Lizards of Morocco

The Desert Monitor (Varanus griseus) is Morocco's biggest lizard, sometimes over a metre long, tail included. It lives in the arid regions south of the Atlas, along the edge of the Sahara, and is so shy you are unlikely ever to see one. To learn more, see our Desert Monitor species account.

Far easier to spot are the Spiny-tailed lizards and Agamas. Smaller than the Varanus, they are still big enough to spot from afar, usually basking on rocks. Our Identification guide helps you name what you see.

No. Geckos are entirely harmless to you and to your pets: they are not venomous and not poisonous, so a curious dog or cat is in no danger either. The ones you usually see in Morocco are wall geckos (Tarentola sp.), there to eat the insects around your home.

They flee rather than fight, and you can't really be bitten unless you handle one. Even then it is just a firm pinch, stronger or milder depending on the gecko's size.

There is rarely any need to. Geckos and lizards are harmless, they damage nothing, and they quietly eat the insects and mosquitoes around your home.

If you would still rather they stayed outside, cut down what draws them: the night lights that attract insects, and the gaps behind furniture. Gently guide them back out through a door or window. There is never a reason to kill one.

By day, the lizards you are most likely to see in the Sahara are the Spiny-tailed lizards (Uromastyx sp.) and Agamas (Agama bibronii and Trapelus boehmei). You may also glimpse small, very fast ground lizards darting for cover, these are lacertids.

At night, geckos take over, mostly wall geckos around buildings, though you may also find ground-dwelling geckos out on the sand or on the rocks. All of them are completely harmless, being of no danger to you, your children or your pets. Use our Identification guide to put a name to what you see.

The Common Chameleon is found across much of Morocco, in scrub, gardens, olive groves and oases. A slow-moving species, well camouflaged in the vegetation, it is hard to spot and most often found by chance rather than by looking. It is a fragile, stress-prone animal, so if you do come across one, do not disturb or collect it.

No. The Common Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) sold in souks is protected in Morocco under law 29-05, where it falls in category II. Selling one, buying one and keeping one are all illegal without a permit, and the fine runs from 20,000 to 50,000 dirhams per animal.

These animals are taken from the wild, and most die within weeks in captivity. (Law 29-05, articles 5 and 63; Decree 2-12-484 of 21 May 2015, Official Bulletin no. 6366.)

No. Beyond the Moroccan rules, the Common Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) is listed in Appendix II of CITES, so moving one across any border requires an export permit and an import permit.

In the European Union it is listed in Annex A of Regulation (EC) No 338/97, which is stricter still: commercial trade is banned outright, and even keeping or transferring a specimen inside the EU requires a certificate. An animal carried without paperwork is seized by customs on arrival and the traveller is fined.

Yes. The spiny-tailed lizards, known locally as the dab (Uromastyx spp.), are listed in Appendix II of CITES and therefore fall in category II of the Moroccan law 29-05.

Taking one from the wild, keeping one or selling one without a permit carries a fine of 20,000 to 50,000 dirhams per animal, and article 5 also prohibits killing them by any means. Hunting them for their meat is thus illegal.

Lizards go by many different names across the country. Geckos are often called Boubrissa (بوبريصة), and smaller lizards Zermomia. The spiny-tailed lizard is the Dab (الضب) everywhere, while agamas are called Herrem. Chameleons get many names: Hirbae is the Standard Arabic word, while in Darija they are most often called Tata (تاتا), or Lbouya (لبوية) in some regions, with mahbaouch and tayo as other local names.