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.

23 of 24 Green Turtle, Chelonia mydas

This juvenile, non-breeding Green Turtle belongs to one of the two species that nest in the Red Sea region and is also the only marine turtle that is herbivorous. Nobody knows how or why the females always return to the beach where they were born to lay their eggs or where they go in the many years between hatching and returning.