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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.
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Saharan
Sand Snake, Psammophis aegyptius |
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| A long, slender snake
of up to 1500mm that is found in the desert,
often where there is little vegetation.
This snake appears to have been found in
almost every habitat in Egypt except for
North Sinai. It feeds mainly on small birds;
it is active during the day and evening
but is also found being active late at night.
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