Labib is dead, long live labib! The demise of Tunisia’s favorite desert fox

As my loyal readers know, I have been somewhat attached to the Tunisian symbol for the environment, a desert fox, or fennec, known as Labib. The cartoon Labib was created under the regime of Ben Ali to promote environmental causes and statues of him, and his family, are ubiquitous across Tunisia. Dressed in blue jumpsuits and armed with a purse, these long eared animals were long the target of baseball-bat wielding vandals. According to Business News, the demise of Labib is because, according to the ministry of the environment, “Labib’s system has failed”. Nevertheless, the spokesman for the ministry stated that popular support could bring back Tunisia’s desert fox.

Willis from Tunis predicted the event last year in this cartoon: Caption: After the president, the family, and the RCD...whose turn is it next to "degage"? Cat: Me, I know! Me, I know

Graffiti in my neighborhood depicting Tunisia's symbol for the environment, Labib the desert fox, locked up.

Erik with Labib, the Tunisian mascot for the Environment