Sand Lizard Facts

Sand Lizard Profile

The UK is known for two things: terrible weather and being almost entirely devoid of reptiles. These two conditions are related, since reptiles aren’t usually fans of the cold, wet weather that carved Brits into the sullen, sarcastic, apathites they are known to be.

But there are some exceptions, and one, the sand lizard, is a fantastic reminder that Britain is more than just sideways rain and mud – it can also be sideways rain and sand dunes.

Sand Lizard Facts Overview

Fortunately, the sand lizard isn’t confined to Britain, and is exceptionally rare there, with most of its population spanning mainland Europe. They are useful at keeping invertebrate populations healthy, but with the growing human population and the corresponding decrease in viable habitat, they’re not dotted about in patchy populations, many of which need support.

Still, as of now, the species is not of conservation concern overall, and this pretty little lizard can be found in multiple habitat types all across the continent.

Interesting Sand Lizard Facts

1. They’re common

Despite being very hard to find in the UK, this lizard is actually remarkably adaptable in its ability to live in almost any undisturbed habitat, and even thrives in some artificial ones.

All over Europe, sand lizards can be found not only in dunes but also in meadows, heathland, grassland, steppe, alpine, hedgerows and gardens, among others. This is a widespread and hardy little beast, and so it’s no surprise that the species as a whole is doing very well.

Sadly, the same can’t be said of the British population (nor their sand lizards)¹.

2. They’re rare in Britain

Britain is already home to an embarrassingly low diversity of reptiles. Six species in total². But in defence of these green and pleasant lands, there are some spectacular examples. The smooth snake is a gorgeous hazel-brown colubrid, the grass snake is a semi-aquatic hunter of amphibians, and the adder is a rare and barely venomous viper.

Of the lizards, there is the common lizard, a boring but hardy animal that lives further North than any other terrestrial reptile species; the slow worm, which is a shiny legless lizard that wants to be a snake, and this little guy: the exceptionally rare and elusive “sand” lizard.

This is Britain’s rarest lizard, and it mostly occupies sandy dunes, hence the name. These dunes are rare enough as it is, but this isn’t why the lizard is so hard to find – as mentioned, it actually thrives in innumerable other habitat types. It’s just that Britain has destroyed all of these but the dwindling dunes³.

3. They’re terrestrial

These little lizards are not so good in the trees and so spend most of their time running around at ground level, hunting for prey⁴.

They eat a wide variety of invertebrates, from slugs to spiders and beetles, and in much of their range can be valuable population control for their target species as a result.

4. They change colours

Female sand lizards are usually a simple but pretty shade of brown with spots of black and beige. Males, on the other hand, are far more distinctive, with finer markings, wider flanks, and the expression of incredible bright green or blue colouration during mating periods. This colour fades again at the end of Summer, but while they look rather pretty, this is the time when they are at their most angry⁵.

5. They’re aggressive

Males of this species are known to be aggressive towards one another, and fights are common.

Beginning with intense body language, competitors will engage in a sizing-up session before escalating to violence.

These fights involve a lot of biting, and wounds can be caused, and rivalries emerge when a pair has repeated bouts. Interestingly, repeated bouts between the same pairs tend to run shorter, suggesting that they recognise one another and save themselves the trouble of drawing out battles that will likely have the same outcome⁶.

6. They’re locally threatened

Just like in Britain, the rest of Europe is degrading its wild habitats at an alarming rate. Intensive farming has obliterated hedgerows as an ecosystem, unsustainable forestry practices have made much of the tree cover hostile to small animals, and coastal regions are being developed for tourism.

Roadkill is also a problem with the ever-increasing numbers of vehicles, likewise with the threat of invasive domestic cats. So all in all, this species faces a lot of threats, and is likely in decline everywhere. It also has a patchy and fragmented population, meaning inbreeding is a risk, too.

For now, it’s considered a species of least concern, but with increasing granularity, the prognosis for any given local population isn’t as promising⁷.

Sand Lizard Fact-File Summary

Scientific Classification

1. Aghasyan et al (2021), “Sand Lizard”, The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
2. “Six reptiles found in the UK and where you can see them”, RSPB.
3. “Sand lizard”, The Wildlife Trusts.
4. “Sand lizards, which can measure 20 centimetres”, Wildlife in France.
5. “Sand Lizard”, Back from the Brink.
6. Mats Olsson (1994), “Rival recognition affects male contest behavior in sand lizards (Lacerta agilis)”, Springer Nature Link.
7. Aghasyan et al (2021), “Sand Lizard”, Publication.