Herpetological trip to the Pyrenees (France & Spain)
July 12th – July 26th 2020
Unless specified otherwise, all pictures (c) of Jeroen Speybroeck.
What better place to spend family holidays than in the mountains? Luckily, we were allowed to travel abroad again after COVID-19 lockdown. Me and my kids spent two weeks in the Pyrenees, the first of which in the western Pyrenees, together with herping buddy Bert and his family. Dividing my time between herping-on-the-side and quality time with the children, a lot of the snakes found are thanks to Bert’s efforts. After our friends went back home, the three of us continued to explore areas more to the east.
search sites
July 12th – July 16th
Our first chapter was spent in the valleys of the Ossau and Aspe rivers. These valleys are lush and rich in Asp Vipers
Vipera aspis.
Asp Viper Vipera aspis
Asp Viper Vipera aspis
Asp Viper Vipera aspis
Asp Viper Vipera aspis
We hiked up to a site for Pyrenean Rock Lizard
Iberolacerta bonnali. The kids made me proud with their (year after year, improving) mountaineering skills.
up, up, up
Pyrenean Rock Lizard Iberolacerta bonnali
Pyrenean Rock Lizard Iberolacerta bonnali
Pyrenean Rock Lizard Iberolacerta bonnali
Weather was fairly favourable for reptile searching.
a handful of Smooth Snake Coronella austriaca
Western Green Lizard Lacerta bilineata
Western Green Lizard Lacerta bilineata
Asp Viper Vipera aspis
Asp Viper Vipera aspis
steep habitat of Catalonian Wall Lizard Podarcis liolepis
Catalonian Wall Lizard Podarcis liolepis
Catalonian Wall Lizard Podarcis liolepis
July 16th – July 19th
The second lap was Iraty forest. The first two days were rainy and cold, but we were finding some species nonetheless.
juveniles of Pyrenean Brook Newt Calotriton asper
juvenile Palmate Newt Lissotriton helveticus
looking for Seoane’s Viper Vipera seoanei
Southern Smooth Snake Coronella girondica
Southern Smooth Snake Coronella girondica
Smooth Snake Coronella austriaca
Smooth Snake Coronella austriaca
And then there’s vipers…
Seoane’s Viper Vipera seoanei
Seoane’s Viper Vipera seoanei
Seoane’s Viper Vipera seoanei
Seoane’s Viper Vipera seoanei
if I don’t see you… - Seoane’s Viper Vipera seoanei
Seoane’s Viper Vipera seoanei
Seoane’s Viper Vipera seoanei
Seoane’s Viper Vipera seoanei
Seoane’s Viper Vipera seoanei
Warmer weather brought water fun and amphibians.
harmonious coexistence of amphibian and fish
Pyrenean Brook Newt Calotriton asper
Fire Salamander Salamandra salamandra
Common Midwife Toad Alytes obstetricans
Pyrenean Stream Frog Rana pyrenaica
Cordulegaster boltonii
time to go again
Time to say goodbye to our friends. The rest of the trip was just me and my kids.
July 19th – July 21st
After ample time for swimming, relaxing, and some more swimming, we hiked to a Spanish site for Aran Rock Lizard
Iberolacerta aranica I hadn’t been to since 2010. [Shortly after, the area became off-limits to travellers again.]
Aran Rock Lizard Iberolacerta aranica
Aran Rock Lizard Iberolacerta aranica
Pyrenean Brook Newt Calotriton asper
Pyrenean Brook Newt Calotriton asper
Pyrenean Brook Newt Calotriton asper
July 22nd
To conclude the
Pyrenesaura trifecta, we also hiked to a French site for Aurelio’s Rock Lizard
Iberolacerta aurelioi.
Aurelio’s Rock Lizard Iberolacerta aurelioi
Aurelio’s Rock Lizard Iberolacerta aurelioi
montane Common Frogs Rana temporaria can show peculiar coloration
I wanted to see some more of the newly split Catalonian Midwife Toad
Alytes almogavarii. First, a high-abundance site in an area of uncertain specific attribution (but more than likely
almogavarii, rather than
obstetricans). Toads to be found of all different ages, wonderful evening.
Catalonian Midwife Toad Alytes almogavarii
Catalonian Midwife Toad Alytes almogavarii
Catalonian Midwife Toad Alytes almogavarii
July 23rd
Moving further east, I finally found a Pyrenean Sand Lizard
Lacerta agilis garzoni, after two failed attempts in the past.
Sand Lizard Lacerta agilis
I wanted to see some more ‘sure’
almogavarii. Not that easy in France, but rains made me hope for some results. In the evening, we met up with Rémi Charles-Dominique. A thunderstorm made amphibians wake up, including a drystone wall population of Fire Salamander
Salamandra salamandra - weird, treeless habitat to me, so very interesting.
Fire Salamander Salamandra salamandra
Fire Salamander Salamandra salamandra
Spiny Toad Bufo spinosus
Natterjack Toad Epidalea calamita
July 24th
The next morning, I met with Rémi again for some successful viper hunting.
two basking vipers
retreating into the shade, as summer heat comes in quickly - Asp Viper Vipera aspis
Asp Viper Vipera aspis
Common Wall Lizard Podarcis muralis
July 24th – July 26th
A final night of midwife toad searching, and then a relaxed, two-lap drive back home.
Catalonian Midwife Toad Alytes almogavarii
Catalonian Midwife Toad Alytes almogavarii
Common Frog Rana temporaria
Species list
