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