Canary Islands

The Canary Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands in the Atlantic Ocean, situated 100 km west of the nearest African mainland. Politically these islands belong to Spain and are a major tourist destination because of the subtropical climate and large number of beaches. Due to the volcanic nature and long isolation of the islands, they are home to a unique collection of plants and animals found nowhere else on earth. All these species originally arrived either via air or via water and like so many islands of volcanic origin, there are no native amphibians and only a handful of native mammals. Reptiles are present in slightly bigger numbers and 16 endemic species can be found on the islands, divided over three genera: Tarentola (4 species), Chalcides (4 species) and the endemic genus of Gallotia (8 species). In recent times, several other species of amphibian and reptile have made their way to the islands and have been accidentally or deliberately introduced. With an absence of predators and a forgiving climate, many of these species have become established. One of these species is among my favourite species of chameleon, so after learning of a thriving population on one of the islands, a visit had to happen rather sooner than later. Island hopping on islands full of endemics, a wide variety of landscapes and a chance to see some amazing chameleons... what's not to like?

Despite its name, Gran Canaria is the third largest island of the archipelago. It is home to Tarentola boettgeri, Chalcides sexlineatus and Gallotia stehlini. The latter species is the only giant lizard species on the Canary Islands which is still widespread and common. Moreover, an introduced population of Gallotia atlantica can be found near Arinaga on the east coast.

27th and 28th of April 2024

In the early morning we flew from Munich to Gran Canaria. Soon after stepping out of the airport we already spotted the first Gran Canaria Giant Lizard (Gallotia stehlini). We drove to our accommodation to drop our luggage off and freshen up a bit. In the late afternoon we decided to try our luck with what we believed to be one of our toughest targets on the islands. We drove to a nearby barranco which is one of the four core areas where this highly invasive species can be found. Flipping trash delivered another invasive species: the Turkish Gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus) as well as the endemic Boettger's Wall Gecko (Tarentola boettgeri) and Gran Canaria Skink (Chalcides sexlineatus). After an hour of hiking deeper into the barranco I spotted a small seepage, something that is always interesting in such an arid place. In a dry stone wall along the seepage I couldn't believe my eyes as an albino California Kingsnake (Lampropeltis californiae) was making its way down the wall. This species originates (as the names suggests) from the west of the United States and has become established on Gran Canaria in 1998. This species has had a highly negative effect on the native lizard populations and much effort is being put into place to control the population. Teams of professional snake catchers roam through the habitat on a daily basis to try and find snakes, putting out traps and doing their best to keep their population under control. For eradication it is too late and the species can nowadays be found throughout the island. After we admired this weird find and took our pictures we called the snake patrol service to come and collect the snake. They were highly efficient and within 5 minutes were there to collect our find. A very odd sensation to find a snake and then call for someone to collect it!

The next morning we returned to the same barranco and ventured in a bit deeper. Here we met snake catcher Edoardo and while searching along the dry stone walls, he caught a second California Kingsnake (Lampropeltis californiae), this time a normal coloured individual. In the afternoon we visited another core area known for these snakes, but the sun was beating down and we only found another Gran Canaria Skink (Chalcides sexlineatus). 

On our first evening we strolled through our new local town, had an amazing dinner and just when we wanted to go out herping, a massive downpour delayed our plans. After an hour, which we utilized for some grocery shopping, we could finally search for another invasive species. This species is present since 2017 and every year dozens of individuals are being captured to prevent further spread. With our torches we scanned the vegetation along a steep slope and it took awhile before I spotted the first baby Yemen Chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus) in some low vegetation. Very strange to find this species here! We weren't really satisfied with this little one, cute as it might have been, and decided to try our luck in another area. Here I spotted a strange shape, high up in a dense bush. While getting closer I became more convinced that this was indeed a very big chameleon I was looking at! Not much longer we were face to face with a stunning adult male Yemen Chameleon. And although not native here, it is an impressive species to find! After ample admiration it got late and when we walked back to the car Laura spotted an adult female as well. With the whole chameleon family complete it was time to go to bed. 

