Sand lizards, UK

[Daniel Kane]

Last week I made a trip to an area where the Sand lizard, the UK's largest and most endangered native lizard, is known to live. As this lizard is generally restricted to lowland heath and sand dunes in the UK it often finds it difficult to colonise new areas naturally, for which reason some people breed these lizards and release the offspring into new sites deemed suitable. Reasons for decline probably include the changing use of land and development for houses and business.

Those in then know will be able to recognize in which population (out of the main three in the UK) these photos were taken, as the three main populations generally have different patterns and intensities of green in the breeding season. I have read that those animals from Surrey have a tendency to be a darker green and have a more overall mottled pattern than animals in Dorset and Hampshire, which in turn are darker and tend to have more ocelli than those lizards from the north-west (which often have broad dorsal stripes). However as with most things in nature this is prone to variation.

Enough talking, here are some photos;

Female Sand lizard at her burrow entrance

Female Sand lizard fairly fresh out of hibernation

Male Sand lizard

Juvenile Sand lizard, first spring

Big male Sand lizard, at least in his 4th or 5th season

Narrow-striped male Sand lizard

Male Sand lizard in his 3rd season

Viviparous lizard seen in the same habitat as the Sand lizards

Male Sand lizard

I'm grateful to the people who met me this day - I think we saw about 10 lizards (around 8 or 9 males) which is not bad in that habitat. Hopefully I'll return when I get the chance.

[Mario Schweiger]

Must be in full breeding season - such a bright green !

Mario

[Liam Russell]

Great!

I love the Merseyside sand lizards, hoping the get up there myself sometime soon.

[Carl Corbidge]

Glad to see you had a good day Dan, some nice in situ photos, not been yet this year. One male looks very emaciated probably due to the terrible weather in April.

[Daniel Kane]

Liam, I'd agree with you on that; they're my favourite population/morph in the UK. The lime-green colour of some of the males is just amazing. Perhaps you could give me a pm if you're up in that area in June and we could meet up for a days herping.

Thanks Carl, you're right, April has been a bit of a shocker - some nice sunny days but many have been a wash-out which, as you say, appears to be having an effect on the lizards. I did see one male feeding though so I imagine it is just a matter of time before this one manages to bulk up a bit.

[Mike Brown]

I'm glad Dan's pictures show the colours of the male Sandies up so well, as mine often seem to fade them somewhat. The weather is still carrying on in its same frustrating way here (Merseyside) at the moment, with very few females showing this year so far.