Species Focus - Common Lizard (Zootoca vivipara)

Given that Common Lizards are so widespread, it’s surprising we don’t see them very often. You might occasionally see them basking on a stone wall or scuttling away into the grass as you walk past. All too often you just see a tail disappearing into cover, the lizard having spotted you long before you saw it.

You can improve your chances of finding Common Lizards by creeping up slowly on their potential basking spots and looking ahead. Close focus binoculars can also give you an advantage when scanning potential sites.

Screes, sand dunes, walls and waste ground are all good hunting grounds to look for lizards but you can also find them in bogs on tussocks, and even up in the mountains at relatively high altitudes - we have a record from 634m in the Carneddau. On a warm autumn day you might even be lucky to see tiny, newborn lizards basking together in a group!

Please submit your records to the Cofnod ORS or the LERC Wales App.