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RAUK - Archived Forum - Green Lizard

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Green Lizard:

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David Bird
Forum Specialist
Joined: 17 Feb 2003
No. of posts: 515


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Posted: 26 Sep 2003

As there is a new system for putting on photos I thought I would have a go with a couple of shots of a sub adult Green Lizard seen on the 13 Sep at the now nationally famous Bournemouth cliffs colony. This one was under some gorse also saw a hatchling in marram grass clump. Have had to crop photos to get to the lower file size

 

administrator37891.035462963
British Herpetological Society Librarian and member of B.H.S Conservation Committee. Self employed Herpetological Consultant and Field Worker.
-LAF
Senior Member
Joined: 03 Apr 2003
No. of posts: 317


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Posted: 29 Sep 2003
Sorry if I'm being really slow... They have bred nr Bournmouth?

Red sky at night, sheppards delight,
Green lizard in the morning, global warming.

Cheers, Lee.
Lee Fairclough
David Bird
Forum Specialist
Joined: 17 Feb 2003
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Posted: 30 Sep 2003
Lee, where have you been the last month. Made several national papers as well as the local one which you would not have seen. I am afraid they have bred, the area also has another colony of Wall Lizards and close by are Sand Lizards at the moment but for how long with all this competition, who knows.
British Herpetological Society Librarian and member of B.H.S Conservation Committee. Self employed Herpetological Consultant and Field Worker.
Gemma Fairchild
Krag Committee
Joined: 14 Feb 2003
No. of posts: 193


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Posted: 30 Sep 2003

Lee, the story from the Independent

http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=386&PN=1


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-LAF
Senior Member
Joined: 03 Apr 2003
No. of posts: 317


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Posted: 30 Sep 2003
Ah, remember that now, had no idea they'd bred though.

Thanks guys!

Lee.
Lee Fairclough
Tony Phelps
Forum Specialist
Joined: 09 Mar 2003
No. of posts: 575


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Posted: 03 Oct 2003
Had a cracking time in Italy with Lacerta bilineata, all sizes, very common, also huge males of podarcis sicula.
Also last years hatchling Tetudo
plus fantabulous male Vipera aspis 70cm+ also immatures and females will start V.aspis project next year in Tofa mountains.
Also - E.longissima - E.quatrolineata, some big Colubers and yes we did find Coronella girondica after many hours of searching - may/june is best time.
I did quite well with taking oics on my new digital the aspis look nice, also green lizard, Podarcis and that little toroise - they are all still on the card whatever you call it will find out how to show them.

Tony
PS South Africa on the 10th
Peter Vaughan
Senior Member
Joined: 21 Mar 2005
No. of posts: 170


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Posted: 11 Jun 2006

Hampshire Amphibians and Reptiles Group had a trip to see the Wall and Green Lizards at Bournemouth Cliff on the morning of Sunday 11 June 2006.  Weather was intermitant hazy and bright sun, it was hot but there was a breeze. 

It was like being in another country for a couple of hours, with dozens of sightings of Wall Lizards on walls and at the base of vegetation.

The hightlight was seeing Green Lizards.  My memory of having seen them in Jersey, back in the mid-1980s, is of stocky, greenish grey animals about seven inches long.  But I learnt today that the ones I had seen must have been juveniles - two of those we saw at Bournemouth, at the foot of the cliffs, were huge - the best part of a foot long and a brilliant green in colour (i.e. more so than our Sand Lizards).  Our experts identified them as male and female, with the male having a turquoise chin.  And they moved fast.  Some in our party also had a fleeting glimpse of two juveniles at the top of the cliffs.

The Wall Lizards don't look that different to our native species but the Green Lizards looked truly exotic - and alien, a bit like seeing a large green parrot turn up amongst the sparrows at your birdtable.  From what I know of the history of attempted introductions of Green lizard into the UK, the Bournemouth ones are unlikely to spread much beyond the hot cliffs of Dorset, which seems for the best.  But they are spectacular animals and it was good to have one place in mainland UK to see them. 

We also had a sighting of a Common Lizard.

Peter


Peter Vaughan
mhows
Member
Joined: 27 Feb 2006
No. of posts: 19


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Posted: 13 Jun 2006

Here are a couple of photos from the site earlier in the year, both wall and green lizards were easily found.

http://www.hows.org.uk/inter/birds/uk2006/gl3.jpg

http://www.hows.org.uk/inter/birds/uk2006/liz.jpg

http://www.hows.org.uk/inter/birds/uk2006/wallliz1.jpg

 


Vicar
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Joined: 02 Sep 2004
No. of posts: 1181


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Posted: 02 Jul 2006

Made it down to Boscombe today. The Green lizards are certainly present, but not the easiest things to find, nor photograph. The steep terrain is quite unforgiving.

I did manage to observe this one for a while, stunningly beautiful animals, and BIG compared to our indigenous lizards. Surprisingly acrobatic too leaping from the undergrowth, catching bees.


Steve Langham - Chairman    
Surrey Amphibian & Reptile Group (SARG).
Peter Vaughan
Senior Member
Joined: 21 Mar 2005
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Posted: 02 Jul 2006

Glad you found one prepared to pose Steve!  I notice that it has a green chin.  One of the ones I saw at Bournemouth a couple of weeks ago had a turquoise chin - I'd assumed that was a male charactersitic rather than an adult/juvenile difference?

