Morocco 2015

[Thor Hakonsen]

Hi,

Me and some friends have started to plan next years herping trip, and we've decided to travel to Morocco in early april (Easter) - Our main goals are off course the vipers (Cerastes, Daboia and Bitis), Cobra and the monitor.

I was hoping someone could give us some pointers of general areas we should visit, the fewer (with many or all species) the better, as we then can focus more time at less places to fint the species.

We will fly to Marrakech, and rent car from there. Another question for the guys that has been in the area - is a large car like a Toyota Landcruiser necessary ? Or would one do with a cheap small 4WD, or just a compact 2WD ?

All hints and tips is welcome !

[Clive Brignull]

Hi Thor,
Visit moroccoherps.com to get ideas of where to go and what can be found. I was not lucky in finding that much(see my report) although the areas seached should heve been productive.The driving in Morocco is crazy. There seem few rules apply. Donkey and carts,mopeds,bicycles and pedestrians everywhere. Great fun if your not nervous.
Clive

[Thor Hakonsen]

Hi Clive,

Thanks for the tip - I will definatly look further into that site. I've looked a bit at it, but such sites is often rather overwhelming, and not easy to say if the area has just one sighting, or if it's the main area for the species.

I can't find a report in North-Africa from you - do you have a link, or was it in collabiration with someone ?

Driving in foreign countris is often nerve recking... but hopefully at least they drive on the correct side of the road there

[miguel santos]

Hi Thor,
I was last July in Morocco and can agree that driving can be a challenge. Having said that I did not see many craizy actions. You do see a lot ( like Clive mentioned ) on the road. As I am Portugese I am used to see a lot of careless driving but in Morocco you have to pay attention to all that moves on the road.
To the species you want to see I think the area to the south of Sidi Ifni where also lots of prey animals are present (rodents and squirrels), the area of Fort bou jerif, the area between Guelmim and Assa for Bitis and cobra. I did not see any but the locals acknologed to me that they live there.
For cerastes I think you have to forther south to Tan Tan (coastal dunes) or even further to Khenifiss. I would try to Fly to Agadir. Marrakech is quite far you you only have one week or so, but you probably have better connections....

[Mario Schweiger]

For cerastes I think you have to forther south to Tan Tan (coastal dunes) or even further to Khenifiss.

Thats true for C. vipera.
C. cerastes you may find already around Tiznit.

Mario

[Thor Hakonsen]

Thanks for the replies guys !

We will for sure head south towards Guelmine, but we will (unfortunatly) drive from Marrakech, of two reasons. The plane tickets to Agadir from Norway cost almost 3 times as much, and takes 15-20 hours (no direct). Oslo to Marrakech is 5 hours directly.
So we actually save time and money by driving from Marrakech. But perhaps we should look into a bit longer stay..

Please fill in more if you have - how about the time, 2-9 april - this should be a nice time to travel there. Both for us and herps ?

[Mario Schweiger]

For "coastal areas" south of Agadir, beginning of April shoud be good.
The only problem might be the night temperatures for searching Bitis, Naja?

[Thor Hakonsen]

With that you mean that the night temperatures would be to low at this time of year ?

But this would then again give us better chance to fint Bitis basking at day time ?

[Clive Brignull]

My moroccoherps.com report June 2013 (7th on list).

[Borji Heras]

I was with two friends in late March-early april and temperatures at night were cool even in the south coast (tan tan - tarfaya)
But we still found cerastes vipera tracks, two living specimens of arietans + one DOR