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Northwest Wildlife Online
Afghanistan Reptiles and Amphibians
Northwest Wildlife Homepage Afghanistan Wildlife Homepage
In the past couple of weeks I have been pretty fortunate in my little wildlife safaris. I have collected a sufficient number of photos to give my Afghan herp friends their own web page. Lizards are plentiful here, but it is location dependent. In the northern, higher altitudes finding different species was not terribly difficult once the weather warmed into spring. By the time I arrived in the desert locations around Kandahar, however, temperatures were regularly hitting 120 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit and higher on a regular basis. Unlike yours truly the herps around here know enough to go to ground when the thermometer goes to those extremes. Nights, evenings, and early mornings are the best time to find these fellows. Those are not the best times to be prowling around a military compound with a camera, however. But I've worked around the problem and have scored some satisfying photos.
To the left is a lizard I call a Rock Basker. A little smaller than the ones I found in Saudi, but still possessing the same incredible tolerance for heat. These guys are out in the middle of the afternoon in the hottest part of the day - and loving it. Just like their Saudi cousins these reptiles have an unusual habit of letting you get very close to them. On the right is a common Afghan species and one of the largest I've seen here; about twelve inches long and thick bodied, I have found these fellows throughout the eastern half of the country from 1000 feet to almost 10,000 feet above sea level. These lizards are not as heat resistant as the Rock Baskers. Notice the photo on the right. This little guy was actually panting! I've never seen a lizard do that. I tell you it's hot over here.
The "Tail Lasher" in the left and middle photos is a colorful and active little lizard that comes in at about three to four inches long. Common here, but not sighted anywhere nearly as much as I've seen them in Saudi. These are amusing fellows to watch. They skitter along for a few feet, stop, and lash that long tail back and forth while raising first one front leg and then the other. The photo on the the right is an example of a young agama type lizard. Although this guy measured just two or three inches long, I've seen them reach nearly a foot. The body is generally white, but becomes bright yellow at the base of the tail.
Above is a Saw Scaled Viper. A pretty, but poisonous (note the fangs) little snake that only grows to about a foot in length. Unfortunately this guy crawled into someone's office over here and was dispatched with a shovel before I could save him. The picture on the right clearly shows the snakes specialized scales. When threatened they rub vigorously rub these side scale together and create a soft buzzing sound. The photos below are what these snakes look like when alive.
As you can see they are a stout bodied reptile, but the appearance in deceptive. This one, a female I think judging from the short tail length was probably not more than one foot long. Like most poisonous snakes, though, they are feisty, a factor you have to consider when you are operating a camera. The shadow you see over the snake on the picture on the right is from my arm holding up the board I found this specimen under. I filmed with the other hand, but all the while the snake was striking and advancing. Keeps you alert!
Now here is something you just don't see every day in the desert. Our water treatment spillover has created a small lake behind the airfield here. I was prowling around back there and discovered these two species of toads. The ones above are lighter skinned and rounder; these fellows below are darker in color and far more pudgy. Amazing. Give wildlife just the smallest chance to survive and it takes hold.
Now we'll leave the desert and go into the heights. All of these guys below were found at an altitude of close to nine thousand feet.
One of my favorites. He's a little fellow, but very aggressive when defending his territory. You can get an idea of his size in relation to my fingers.
These are two of the most common species I've found so far. Each is about four inches long. The one on the left, I call a Fringe Foot, has a range that extends all the way into Saudi Arabia.
This monitor looking lizard is the largest I have found in Afghanistan so far. It is the same species that I found in Kandahar. The handsome fellow on the left was close to eight inches long. He shared his large rock with a very shy hedge hog that inhabited the other side. For a better view of a hedge hog follow this link: hedge hog.
