The day I came across my first and only Persian horned viper was quite special, mainly since it nestled comfortably in the intersection of my Venn diagram of happiness; climbing, reptiles and science. I’d set out for the day to climb a crumbly multi-pitch VS, inappropriately named Fossil Face (I didn’t see a single fossil), … Continue reading Persian horned viper (Pseudocerastes persicus)
Tag: UAE
Schmidt’s fringe-toed lizard (Acanthodactylus schmidti)
It takes a lot to survive the extreme temperatures of the desert, but the lizards of the genus Acanthodactylus have managed it pretty well. I used to see them darting between spindly bushes quite frequently in the afternoons and early mornings in the desert. Stay out much later and they’d pretty much evaporate on the spot in … Continue reading Schmidt’s fringe-toed lizard (Acanthodactylus schmidti)
Arabian sand boa (Eryx jayakari)
During my time in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) I was pretty keen to try and find a sand boa. How hard could it be when they leave their perfect sine-wave tracks in the sand? Turns out it’s quite hard. A week before leaving, I was following the tracks of a big, fat sand boa … Continue reading Arabian sand boa (Eryx jayakari)