup: Tizi n'Tichka is not just a white-knuckle joyride through the Atlas Mountains with dizzying drops, hairpin turns, and breathtaking vistas, but also carries a historic significance as a 1936 French-built military highway. Connecting Marrakesh and Ouarzazate, this adrenaline-pumping stretch of 54km (33 miles) of Route Nationale 9 is a wild journey filled with segments of old and new, open year-round except when Mother Nature decides to powder her nose with snow.
Source => dangerousroads.org

11. Bustling Azrou Market

Ready to spice up your life with a Moroccan extravaganza? Picture a bustling bazaar, the haggling chatter blending harmoniously with the scent of cumin and the vibrant hues of berber carpets: Welcome to the Azrou weekly market, nestled in the heart of the Atlas Mountains. Every Tuesday, this spirited souk comes alive, offering everything from fresh produce to traditional Moroccan threads.
Source => roamingaroundtheworld.com

12. Jurassic Adventures in Morocco

What do you get when Jurassic Park vacations in Morocco? A dino-mite discovery, of course! : In the Atlas Mountains, scientists have excavated Middle Jurassic dinosaur fossils, including brand-new stegosaur and ankylosaur species named Adratiklit and Spicomellus, which lived around 164-168 million years ago, along with remains from other dinosaurs like large sauropods similar to "Brontosaurus", all working together to shed light on the intriguing evolutionary history of land life during the Middle Jurassic period.
Source => frostscience.org