Reptiles & Amphibians of Morocco

Morocco is home to 126 species: 112 reptiles (lizards, snakes, turtles and worm lizards) and 14 amphibians (frogs, toads and salamanders), 30 of them found nowhere else on Earth. It is the second highest total of any country around the Mediterranean.

Browse them all in our species checklist, or open any group from the menu below.

Almost all are harmless. Of the 126 species, only 7 snakes are highly venomous, and no lizard, turtle or amphibian in Morocco is dangerous to people.

Outdoors the real caution is scorpions, not reptiles. In any case, watch where you put your hands and feet, don't reach into holes you can't see into, and don't walk barefoot at night. To learn more about Morocco's snakes, check out our Snakes of Morocco page.

Far fewer than most people fear. In the desert, the most common venomous snake is the Sahara Horned Viper (Cerastes cerastes). But the animals to keep in mind most while in the Sahara are scorpions, not reptiles.

A few simple habits remove almost all the risk: shake out shoes, clothes and bedding before putting them on, use a light after dark and never walk barefoot once night falls, and never lift a stone or piece of wood with your fingers underneath it (roll it aside from above, so anything sheltering below stays in view).

Encountering a snake is unlikely, but a good rule of thumb is to always look at where you're walking and what you're touching at night. Learn more about the Snakes of Morocco page.

Not anymore. Crocodiles did once live in the rivers of southern Morocco, but they disappeared from the country in the 20th century. Morocco today has no crocodiles and no other large predatory reptiles.

This encyclopedia covers the country's reptiles and amphibians for now. As for the big mammals people often picture, lions, bears and cheetahs are long extinct here; only a few hyenas and caracals still hold on. A handful of leopards may survive in the Atlas Mountains, though they too are most likely gone today.

No. The tortoises (Testudo graeca), chameleons and spiny-tailed lizards (Uromastyx) most often sold to tourists are all listed on CITES (Appendix II), so you cannot legally take one out of the country: without the right permits it is seized at the border, and it rarely survives the trip. Under Moroccan law (Law 29-05), collecting, keeping or trading these listed species without a permit is illegal too.

Buying such an animal in the hope of releasing it is just as wrong. It only fuels the demand, and a wild animal should be returned exactly where it was taken, for the sake of the wild population it came from. If you see reptiles for sale, the best help is to walk away and report the seller; the tortoises and chameleons are hit hardest, so see our tortoises and chameleons pages.

Start with our Identification guide, and keep following it until you find the exact species. You may also want to use our Checklist of Morocco's reptiles and amphibians if you already have a clearer idea of what it could be. Each group on our website has its own identification guide, all of which are connected.

Can't find out what you have seen? Contact us!

Reptiles have dry, scaly skin and lay their eggs on land: snakes, lizards, turtles and worm lizards. Amphibians have moist skin and need water to breed: frogs, toads and salamanders. So yes, a turtle is a reptile, and a tortoise is simply a turtle that lives on land. Check out our Identification guide to learn to identify them visually.

In Moroccan Darija: snake = l'hanch, gecko or lizard = boubriss, tortoise = fekroun, frog = jrana, salamander = semendel. In Standard Arabic a snake is ثعبان (thu'ban) and a viper أفعى (af'a). Each group page lists more local names, which often change from one region to another.