Day 1: Star Species
The viviparous lizard (Lacerta vivipara)
Today is fitting to focus on the viviparous lizard (common lizard) as my footage was featured on tonight's 'SpringWatch' - it was in the segment with Iolo Williams & Martin Hughes-Games talking about sand lizards in North Wales (Episode 4, 2017).
Luckily the tail will regenerate and grow back - this usually leaves a scar and grows back a different colour and usually shorter.
Common lizards come in various colours (browns to grey) with darker markings along the back bordered. Males tend to be spotty and females tend to be stripy.
Interesting Facts:
Where I have seen them? I live in South Wales, near Swansea and I have seen lizards in many places. Along the Gower coast path, next to cycling paths and along boardwalks in nature reserves. Alot of people I know have never seen one, but if you know where to look (and the conditions are right) you can spot them quite easily.
More about them - The common lizard is the UK's most common and widespread reptile. It is found across many different habitats including moorland, woodland, sea cliffs, dry stone walls, urban areas and railway banks. If your garden backs onto any of these habitats then there's a good chance you could have these lizards living in it. They spend a lot of time basking in the sun to warm up enough to be able to hunt. Their prey usually consist of insects, spiders, snails and earthworms. Unfortunately they are vulnerable to a number of predators including foxes, crows and domestic cats.
More about them - The common lizard is the UK's most common and widespread reptile. It is found across many different habitats including moorland, woodland, sea cliffs, dry stone walls, urban areas and railway banks. If your garden backs onto any of these habitats then there's a good chance you could have these lizards living in it. They spend a lot of time basking in the sun to warm up enough to be able to hunt. Their prey usually consist of insects, spiders, snails and earthworms. Unfortunately they are vulnerable to a number of predators including foxes, crows and domestic cats.
"Creepy, but clever trick..."If the lizard feels threatened by a predator then they have a creepy, but clever little trick called autotomy: this means they can shed their tail at will. The tail is able to move up to half an hour after separation, the idea is the predator will attack the wriggling tail, enabling the lizard to make a quick getaway. Here is a video (the one that appeared on Springwatch) of a lizard I came across last year which had done the exact thing...
Common lizards come in various colours (browns to grey) with darker markings along the back bordered. Males tend to be spotty and females tend to be stripy.
The young are mostly all black or brown.
The Common Lizard hibernates and after emerging the males defend breeding territories from other males. They mate in April or May - If the female is not interested she will bite the male fiercely. They mostly breed during April and May and they give birth to an average of seven live young. The adults can grow between 13-15cm and have a life span around 5-6 years.
Interesting Facts:
- The species is unusual among reptiles for 'giving birth' to live young rather than laying eggs.
- Autotomy is from the Greek auto - "self and tome - "severing"
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