Reptiles

Viviparous Lizard (Lacerta (Zootoca) vivipara)

Also known as the 'common' lizard, the viviparous lizard is better described as locally abundant.

Kent can still boast a number of sites where viviparous lizards occur in high numbers.

An animal of diverse habitats as varied as railway embankments, meadows and heathland, the viviparous lizard is however vulnerable to site mismanagement and in particular overgrazing.

Viviparous lizards can often be spotted basking on sunny days from March through to October. Features such as logs, fence posts and rubble piles are favoured for basking. If disturbed they will often quickly return to the same spot.

Discarded tyres in a meadow, though not terribly aesthetic to humans, are a surprisingly good feature to a viviparous lizard. Tyres absorb heat from the sun quickly and provide useful refuge. It is always worth a careful look to see if lizards are sat on a tyre in an area where they have not been previously recorded. Though still the most commonly seen of Kents indigenous reptiles, KRAG is always grateful for sighting reports so that conservation strategies can be formed and status monitored.