Rock of Gibraltar to describe an entity that is very safe or firm. The motto of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment and Gibraltar itself is "Nulli Expugnabilis Hosti" (Latin for "No Enemy Shall Expel Us"). Approximately 40% of Gibraltar's land area was declared a nature reserve in 1993. The flora and fauna of the Gibraltar Nature Reserve are of conservation interest and are protected by law. Within it is a range of animals and plants, but the highlights are the Barbary macaques (the famous "Rock apes"), the Barbary partridges, and flowers such as Gibraltar's own Chickweed, Thyme and the Gibraltar Candytuft. The Barbary macaques
Footpaths of Gibraltar and across the Bay towards Algeciras. The area of the Rock through which the path passes is one of the richest in Gibraltar for flora and fauna. The start of the path is relatively sparsely vegetated and includes species such as White Asparagus, Common Asphodel, Germander and Esparto Grass. Its later sections proceed through dense vegetation that is typical of Mediterranean maquis shrubland – a widespread biome in southern Europe that consists of densely growing evergreen shrubs adapted to resist droughts. The trees along the path are predominantly olives. These have all grown since the Great Siege of Gibraltar (1779–83)