Nature mini-guide - Amphibians and reptiles

This guide presents all species of reptiles and amphibians in France (including Corsica). Its purpose is to enable you to identify them all in the field, with the help of illustrations.

Although they remain very discreet, there are a few tips to help you spot them: look for reptiles on spring mornings when they are basking in the sun, on low walls or along sunny edges. Don't miss the return of the sun after a rain shower and avoid the hottest hours of the day. Amphibians are most visible during the mating season, preferably at the beginning of the night at the edge of a pond, when male frogs, toads and tree frogs sing in chorus and newts parade and come to the surface to breathe. It will be easy for you to spot the larvae and tadpoles that correspond to the larval stage of amphibian development.

All these species are protected in France, so capturing and destroying them is prohibited. The best thing to do is to observe their behaviour from a distance with binoculars without disturbing them.

About the illustrator

A self-taught artist, Toni Llobet began drawing in Catalonia's natural parks at the age of 16. Recognised for his great talent, he is now the artistic director of the encyclopaedia Handbook of Mammals of the World.