Green Lizard

RobinP · #1 (**permalink**) 12-11-2010, 04:56 PM

Anbody know where these can be found in the UK other than on Jersey?

I understand there are now two separate species.

Thanks,

Robin

Littlesparrow · #2 (**permalink**) 12-11-2010, 05:19 PM

Photos please.

Littlesparrow · #3 (**permalink**) 12-11-2010, 05:27 PM

oops sorry didn't read thread properly.

RobinP · #4 (**permalink**) 12-11-2010, 05:32 PM

I haven't got any photos because I haven't seen one. After a little research I found this:

All of the previously mentioned colonies have not persisted to today but there is one on the UK mainland that appears to be a viable, the colony at the Boscombe cliffs in Dorset. Here they are found along side another non-native, the Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis), and the native common or viviparous lizard (Zootoca vivipara)(Lever, 2009). The colony was discovered in 2002 and is believed to have been deliberately and illegally introduced and was done using lizards from Northern Italy near the Slovenian border, as shown by DNA analysis (Deichsel, Gleed-Owen & Mayer, 2007).
A study by Mole (2008) has many insights to the colony, pointing out how the colony ahs spread since 2002 and the impact it has had or may have on the native lizards. The study found that the numbers of common lizards appear to have declined within the colony and they were more common on edges, which suggests the alien species are having a negative effect on the native common lizard. Even more worrying is the proximity of a sand lizard (Lancerta agilis) population to this spreading colony, as this species is endangered in the UK, and the invasion of non natives could cause a decline in their numbers.
Another sad case of an alien species causing a decline in a native species, and another that, due to the dangerous nature of the cliff face terrain they inhabit, that will be impossible to remove without serious impact to native species (Mole, 2008).

Ukwildlifeo · #5 (**permalink**) 13-11-2010, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobinP

I haven't got any photos because I haven't seen one. After a little research I found this:

All of the previously mentioned colonies have not persisted to today but there is one on the UK mainland that appears to be a viable, the colony at the Boscombe cliffs in Dorset. Here they are found along side another non-native, the Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis), and the native common or viviparous lizard (Zootoca vivipara)(Lever, 2009). The colony was discovered in 2002 and is believed to have been deliberately and illegally introduced and was done using lizards from Northern Italy near the Slovenian border, as shown by DNA analysis (Deichsel, Gleed-Owen & Mayer, 2007).
A study by Mole (2008) has many insights to the colony, pointing out how the colony ahs spread since 2002 and the impact it has had or may have on the native lizards. The study found that the numbers of common lizards appear to have declined within the colony and they were more common on edges, which suggests the alien species are having a negative effect on the native common lizard. Even more worrying is the proximity of a sand lizard (Lancerta agilis) population to this spreading colony, as this species is endangered in the UK, and the invasion of non natives could cause a decline in their numbers.
Another sad case of an alien species causing a decline in a native species, and another that, due to the dangerous nature of the cliff face terrain they inhabit, that will be impossible to remove without serious impact to native species (Mole, 2008).

Its not wise (or polite) to just copy and paste from websites with a copyright warning on, particularly those on the subject of British Wildlife, as the author who spent a number of hours of his own time researching and writing the article may (and in this case is) on WAB. This is especially true when you don't even reference the source

Boddie · #6 (**permalink**) 13-11-2010, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobinP

I haven't got any photos because I haven't seen one. After a little research I found this:

All of the previously mentioned colonies have not persisted to today but there is one on the UK mainland that appears to be a viable, the colony at the Boscombe cliffs in Dorset. Here they are found along side another non-native, the Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis), and the native common or viviparous lizard (Zootoca vivipara)(Lever, 2009). The colony was discovered in 2002 and is believed to have been deliberately and illegally introduced and was done using lizards from Northern Italy near the Slovenian border, as shown by DNA analysis (Deichsel, Gleed-Owen & Mayer, 2007).
A study by Mole (2008) has many insights to the colony, pointing out how the colony ahs spread since 2002 and the impact it has had or may have on the native lizards. The study found that the numbers of common lizards appear to have declined within the colony and they were more common on edges, which suggests the alien species are having a negative effect on the native common lizard. Even more worrying is the proximity of a sand lizard (Lancerta agilis) population to this spreading colony, as this species is endangered in the UK, and the invasion of non natives could cause a decline in their numbers.
Another sad case of an alien species causing a decline in a native species, and another that, due to the dangerous nature of the cliff face terrain they inhabit, that will be impossible to remove without serious impact to native species (Mole, 2008).

Text thief