Sand Lizard

Quick Take

• Male sand lizards fight each other to the death during mating season, and females have an unexpected strategy that influences who wins. Mating battles explained →
• Sand lizards have a built-in escape trick that buys them time against predators, and it is far more bizarre than you would expect. See their escape strategies →
• This lizard is the only native reptile in the UK capable of something no other British reptile can do. Can you guess what it is? Discover their unique ability →
• Sand lizards can live up to 20 years, but their population has collapsed in ways that should alarm anyone who hikes their habitats. Population collapse details →

If you are hiking in sandy areas along the Jurassic Coastline, watch for a sandy-brown lizard with dark splotches, about 7.9 inches (20 centimeters) long, running across your path, as it may be a female sand lizard. Alternatively, if you see a sandy-brown lizard with green flanks, you may be seeing a male sand lizard. Males’ sides become a brighter green during the breeding season, which peaks in May, with egg-laying occurring from late May into summer, making them easier for females to see. These lizards weigh about 0.63 ounces (15 grams). Loss of habitat has made spotting one rare, but wildlife officials are starting new populations in many areas of Europe.

5 Incredible Sand Lizard Facts

• Sand lizards are about 7.9 inches (20 centimeters) long when mature, and they weigh about 0.63 ounces (15 grams).
• Sand lizards can be found across much of Europe. A small population exists on the Isle of Coll in the Inner Hebrides in Scotland. Researchers have also found them living in Scandinavia and western areas of Russia, Mongolia, and China.
• Sand lizards burrow during the winter months. This process is called brumation.
• Sand lizards quickly lift each foot off the ground if ground temperatures get too warm to keep their feet from burning. They may also lie on their bellies with all four feet in the air at the same time.
• Sand lizards can live for over ten years, though their average lifespan is typically 5–6 years.

Classification and Scientific Name

The scientific name for sand lizards is Lacerta agilis. The word “lacerta” derives from the Latin language, and it means lizard, while “agilis” is a Latin word meaning mobile, swift, or agile. Sand lizards are the only member of this genus. The common lizard is sometimes called a viviparous lizard.

There are at least three subspecies of sand lizards that live in different regions of England. It is hard without scientific testing to determine the difference between those living in the Surrey area (including East Hampshire and West Sussex heathlands), and along the Kentish coast, from those living in the Dorset region around East Hampshire and the West Sussex heathlands. The dorsal stripe on these subspecies may be broken or missing.

The third subspecies lives in the coastal dunes of West Lancashire, Wales, and along the Kentish coast. These lizards are smaller and slimmer. The males are a lighter green than those living in the Surrey or Dorset regions. Unlike those in the Dorset or Surrey area, males may stay green throughout the year. Generally, the dorsolateral stripes on this subspecies are broader and more prominent.

Appearance

The sand lizard is usually sandy brown. They have dark splotches on their sides that some people believe look like eyes, as these markings are typically lighter in the middle and darker around their outsides. These spots often vary in size.

Compared to the European green lizard or the Western green lacerta, sand lizards have a very stocky body. They have incredibly long tails that are often at least 1.5 times as long as their bodies. Like other lizards, this species can lose its tail if it gets trapped somehow.

Males tend to be stockier than females. Males have larger heads with more prominent jaws. The female’s eyes sit about 50% back on the head while the male’s eyes are about 33% back.

Most males have green flanks that turn brighter green during mating season. Scientists believe that this is so that females can see them more easily and will find them more attractive. The markings along the flanks are more closely crowded together on the male than on the female.

These lizards lead a solitary life, but you may see two sunning together on a large rock. Often, they are about the same size. During mating season, males become very aggressive. They will fight each other to the death.

Behavior

Sand lizards move around during the day. You will often see pairs of sand lizards basking on top of a sand pile together. They rely on the sun to warm their bodies because they do not generate body heat internally.

Sand lizards live in burrows underground. They will not come out until they sense that the day is warming up. They stay in their burrows throughout the winter months. When it is time to come out in the spring, males usually leave their burrows before females.

Once they emerge from their burrows in the morning, sand lizards bask in the sun. Scientists believe that they need sunlight to warm their bodies before they have the energy to hunt.

Sand lizards move several feet when foraging for food, then stop and listen for movement. Once they hear a sound, they move their heads backward until they locate the source, then pounce on it. If the prey gets more than 23.6 inches (60 centimeters) away, they will ignore it and continue foraging for food.

Habitat

While this lizard typically lives in dry heathlands, it is very adaptable. The Surrey subspecies must have a gravel or sandy substrate to thrive. The Dorset subspecies also live in cliff-top meadows.

While adaptable throughout much of their lives, they prefer to live in a sloped area. They also need a place that is soft enough that they can create their burrows. Generally, they prefer a mossy area that is at least 11.8 inches (30 centimeters) deep. They will build their nests and lay their eggs in this area.

These lizards often hunt for their food in grassy areas. Then, they return to sandy areas when the sun sets.

Diet

Sand lizards are carnivores. They prefer to dine daily on grasshoppers, spiders, and insects, but they can survive for long periods if food is not available. Male sand lizards have eaten their hatchlings and the hatchlings of the common lizard if they get hungry.

Predators and Threats

The main predators of sand lizards are birds of prey, especially kestrels. Another predator is the smooth snake.

While this lizard has a hard time escaping from these predators, other predators, like foxes, badgers, weasels, and crows, will try to eat them.

This lizard uses several techniques to escape its predators. First, it will stay perfectly still in hopes that the predator does not notice it. If that does not work, then it will try to escape to its burrow. If those two techniques fail, it will release its tail. The tail will wiggle on the ground for several minutes, which is usually enough to capture the predator’s attention, giving the lizard time to escape. Its bite is not poisonous.

Humans are another major threat to these lizards due to deforestation and the fragmentation of forests into smaller sections through logging or housing development. While the International Union for Conservation of Nature considers the species to be of least concern, the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 and the United Kingdom Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework list it as a priority species.

When people build too close to the sand lizard’s habitat, domestic cats and dogs can also be a problem for this reptile.

Reproduction, Babies, and Lifespan

Scientists believe that the female sand lizard chooses her mates. They seem to prefer those that are distantly related. Each female typically mates with several males, with the mating period peaking in May, but lays eggs only once each year. If the female is successful in choosing a mate that is more distantly related, then she will usually lay more eggs.

The sand lizard is the only native reptile in the United Kingdom to lay eggs. The eggs will stay in the nest for one to two months before they hatch in late summer.

Most nests are on or near bare ground on a south-facing slope. Some nests are in sandy areas near marram grass because the female can find warmth and shelter in the grass.

Baby sand lizards, called hatchlings, must fend for themselves when they are born, as the mother does not return to the nest after she lays her eggs. Hatchlings reach sexual maturity in about two to three years.

In their natural habitat, the average lifespan is about 5–6 years, though some individuals can live for over ten years.

Population

No one knows exactly how many sand lizards exist worldwide. Scientists believe that the number is stable. They also believe there are no remaining sand lizards in North and West Wales, Cheshire, Kent, Sussex, Berkshire, Hampshire, Devon, and Cornwall. They also believe that the population has decreased by over 90% in Merseyside, Surrey, and Dorset.