Lizard in Leeds

[maxrhino]

During the last sunny spell we had a couple of weeks ago
I saw a lizard in Leeds.
I've seen them around Whitby before up on the cliffs and this was the same as those.
It was the middle of the night it was a warm night and it was on an industrial estate on the outskirts.
Are they becoming more widespread?

[Gill Catton]

They're all over the place!! (if you've got the right habitat) I amazed I never found them as a kid found all the other common reptiles! but now in my survey work They turn up all over the place - not sure what the northern range boundary is though.

[Alan Hyde]

Hiya ,
I doubt very much this was a lizard. Our newts are nocturnal and will walk on land with dry skin during summer nights.
If it was a lizard then it would probabl;y be an escaped pet like a gecko , or an alien species. Our Uk lizards are not active at night.
All the best,
Alan

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by Alan Hyde

Hiya ,
I doubt very much this was a lizard. Our newts are nocturnal and will walk on land with dry skin during summer nights.
If it was a lizard then it would probabl;y be an escaped pet like a gecko , or an alien species. Our Uk lizards are not active at night.
All the best,
Alan

Fair point well made- I missed that bit - although if it was well lit (being an industrial area) would that make a difference do you think the nights have been fairly warm these last few days?

[Alan Hyde]

Hi Gill,
I've never seen a UK lizard active at night in 30+ years studying reptiles , but there's always a first I suppose . Would've loved to have seen a pic
I'm a surveyor for HCT , are you?

Al

[nightshade]

Get an ID pic.,newts are alot smaller than our native lizards (the great crested is big but easily recognised) and would not move as quickly.The lighting would perhaps extend a lizards day

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by Alan Hyde

Hi Gill,
I've never seen a UK lizard active at night in 30+ years studying reptiles , but there's always a first I suppose . Would've loved to have seen a pic
I'm a surveyor for HCT , are you?

Al

No I'm an Ecological Consultant type person, this will be the first year in the last six I've not been involved in reptile survey, plenty of newty stuff though!

[pheonix]

Originally Posted by Alan Hyde

Our Uk lizards are not active at night.

i've always been told that if its warm enough our lizards are more likely to be active at night, as they can avoid the intence heat of the day and there would be more prey items around.
if it was an alien species surely its less likely to be out at night as they would need higher tremps to be active than native species?

but like you say this probably was a lizard as its still quite cool and amphibians are very active at the moment.

[maxrhino]

This was definitely the same as the colony of lizards living on the cliff tops near Whitby.
Perhaps seeing as the spring was very late and it was the first taste of summer it was just making the most of the warmer weather.

[Jo Pedder]

perhaps if it was a lizard it had been disturbed from where it was hading out for the night and you found it on it's way to better cover