Reptile

Hermann’s tortoise (or Testudo hermanni) is a small species of tortoise that is found throughout the coastal forests of the Mediterranean. The carapace is patterned in yellow and black and varies based on the subspecies and by individual. The Eastern subspecies is much larger than the Western, reaching sizes of up to 28cm long, compared to 18cm long. Females are generally larger than males in this species. Depending on their size, Hermann’s tortoises can weigh between 2kg and 4kg.

The desert horned viper (or Cerastes cerastes) is a venomous snake native to the deserts and semi-deserts of Northern Africa and the Middle East. It is also known as the Saharan horned viper. The body of the desert horned viper is sand-coloured, often with a paler underside. They may have slightly darker brown mottling on their scales as camouflage. The head is large and triangular. Most notably, they may have distinctive, pointed horns above their eyes, from which they get their name. Males and females look alike, although females tend to be slightly larger.

The Asian water monitor (or Varanus salvator) is a large reptile native to the rainforests, swamps, and mangrove forests throughout much of the warmer areas of Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. It is dark green to black in colouration, with pale brown and yellow reticulated markings across its whole body. These reticulations often appear as bands on the tail. The Asian water monitor displays sexual dimorphism, with males being larger.

The spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus) is a medium-sized crocodile that lives in the wetlands, savannahs and forests of Central and South America. It can be green, brown, yellow or gray, with bands on the tail and body. It gets its name from the distinctive bony ridge it has between its eyes which makes it appear as if it is wearing glasses. The body of this caiman is slender, with other ridges of scales on the back. The male measures between 1.50 and 2 m in length on average (although with age some reach 2.50 m) and weighs between 13 and 40 kg.

The American alligator is a large species of crocodilian that lives in the rivers, swamps, marshes and wetlands of the Southern USA and Mexico. American alligators may be dark green, brown or grey in colour. They have a broad rounded head with a large gape and many teeth, of which some can be seen protruding externally. The body of the American alligator is broad, with several raised ridges of scales running down their back. Their legs stick out laterally and they move close to the ground but will raise themselves off the ground when running.

The Northern diamondback terrapin is a small species of turtle that lives in the brackish and coastal swamps of the Eastern and Southern United States of America. It is characterized by its distinctive shell pattern of interlocking ‘diamonds’ that tend to have concentric light and dark rings within them. However, pattern and coloration does vary within the species. The average shell length of males is 13cm, whereas the average shell length of the female is 17cm.

Cuvier's dwarf caiman is a small species of crocodilian that inhabits in the rivers and swamps in the forests of northern South America. The appearance of this species changes as it matures. Caimans have large protruding brown (although occasionally yellow) eyes. Males are an average of 1.3-1.5m in length while females are an average of 1.15m in length. They usually weigh between 6-7kg.

The eastern blue-tongued lizard, or eastern blue-tongued skink is a species of reptile that lives in the woodland, scrubland and semi-desert areas of Australia. They are broad and squat animals, with a triangular head and a thick tail. It has various colour morphs but typically has tan, beige and black scales arranged in a striped pattern. As its name suggests, it has a bright blue tongue. Adult eastern blue-tongued lizards are between 45 and 60cm in length.

The yellow anaconda (or Eunectes notaeus) is a large, yellow-scaled species of constrictor snake with brown-black saddles across its back. It can primarily be found in the tributaries, swamps and marshes of the Paraguay river basin, but can also be located in Bolivia, Argentina and Brazil. As generalist predators, the yellow anaconda will feed on most small to medium sized animals that they are able to catch. The species is known for reaching large sizes – adults can reach an average length of 3.3 to 4.4m, as well as an average weight of 25 to 35kg.

The Western diamondback rattlesnake (or Crotalus atrox) is a species of venomous snake native to the deserts, grassland and scrubland of the USA and Mexico; so named for the pattern of grey and brown scales on its back. It reaches an average length of 1.2m – although a specimen of 2.1m in length has been reported – and males are larger than females. It is a dangerous species that will strike if it perceives threat.