Me with a Horseshoe whip snake (Hemorrhois hippocrepis) (March 2008)

Well, although I said I wouldn’t be doing another trip abroad this year I guess I knew that would be impossible. Together with Carl Corbidge (UK), Bobby Bok (NL), Sander Schagen (NL) and possibly others I will spend a week in arid S-E Spain (Murcia) in October. I spent some time studying at university in Murcia in 2008 and I became very interested in the region’s amphibians and reptiles. Some species targets for us on this trip will include Betic midwife toad (Alytes dickhilleni), Fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra ssp morenica), Spanish algyroides (Algyroides marchi) and with some luck, may be even Lataste’s viper (Vipera latastei). In addition I hope some of my old herping friends from Murcia will be able to join us some days. I have some very pleasant memories from Murcia, chasing lizards and snakes, and especially capturing a wonderful Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus) of over two metres (pictured below).

La sierra de la Pila, Murcia (C) Matt Wilson

Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus) (C) Matt Wilson