We did two more evenings of chameleon searching, but the luck of the first night was not to be repeated. We only found one more additional juvenile besides the individuals we had seen before.

29th of April 2024

We woke up to a very cold and windy day. Not the most ideal circumstances to find lizards. When we arrived at the Arinaga area the wind only got worse and there were no lizards out and about. Turning stones however delivered several juvenile Gran Canaria Giant Lizards (Gallotia stehlini), many Boettger's Wall Geckos (Tarentola boettgeri) and a single female Atlantic Lizard (Gallotia atlantica). Afterwards we tried to enjoy some scenery at the Barranco de las Vacas, but the place was overrun by the instragram-horde so we quickly left. At the south coast we found a nice place to lay in the sun a bit and photographed the resident Trumpeter Finches (Bucanetes githagineus amantum). The evening we spent around our local town for another tasty dinner and a small round of chameleon searching.

30th of April 2024

After a morning of chameleon searching we drove to nearby botanical gardens. The weather was heavily overcast and not that warm so we didn't see many reptiles out and about. Only a few Gran Canaria Giant Lizards (Gallotia stehlini). We did see several of the endemic birds in the garden and a few Iberian Water Frogs (Pelophylax perezi). At the Caldera de Bandama we admired the scenery and had an amazing lunch, before we moved on to explore the nearby Barranco de Alonso. In the late afternoon we visited a dumpsite just outside of a town and found many Gran Canaria Giant Lizards (Gallotia stehlini), Boettger's Wall Geckos (Tarentola boettgeri) and Gran Canaria Skinks (Chalcides sexlineatus) as well as a slough of California Kingsnake (Lampropeltis californiae). We had dinner in our local town before heading to bed. 

1st of May 2024

Today we explored the southeast coast of the island and had a first stop in the massive tourist town of Maspalomas. In rocky walls we quickly discovered what we came for and found the southern subspecies of the Gran Canaria Skinks (Chalcides sexlineatus sexlineatus). This subspecies looks very different from their northern counterparts and they sport brightly coloured tails, in this population these are green. Sadly they were quite shy, which could not be said by the Gran Canaria Giant Lizards (Gallotia stehlini) who were clearly accustomed to people in this place. In the early afternoon the sun was beating down and we drove to the Barranco de la Manta and enjoyed some stunning mountain scenery. Stagnant pools held small numbers of Iberian Water Frog (Pelophylax perezi). After laying in the sun a bit at the same beach as two days prior, it was time to hit another spot for skinks. At this particular spot the skinks have blue tails and it didn't take us long to find several individuals. Stunning skinks and we greatly enjoyed seeing these.

2nd of May 2024

In the morning we drove to Gallotiapolis again where we enjoyed seeing the gentle Gran Canaria Giant Lizards (Gallotia stehlini) one last time before driving in the direction of the airport. In Las Palmas de Gran Canaria we stopped for a drink and a look at the introduced Madeiran Wall Lizards (Teira dugesii). They were quite shy at this place, but it is always amazing how these lizards can survive in the crappiest habitats. And then it  was time for our flight to bring us to a new island.

Well known for its impressive stands of laurel forest, this lush island is home to Tarentola gomerensis, Chalcides coeruleopunctatus, Gallotia caesaris and the critically endangered Gallotia bravoana. The latter species is restricted to a single cliff.

