Yes we do we have reptiles in Britain!
Britain has six native species of reptile and and further introduced species of reptile which we won’t look at here. I am only going to look at native species. It’s always surprising to think that Britain has reptiles at all as most people imagine reptiles only surviving in warmer drier climates.
They can be found in many different environments across the UK including woodland, heaths, gardens and grassland. Locally to me on Headley Heath in Surrey we have four species of reptile adders, grass snakes, slow worms and lizards. We are really privileged and lucky to have so many in a small area. Check it out it has so much to offer National Trust’s Headley Heath
I’ve only ever seen reptiles on warm sunny days as they take time to warm up their cold bloodied bodies in the British sun, which, lets face it, can take a while. Or under purposefully laid pieces of corrugated steel, which are used for habitat monitoring. If you see these out and about please don’t lift them.
It’s really hard to take a photo of any of them as they all seem to be camera shy, at least to me, so most of my shots look like Photo 1**…
They are split into two main categories which are lizards and snakes.
Lizards
Common lizard – these are a protected* species that you can see between March and October. As it says it’s the most common Lizard. Unusually for lizards it incubates its eggs inside its body and gives birth to live young in July.
Sand lizard – these are also a protected* species, the rarest of the reptiles. Not seen very much because it’s favoured sandy heath/dune habitat is in decline across the UK. They emerge in the spring and when they are ready to mate they turn a vibrant shade of green. They are restricted to only a handful of specialist sites.
Slow worm – Not a worm at all, it’s also not a snake, it’s a legless lizard. Just like a lizard it can detach its tail when caught and has eyelids. Not much to say about this one, they can be found in gardens, parks and especially in places that have compost heaps.
Snakes
Grass Snake – a harmless friend and can grow up to 150cm and live for 25 years! Likes wetland but is also partial to grassland and garden habitats. They predate fish, mice and birds
Adder – Again a protected* species. Short and usually quite fat the adder is Britain’s only venomous snake. Like the common lizard it incubates its eggs inside its body and gives birth to live young. They hunt birds, lizards and small animals. Distinctive from the grass snake or slow worm due to it’s zig-zag pattern along its body. Although venomous, getting bitten by an Adder is rare and will cause pain, and only in rare cases fatal.
Smooth Snake – Protected* and rare, just like the sand lizard they like sandy habitats that are in decline. And like the Adder and common lizard incubate their own eggs and give birth to live young. It looks like a smaller pailler version of the Adder.
Hopefully you get a chance to go on a Reptile spotting adventure sometime soon!
*Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. Priority Species under the UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework.
**These images are marked free for use, if that is not the case please get in touch.