North African fire salamander in the Rif Mountains

Making the
unseen visible

Morocco is home to an exceptional wildlife, as elusive as it is threatened.

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A unique wildlife, quietly vanishing.

Sparking interest in this wildlife is the first step toward protecting it.

Our main project

The encyclopedia for Morocco's reptiles and amphibians

Morocco's 126 reptiles and amphibians, documented one by one. One page per species, with a single goal: to make information accessible and visual, and species easy to compare, thanks to our standardized photography.

98/126 species documented

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Reptiles & Amphibians of Morocco

126 species

Newts & Salamanders Caudata 2 species

Lizards Sauria 80 species

Snakes Serpentes 26 species Anura

Frogs & Toads Anura 12 species Coming Soon Testudines

Turtles & Tortoises Testudines 3 species Coming Soon Amphisbaenia

Worm Lizards Amphisbaenia 3 species Coming Soon

Lizards of Morocco

Reptiles & Amphibians of Morocco/Sauria

Monitor Lizards Varanidae 1 species Chamaeleonidae

Chameleons Chamaeleonidae 1 species Coming Soon Agamidae

Agamas Agamidae 8 species Coming Soon Lacertidae

Lacertids Lacertidae 26 species Coming Soon Gekkonidae

Common Geckos Gekkonidae 7 species Coming Soon Scincidae

Skinks Scincidae 19 species Coming Soon

Monitor Lizards of Morocco

Reptiles & Amphibians of Morocco/Sauria/Varanidae

Desert Monitor Varanus griseus LC

Desert Monitor

Varanus griseus

Conservation status:Least Concern

Population trend:Decreasing

As the largest lizard in Morocco, the desert monitor is one of the most impressive reptiles in the country. As an apex predator, it plays a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance.

With the support of our partners

Behind the project

From the field to the encyclopedia.

Behind every clean page: a species found in the field, often at night, then photographed in a white-background studio we carry into the desert. Here is the whole trail, in reverse.

Published species page for Naja haje on Fauna Morocco — 01 **The published page**

North African cobra, Naja haje, standardized white-background studio shot — 02 The standardized shot, on white.

Photographing a specimen in the field studio — 03 The moment of the shot.

White-background studio set up beside the vehicle in the mountains — 04 Our studio, set up in the wild.

Night search by headlamp — 05 At night, by headlamp.

Searching for reptiles across the field — 06 Where it all begins: the field.

Four friends,
one mission.

A Moroccan and Swiss team of four naturalists who document, study and showcase Morocco's wildlife.

More about us and the behind-the-scenes

RayaneFounder

ColinBiologist

ClémentFieldwork & Outreach

HaytamZoologist & Designer

Ridges and valleys of southern Morocco at dusk, terrain of the next expedition

The final stretch

Only 28 species left

98 of 126 species are documented. The ones still missing are the hardest to reach — extremely rare species, or living in regions we've never had the chance to visit.

Help us reach the final ones.

Fund the next expedition