2nd until the 6th of May 2024

La Gomera was a breath of fresh air after the hustle and bustle of Gran Canaria. Within no time after arrival we were in a rental car and making our way on the empty roads towards our stay in Valle Gran Rey. In low season there are some other tourists, but definitely not many and we greatly enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere in this town. The scenery is mighty impressive with the vast Atlantic Ocean and the towering cliffs all around. Shortly after sunset, Cory's shearwaters (Calonectris borealis) return to their roosts there and as our accommodation was at the base of the cliffs, we could enjoy their funny cackling calls after dinner. In dry stone walls around our accommodation we could easily observe Gomera Wall Gecko (Tarentola gomerensis), La Gomera Skink (Chalcides coeruleopunctatus) and Boettger's Lizard (Gallotia caesaris gomerae). The former was plentiful at night, while the latter two were seen basking in the mornings. Another great wildlife opportunity is in the harbour of Valle Gran Rey. Several species of ray reside there and the main attraction are the Round Fantail Stingrays (Taeniurops grabatus). These massive rays come into the harbour in the mornings, attracted to the fishermen cleaning their nets. Very impressive to see these massive fish up close!

One of the cliffs around Valle Gran Rey is the Risco de la Mérica. It was only in 1999 that the La Gomera Giant Lizard (Gallotia bravoana) was discovered living on these cliffs, but its numbers were small. Only 20 individuals were found to be living on a narrow strip on this cliff where there is enough water to sustain some plant life. Its main threats are predation by introduced predators such as cats and overgrazing by goats. It is only on this narrow strip of rock, towering high above the town of Valle Gran Rey, where they are safe from these threats. A captive breeding programme is in place, but sadly it is closed to the public and it is only possible to visit with a permit. A sneak peek through the fence gave us the chance to see a captive one at least. Of course also tried to find a wild giant lizard as they are sometimes known to venture down from the cliff. We scanned the big boulders at the base of the cliff, but our chance to see one was of course one in a million. The captive breeding programme has had success and the population is increasing, but they remain incredibly rare. 

One of the main attractions of La Gomera are the laurel forests in the central part of the island that is higher in elevation and is able to catch the fog from the trade winds. More than half of the archipelago's laurel forests can be found on La Gomera and the island is also home to good populations of some of the endemic birds associated with these forests. One of these is the Bolle's or Dark-tailed Laurel Pigeon (Columba bollii). Near Laguna Grande we found several of these rather secretive pigeons in the understory. Afterwards we parked the car near the highest point of the island near Pajarito. From there we slowly descended towards the town of Hermigua, along the way marveling at all the sites and vistas. In the undergrowth of the forest we were surprised to see many La Gomera Skinks (Chalcides coeruleopunctatus) foraging. At more open places the densities of Boettger's Lizard (Gallotia caesaris gomerae) were incredibly high as well. In the late afternoon we hiked down from the steep cliffs near El Cedro. There we saw the other endemic pigeon species, the White-tailed Laurel Pigeon (Columba junoniae) flying around. Although we saw many, photographing them was incredibly difficult. 

The largest island of the archipelago is home to Tarentola delalandii, Chalcides viridanus, Gallotia galloti and the critically endangered Gallotia intermedia. The latter species only occurs in two disjunct poulations on the northwest and south coast of the island. 

6th of May 2024

A short and easy flight brought us from La Gomera to Tenerife. First we did a small round to search for introduced anole lizards, but were unsuccessful sadly. However, a nearby city park was more rewarding. Here we could easily observe many West Canaries Lizards (Gallotia galloti eisentrauti), one more beautiful than the other. Also West Canary Skinks (Chalcides viridanus) were present in decent numbers, all foraging secretively between the rocks. In the city park we also found two introduced terrapin species: False Map Turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica) and Pond Slider (Trachemys scripta troostii). We had dinner with a stunning view on the sunset over the Atlantic Ocean, before we drove to the next city park. Sadly the gate was closed, but the caretaker trusted us enough to be alone in this beautiful park after explaining to him what we came to see here. That was super nice as we could see several Tenerife Wall Geckos (Tarentola delalandii) as well as many Stripeless Tree Frogs (Hyla meridionalis).

