Reptiles
Adder (Vipera Berus)- The Adder is an extremely widespread reptile, and is the UK’s only venomous snake. A stocky snake, the adder is easily identified by the dark zigzag line passing along the back bordered by rows of spots. The adder is typically active during the day, when it hunts mainly for small mammals, including voles, shrews and mice, grasshoppers and locusts, lizards, young birds and frogs may also be taken.
Aeolian wall lizard (Podarcis raffonei)- A Critically Endangered reptile with a highly restricted range, the Aeolian wall lizard is endemic to the island group after which it is named. It is a member of the Lacertidae family, a large family of typically small to medium-sized lizards that vary greatly in coloration. Lizards of the Lacertidae family are largely terrestrial, foraging mainly on the ground or in low shrubs and around the base of trees
Bedriaga’s Rock Lizard (Archaeolacerta Bedriagae)- With its long, flattened body, powerful, well-developed limbs and elongated toes, the agile Bedriaga’s Rock lizard is built for speed. Small scales cover the robust trunk, tail, and neck, becoming larger on the conical-shaped head. Adults are typically a brownish-grey, with a dark lined net pattern on the back. During the breeding season, the smaller male develops a blue belly, with blue spots on the sides.
Carpetane Rock Lizard (Iberolacerta Cyreni)- The Carpetane rock lizard is a small lizard with an exceptionally long tail almost twice the length of its body! While young lizards and many adult females are brown, adult males and some adult females are brilliant green. Due to the cold temperatures in the Carpetane rock lizard’s mountainous habitat, the main period of activity occurs during the warmer months between the end of March or April until the beginning of October.
Chalcides (Chalcides Simonyi)- Native to the Canary Islands, Chalcides simonyi is a rare species of skink threatened by global climate change. It was once considered a subspecies of the many-scaled cylindrical skink (Chalcides polylepis), but it is now regarded as a species in its own right. Communication is carried out through a variety of chemical and visual cues, such as head bobbing, and aggressive displays may be used by male skinks to defend basking sites or territory.
Euphrates Softshell Turtle (Rafetus Euphraticus)- The name of this species comes from the fact that the carapace does not have horny plates like many turtles, and is instead made up of a tough, leathery skin which is covered with numerous hard tubercles. The Euphrates softshell turtle is a thermophilic species, which means it prefers warmer temperatures. Being mostly aquatic, this species is an agile swimmer, but it can also move rapidly on land.
Mosor Rock Lizard (Dinarolacerta Mosorensis)- The diurnal Mosor rock lizard is extremely well adapted to its mountainous habitat, with its distinctly flattened head and body enabling it to squeeze into small crevices between rocks. The flattened scales on the underside of the Mosor rock lizard are orange-yellow, while the back is covered in dark spots, and the sides are much darker. The color and pattern is similar in males and females, with the male’s spots and coloration being slightly more intense.