In 2008 as part of my degree course I spent six months living in Murcia, S-E Spain. This region, along with neighbouring Almeria in Andalusia are the most barren areas of Spain (probably Europe too) and most of the province is extremely arid in general with some of the highest temperatures on the continent. As early as April temperatures already hit 35C and drought is a serious problem all year round. In addition to studying at the university of Murcia I spent alot of my free time in the wilderness, especially the beautiful but dry sierras of the region in search of reptiles and amphibians. Needless to say I have some great memories and experiences to share so I have selected a few of my favorite photographs along with a table showing some of my results from various search areas.
All photographs (C) Matt Wilson
La sierra de Almenara
A coastal hillside range that is rapidly being destroyed by plans for golf club construction and additional tourism expansion, but nevertheless holds a diverse flora and fauna. The sierra also has the biggest Spanish population of Spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca) which is suffering from human expansion in Murcia like elsewhere in its range that includes coastal Andalusia and Majorca, however a number of conservation projects are helping protect the species.
La sierra de Almenara
La sierra de Almenara
Spur-thighed or Moorish tortoise (Testudo graeca)
Large and fierce: Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus)
Sub-adult Ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus nevadensis)
Female Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus)
Big Perez's frog (Rana perezi)
Horseshoe whipsnake (Hemorrhois hippocrepis)
Ladder snake (Rhinechis scalaris)
Family of water frogs (Rana perezi)
A pair of Iberian worm lizards (Blanus cinereus)
Cartagena-Las Moreras
The coastal area of Murcia consists of the second biggest town (Cartagena) and hillsides which are now home to tourist resorts and villages. Las Moreras is one of few natural water courses present in the region, close to a sand dune system with salt pans.
Table 2: My findings from separate visits to the coastal areas of Murcia
| Latin name | Common name | 03/08 | 05/08 |
| Mauremys leprosa | Spanish terrapin | - | 1 |
| Chameleo chameleon | Mediterranean chameleon | 1 | - |
| Tarentola mauritanica | Moorish gecko | 5 | 8 |
| Timon lepidus | Ocellated lizard | - | 2 |
| Psammodromus algirus | Large psammodromus | few | few |
| Podarcis hispanicus | Iberian wall lizard | few | few |
| Acanthodactylus erythurus | Spiny-footed lizard | - | 2 |
| Hemorrhois hippocrepis | Horseshoe whipsnake | 2 | - |
| Malpolon monspessulanus | Montpellier snake | 1 | 1 slough |
| Rhinechis scalaris | Ladder snake | 1 dead | - |
| Natrix maura | Viperine snake | 1 | - |
Mediterranean chameleon (Chameleo chameleon)
Me holding the skin of a giant Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus), the skin measured 240cm!
Habitat near to the city of Cartagena
Big Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus) of nearly two metres
Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus)
Horseshoe whipsnake (Hemorrhois hippocrepis)
Horseshoe whipsnake (Hemorrhois hippocrepis)
Spanish terrapin (Mauremys leprosa)
I leave it up to my Spanish colleagues to don the silly water clothes and get to the net with the terrapins!
La sierra de Ricote- Archena- La sierra de la pila
North of the city of Murcia are two sierras: la sierra de Ricote and la sierra de la pila, furthermore the town of Archena is surrounded by cultivated land with fruit trees that I found to be nice for reptiles. This is one of the driest areas in the whole of Spain.