Peter


Peter Vaughan
Iowarth
Admin Group
Joined: 12 Apr 2004
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Posted: 08 Jul 2006

Hi Peter

Didn't want to steal Steve's thunder but thought I would answer your query in the absence of a reply. As a general rule a bright blue or turquoise chin (often spreading to the cheeks) is indicative of a male. This can, however, disappear almost completely outside the breeding season. Occasional females have a blue tint but this is more pronounced in viridis than bilineata (the Bournemouth colony are the latter). In adult & sub-adult animals the clear white lines, often with black borders are also indicative of females - but, conversely, many females do not have this marking!

Certainly all the pictures above appear to be females.

Hope this helps

Chris


Chris Davis, Site Administrator
Co-ordinator, Sand Lizard Captive Breeding Programme
Vicar
Senior Member
Joined: 02 Sep 2004
No. of posts: 1181


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Posted: 08 Jul 2006

Chris,

I have no thunder to steal !, All I know about Green lizards I could write in crayon on the back of a postage stamp. Very grateful for any information, especially as I'm putting together a data sheet on them soon :P

Cheers, Steve


Steve Langham - Chairman    
Surrey Amphibian & Reptile Group (SARG).
herpetologic2
Senior Member
Joined: 15 Jun 2004
No. of posts: 1369


View other posts by herpetologic2
Posted: 09 Jul 2006

 

Hi Steve

I have a report of green lizards in Essex - at Linford near Tilbury - these were there around 30 years ago - havent managed to find any sign of the population - tilbury docks have had all sorts of reptiles through it including monitor lizards who decided to have a wander up the high street!

Jon


Vice Chair of ARG UK - self employed consultant -
visit ARG UK & Alresford Wildlife
armata
Forum Specialist
Joined: 05 Apr 2006
No. of posts: 928


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Posted: 09 Jul 2006
What happened to the adders at Tilbury Docks? All got eaten by leguaans (monitors) sorry!
'I get my kicks on Route 62'
herpetologic2
Senior Member
Joined: 15 Jun 2004
No. of posts: 1369


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Posted: 09 Jul 2006

 

Hi Tony

I think that adders are still there along the seawalls and other suitable areas. can not be sure as the consultants who have been undertaking surveys there have not yet sent in their records

Jon


Vice Chair of ARG UK - self employed consultant -
visit ARG UK & Alresford Wildlife
Robert V
Senior Member
Joined: 06 Aug 2004
No. of posts: 717


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Posted: 09 Jul 2006

Jon,

just thought youd like to know that a certain reptile dealer in enfield that got banned from keeping reptiles, supposedly released a large number of green's onto rainham marshes. Don't know how far that is from Tilbury, but, it may have been connected in some way.

Rob


RobV
Jimpklop
Senior Member
Joined: 23 May 2006
No. of posts: 200


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Posted: 08 Apr 2007
Some questions i would like answered please.

1. How many colonies?

2. How long has each been established?

3. Are they breeding here?

4. What threat do they pose to native herpetofauna?

Please, Thank you

James

Im Craving Adder's(www.jimpklop.moonfruit.com)
herpetologic2
Senior Member
Joined: 15 Jun 2004
No. of posts: 1369


View other posts by herpetologic2
Posted: 08 Apr 2007

1. How many colonies?

One confirmed - possible further one in Essex

2. How long has each been established?

Essex - reported around 30 years ago

Bournmouth over the last few years

3. Are they breeding here?

Yes


4. What threat do they pose to native herpetofauna?
None at present - as they are not that well established and they cohabit with our native species on mainland Europe - further research may be needed of course

Jon

 


Vice Chair of ARG UK - self employed consultant -
visit ARG UK & Alresford Wildlife
David Bird
Forum Specialist
Joined: 17 Feb 2003
No. of posts: 515


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Posted: 09 Apr 2007
I am not certain that I agree that the Green Lizard, Wall Lizard, Sand Lizard or Viviparous Lizard ever co-habit on the continent. I have seen all species in various parts of N.W.France and the Balkans and have never seen them living in the same habitat and are often restricted to very different habitat from the one they are found in the U.K. From my experience they would certainly not be found close like they would have to if they all survived on the Bournemouth cliffs.
British Herpetological Society Librarian and member of B.H.S Conservation Committee. Self employed Herpetological Consultant and Field Worker.
Iowarth
Admin Group
Joined: 12 Apr 2004
No. of posts: 222


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Posted: 09 Apr 2007

Hi David

North coast of Brittany near Cap de Frejus, heathland leading to tumbled sandstone cliff/heath/dune - Green Lizard, Wall Lizard and Viviparous Lizard all living together. Also near St Malo - place name has slithered out of memory, again heath/scrub to rocky cliffs - same species. 

In both cases, greater concentrations of individual species in separate habitat but all three sharing considerable portions of it. No Sand Lizards but these are not found in Brittanny anyway. Historically, when I was younger (in this case about 45 years ago) Green Lizard, Vivips and Sand Lizards sharing an extent of now totally destroyed and largely built on dunes on the west coast - Normandy.

Chris


Chris Davis, Site Administrator
Co-ordinator, Sand Lizard Captive Breeding Programme

- Green Lizard

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