There are 106 species of Reptilia and Amphibia in Egypt; six are endemic and one, the Egyptian Tortoise, is endangered.

            The most numerous reptiles are the 49 species of lizards; of these the largest group is the Gekkonidae. Among the 36 snake species, nine are poisonous and a further nine are rear-fanged snakes that are also poisonous although they are less of a risk for humans due to the necessity of getting part of the victim to the back of their jaws in order to inject venom.

            The five species of sea turtles found in Egyptian waters are all globally endangered. The Green Turtle and the Hawksbill both nest on Egypt’s shores or on Egyptian islands.

            Five species of Bufonidae (toads), of which one is endemic, are joined by one tree frog and two other species of frogs. The impressive Nile Crocodile, once common along the Nile, is now found only in Lake Nasser, together with the large Nile Monitor and the Nile Soft-shelled Turtle.

10 of 24 Nidua Lizard, Acanthodactylus scutellatus

This lizard is widespread in the sandy deserts of Egypt where its diet consists mainly of small insects, especially ants. It is diurnal in habit but is generally more active in the early morning and late afternoon during the hottest times of the year and in the middle of the day during the winter when the weather is cool.