Table 3: My findings on some trips to the area north of Murcia
| Latin name | Common name | 04/08 | 05/08 |
| Bufo calamita | Natterjack toad | 2 | 12 |
| Pelodytes ibericus | Iberian parsley frog | - | 1 |
| Pelobates cultripes | Western spadefoot toad | - | tadpoles |
| Tarentola mauritanica | Moorish gecko | 6 | - |
| Hemidactylus turcicus | Turkish gecko | 3 | - |
| Timon lepidus | Ocellated lizard | 12 | 1 |
| Psammodromus algirus | Large psammodromus | few | 1 |
| Podarcis hispanicus | Iberian wall lizard | 2 | - |
| Hemorrhois hippocrepis | Horseshoe whipsnake | 3 | 1 dead |
| Malpolon monspessulanus | Montpellier snake | 3 | 2 dead |
| Coronella girondica | Southern smooth snake | 1 | 1 slough |
Barren landscape close to the town of Archena
Home to the largest lizard in Europe: Ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus)
Turkish gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus)
Guiding some Spanish ornthologists who were keen to see a snake
After missing a big Horseshoe whipsnake I caught this juvenile Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus)
Dry canal used to water fruit groves, now a habitat for snakes and lizards
After running from rock to rock I eventually caught this big Ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus)
Vicente Jnr having a closeup look at Europes largest lizard
I was very lucky whilst lifting rocks to find a Southern smooth snake (Coronella girondica)
Southern smooth snake (Coronella girondica) and its biotope
Small pond at the edge of cultivated land, home to Natterjack toads (Bufo calamita), Parsley frogs (Pelodytes punctatus) and Western spadefoot toads (Pelobates cultripes)
Natterjack toad (Bufo calamita)
Natterjack toad (Bufo calamita)
Natterjack toad and eggs
A possible hybrid of Natterjack toad and Western spadefoot toad
Parsley frog (Pelodytes punctatus)
La sierra de la pila
Spiny-footed lizard (Acanthodactylus erythrurus)
One of two huge Natterjacks found beneath a stone slab
La sierra de Espuña- la sierra de Carrascoy y El Valle
Next to the city of Murcia is the Sierra de Carrascoy y El Valle which are mostly forested areas with an area of rock pools that form at the forest border. La sierra de Espuña lies to the west of Murcia and is the highest point in the region, it is also a nature reserve home to the only isolated population of Lataste’s viper (Vipera latastei) which I found near to Sevilla in Andalusia, but I could not find it in Murcia.
Table 4: My findings on my visit to the sierra de Espuña and El Valle
| Common name | Latin name | 3/09 | 06/09 |
| Perez’s frog | Rana perezi | few | 20+ |
| Mediterranean Common Toad | Bufo bufo spinosus | 2 | 1 |
| Ocellated lizard | Timon lepidus | - | 1 |
| Large psammodromus | Psammodromus algirus | - | 10 |
| Spanish psammodromus | Psammodromus hispanicus | 5 | 2 |
| Spiny-footed lizard | Acanthodactylus erythrurus | 10 | - |
| Iberian worm lizard | Blanus cinereus | - | 2 |
| Viperine snake | Natrix maura | 2 | 5 |
| Horseshoe whip snake | Hemorrhois hippocrepis | 1 dead | - |
La sierra de Espuña
Male common toad (Bufo bufo spinosus)
Common toad habitat on the mountain
La sierra de Espuña
Big viperine snake (Natrix maura)
Habitat of Viperine snake (Natrix maura)
Another viperine snake (Natrix maura)
Sub adult Ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus)
Spanish psammodromus (Psammodromus hispanicus)
Very nice trip report Matt! I love the Ladder snake!
Love the pictures.I have a house in Murcia,have seen plenty of snakes but as yet no tortoises.Where is the best area and season to spot them?
Hi Chris,
Thanks for the message
Well, tortoises are rare in Murcia, they are only found around the Lorca area and are not common there. Glad you have seen snakes around, I am moving back to Murcia at the end of August so I hope to create a page on my blog where people can follow my observations of reptiles and amphibians there.
Matt
We found a small, thin, predominantly green snake with black or dark markings on our doorstep today. It was probably no more than 2 feet long, if that. About two hours later our neighbours found a similar one by their pool. I didn´t see the neighbours´one, but ours was lovely, beautiful shade of green. Would there be a nest of them? Or maybe it was the same one. ´We´ve been here, in Murcia, near Mazarron for 7 years, and have only seen one other, but in the campo. This was the third one for our neighbours.
Hi Frances,
Do you have a pond (such as on a golf course) or a stream close to your home? If so I’d say that your snake is a Viperine water snake (Natrix maura in latin). They often venture towards swimming pools etc, any snake you will see in the Mazarron area will be totally harmless.
Matt
In the neighbourhood of zarcilla de ramos there are also much snakes!
what are the lizzards/geckos that seem to come out at night and are present all around my house on the walls in Pliego Murcia?