7th of May 2024

With an elevation of 3715m absl, the Pico del Teide is the highest point in Spain and the third highest volcanic structure in the world (measured from sealevel). Naturally, it is the most visited national park in Europe and can get crowded in some places. But as usual, most people stick to the same places, leaving the 15km wide caldera open for exploration in peace. In the early morning we did some birding just below the tree line to photograph the brightly coloured endemic Tenerife Blue Chaffinch (Fringilla teydea). While eating some breakfast in the shade, these birds are easily attracted to any leftover bread crumbs. Much to our surprise, a Tenerife Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major canariensis) also joined the party. During our first hike inside the caldera we tried to find blooming Mount Teide Bugloss (Echium wildpretii), an endemic plant which only occurs in the caldera. We didn't find any on our first attempt, but we did see innumerable West Canaries Lizard (Gallotia galloti galloti). The lizards here are much darker than their counterparts at lower altitude, but even more inquisitive. Our second hike led us to a location given by a friend and here we saw large numbers of the towering Mount Teide Bugloss in full bloom. Very impressive to see these plants with the Pico del Teide as a backdrop. 

8th of May 2024

The most beautifully coloured lizards on Tenerife are said to be found on the Anaga peninsula, so a visit to this corner of the island could not be left out. We did a stunning hike towards an abandoned monastery where Canary Islands Dragonblood Trees (Dracaena draco) grow in the courtyard. This tranquil place nestled on a small plateau, with the vast Atlantic Ocean on one side and towering cliffs on the other, stole our hearts. The beauty and desolation of this place and the abundance of indeed some of the most beautiful West Canaries Lizards (Gallotia galloti eisentrauti) made sure we spent quite some time here. A hot hike back to the beach made us longing for some relaxation at the beach. The moment we set foot on the beach however, the sun went and never came back. We still had a lovely swim in the waves and had dinner in a nearby restaurant. 

9th of May 2024

In the morning we did some birding at the Anaga peninsula again, but it was cold, windy and super crowded so we left pretty soon. On the southern slopes of the peninsula the weather was more pleasant and we did a small hike in a canyon. The waterfall we were hoping to see didn't carry any water anymore, but stagnant pools held large numbers of Iberian Water Frog (Pelophylax perezi) and of course we saw the ubiquitous West Canaries Lizard (Gallotia galloti eisentrauti) as well. During the hike down we met a family of Barbary partridge (Alectoris barbara koenigi). In Santa Cruz de Tenerife we visited the natural history museum which is home to the impressive skulls of the extinct Tenerife Giant Lizard (Gallotia goliath) which could aquire a length of almost 1,5 meters. They also have a nice display of the other reptiles and native birds, mammals and insects. Moreover, they are the final resting place of the Guanche mummies of which some are on display here. In the late afternoon we arrived on the south of the island where we had a new accommodation. We couldn't resist a first attempt of finding the rarest reptile of the island, but were not lucky yet. After dinner in the urban jungle of Playa de la Américas we were highly amused by the large amount of British people fighting and tried to find anole lizards in a city park opposite of the stripclub. We only saw a few Tenerife Wall Geckos (Tarentola delalandii) and a North African Hedgehog (Atelerix algirus). Back at our hotel we did a quick search in the garden and there I spotted a pair of Cuban Green Anoles (Anolis porcatus), sleeping high up in a palm tree. These anoles have been on Tenerife for at least twenty years, having accidentally arrived on exotic palms most likely. There are three distinct populations on the island, one in the north and two in the south of the island. Our hotel is at the biggest and most southern cluster of records. Very strange to see anoles outside the neotropics and especially in such an urban setting!

