Category Archives: reptiles

by - 10 Comments

The snake trail

On a recent trip to the Fischland-Darss-Zingst Peninsula (German Baltic coast), I came across various specimens of grass snake (Natrix natrix), a glorious sighting. Concealed under the dry ferns bordering the trail, the non-venomous snakes were busy mating and let me take a few pictures of them from a very close distance.

Credit: Yalakom
Mating. Credit: Yalakom
Here is a female with two males. Note the strong sexual dimorphism: the female is much bigger than the males. Males are not agressive to one another. Credit: Yalakom
Credit: Yalakom
Credit: Yalakom
Credit: Yalakom

Location: Fischer-Darss-Zingst Peninsula, Germany

by - 2 Comments

The lizards from Nice

A couple of lizards spotted in the region of Nice, France, last summer. One specimen is probably a species of gecko, sometimes called European common gecko (Tarentola mauritanica), which is indigenous of the Western Mediterranean region of Europe and North Africa. Thanks to their special eye, legs, skin and overall appearance, they are easy to tell apart from the common lizard, also called viviparous lizard (Zootoca vivipara).

European common gecko (Tarentola mauritanica). Credit: Yalakom
Nice’s main beach. Credit: Yalakom
A special gecko eye. Credit: Yalakom
Nice Harbor. Credit: Yalakom
Viviparous lizard (Zootoca vivipara) in Nice, France. Credit: Yalakom
Viviparous lizard (Zootoca vivipara) in Nice, France. Credit: Yalakom

Location: Nice, France