Night herping in Ras Al Khaimah is a nocturnal adventure through moonlit wadis and rocky foothills, where the desert cools just enough to stir its shy reptiles and amphibians. Armed with a headlamp and a keen eye for glittering eyeshine, you might spot Keyserling’s Wonder Gecko clinging to boulders, Arabian Toads chorusing from roadside pools, or even a Hajar Saw-scaled Viper sliding silently under loose rocks. The still desert air magnifies every rustle in the gravel and every soft croak in the shadows, making each encounter feel electrifying. Remember to move stones gently, wear sturdy boots, and give every creature plenty of space—so you can enjoy the thrill of discovery and head home safely.

By night in Ras Al Khaimah, herping often turns up a surprising diversity of scorpions, including: Arabian fat-tailed scorpion (Androctonus crassicauda), Deathstalker (Leiurus arabicus), Jayakar’s scorpion (Hottentotta jayakari), Werner’s scorpion (Compsobuthus werneri) and Slender sand scorpion (Buthacus leptochelys)

These species hide under rocks or in shallow burrows by day and emerge once the desert cools to hunt insects and small arthropods. On one such outing I also photographed an Arabian horned viper (Cerastes gasperettii), its raised supra-ocular “horns” and keeled, sand-patterned scales perfectly camouflaged against the gravelly wadi floor.

Location