10th of May 2024

With one endemic species still left to see, it was clear where we would spend the morning. After a nice breakfast in a nearby cafe we climbed up the slopes and searched where the sun had just started to hit the rocks. Several rather shy and drably coloured West Canaries Lizards (Gallotia galloti galloti) fooled us several times and it took a while until we found what we came for. Along a steep cliff I spotted a slightly bigger and more slender lizard disappear. I waited for it to come out and the headshape and pattern did seem different. It was an incredibly shy lizard, but my patience paid off, I could even take a few pictures and was very happy to having found a Tenerife Speckled Lizard (Gallotia intermedia). This species was discovered as late as 1996, occurs only in two disjunct populations and is critically endangered. Back at the hotel we had a look at the garden again and found out the anole lizards were anything but critically endangered. Cuban Green Anoles (Anolis porcatus) were perching on lamp posts, palms, shrubs and hanging in the fence. A snorkel session for sea turtles in the afternoon was without results sadly. Then it was time for an early dinner before we drove up to the Pico del Teide again for some stargazing.

11th of May 2024

Sadly it was time to leave again. We had a last search for an adult Tenerife Speckled Lizard, but our search was in vain this time. Back at the hotel we packed our bags, said goodbye to the West Canaries Lizards (Gallotia galloti galloti) and the Cuban Green Anoles (Anolis porcatus) running around in the garden and drove in the direction of the airport. There we tried to enjoy some sun at a nearby beach, but the incessant wind and incoming tide ruined the experience somewhat. 

Epilogue

During our trip we could easily observe most endemics. All islands have their own Tarentola, Chalcides and Gallotia species which are incredibly abundant and readily observed. Some islands are home to an additional giant Gallotia species. Most of these giants are amongst the most endangered lizard species on the planet with very low densities and living in extremely inaccessible habitat. Therefore, observing them can be incredibly difficult. For us this meant that the only chance of seeing Gallotia bravoana was a sneak peek through the fence of the breeding center. Our search in promising looking habitat at the foot of the towering cliff where they occur was sadly in vain. The other two giant lizard species of the Canary Islands occur on El Hierro (G. simonyi) and La Palma (G. auaritae) which we didn't visit. Further more, the two other endemic reptiles also occur on islands we didn't visit and a visit to Fuerteventura or Lanzarote to see Tarentola angustimentalis or Chalcides simonyi beckons. Moreover, we were quite succesful in finding the allochtonous species and only missed Indotyphlops braminus, but I can't say we tried very hard for that species either.

Overall the Canary Islands were really fun to herp with an abundance of lizards everywhere and some challenging species as well.

Being a major tourist destination, traveling on the islands is very easy and without any challenges, apart maybe from steering clear of the crowds. Luckily that is something herpers excel at and we mostly had the places we wanted to visit to ourselves. 

Make sure to check out Laura's Flickr Albums as well!

Further reading

 Endemic species

Boettger's Wall Gecko (Tarentola boettgeri)

Tenerife Wall Gecko (Tarentola delalandii)

Gomera Wall Gecko (Tarentola gomerensis)

Gran Canaria Skink (Chalcides sexlineatus spp. sexlineatus & bistriatus)

West Canary Skink (Chalcides viridanus)

La Gomera Skink (Chalcides coeruleopunctatus)

Atlantic Lizard (Gallotia atlantica atlantica)

La Gomera Giant Lizard (Gallotia bravoana) - captive

Boettger's Lizard (Gallotia caesaris ssp. gomerae)

West Canaries Lizard (Gallotia galloti ssp. galloti & eisentrauti)

Tenerife Speckled Lizard (Gallotia intermedia)

Gran Canaria Giant Lizard (Gallotia stehlini)

 Introduced species

Stripeless Tree Frog (Hyla meridionalis)

Iberian Water Frog (Pelophylax perezi)

False Map Turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica)

Pond Slider (Trachemys scripta ssp. troostii)

Turkish Gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus)

Cuban Green Anole (Anolis porcatus)

Yemen Chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus)

Madeiran Wall Lizard (Teira dugesii)

California Kingsnake (Lampropeltis californiae)

Tarentola

Chalcides

Gallotia

Introduced species

Many thanks to Luis Albero, Guillaume Gomard, David Hegner, Gerald Ochsenhofer, Conrado Requena Aznar, Jeroen Speybroeck, Siegfried Troidl, Ronald Zimmerman and especially Robin Duborget.