FAQs about lizards: what species?

Our advice helps frogs flourish in urban areas (Sam Taylor)

WILDLIFE INFORMATION SERVICE

Frequently Asked Questions about... lizards:

What species of lizard have I seen?

There are three species of lizard in the UK - the common lizard, the sand lizard and the slow-worm (a type of legless lizard often mistaken for a snake)

Of these three species, you are most likely to see slow-worms or common lizards in your garden. The UK's rarest lizard, the sand lizard, tends only to be found in heathland or dune habitat.

Occasionally, non-native lizards are recorded in the wild, particularly the wall lizard and green lizard. Please report these sightings to ARC via our Alien Encounters project.

People sometimes mistake newts for lizards as they can be a similar size, shape and colour; see 'How do I tell the difference between lizards and newts?' if you're unsure about what you've seen.

It is important to report your lizard sightings to help build up local and national records of these declining species. Get in touch with the local Biological Records Centre and you local Amphibian and Reptile Group (ARG) if you have seen lizards in your garden.

More information:

Identifying reptiles. >>>

Alien Encounters. >>>

How do I tell the difference between lizards and newts? >>>

Find my Local Records Centre. >>>

Find my Local ARG. >>>