Abdelmalek Ouksili

I am an Algerian nature photographer based in Algeria, with a passion for birds and wildlife of the Maghreb. Over more than a decade behind the camera I have documented species ranging from Maghreb endemics — such as the Strix mauritanica and Barbary partridge — to migratory birds passing through on their journeys between Europe and sub-Saharan Africa.

My main habitats are the forests and mountain streams of the Atlas Blidéen, the wetlands and coastal cliffs of western Algeria, and the scrublands where raptors hunt at dusk. I spend most of my field time within a few hundred kilometres of Algiers, proving that world-class wildlife photography does not require travelling to the ends of the earth.

I also photograph in France and along the Mediterranean coast, where North African and European avifaunas overlap and where birds can be observed in very different habitats.

Beyond photography I am active in the Algerian birding community, recording sightings and contributing to citizen science databases. I believe that photography and conservation belong together — every image is also a record, and a record is the first step towards protection.