Lizards

[TEAK36]

Are the any lizards that are indigenous to the uk.My friend keeps finding little lizards in his garden.They are black, slimy,and about 4 inches long.

[woofgang]

sounds like your friend has newts, or maybe slowworms in his garden. Here's a helpful website http://www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/durham/index.html

[New Forester]

Teak36 - Yes, those are newts. Similar shape to lizards, but actually amphibians. When they are in the water they grow fins along the back, but at other times they do look very like lizards. There are three different native newt species: palmate, common or smooth, and great crested. Then there are three true lizards: common, sand and the slow-worm, which is a lizard but has no legs and looks snake-like, but with lizardy eyelids and small mouth. Yours are probably smooth or palmate newts. If rather warty-looking and very black, could be great crested.

[Cetti]

Yes, there are indigenous lizards - 3 in fact, but unless someone knows different there are no black or slimy ones. The Common Lizard is the most widespread one with variable colour ranging from brown and grey/brown with underbelly white, yellow or red - 10-15cms. The Sand Lizard is much larger at 15-20cms, but is also a rarity and can only be found on the dry sandy heaths in Dorset, Hampshire and the Surrey borders. I won't bother with the Slow Worm as you probably know what this looks like, but the common link with these 3 lizards is the dry slightly scaly skin - not slimy at all. I don't honestly know of any reptile that fits this description - I'm certainly intrigued to know the answer.

[Cetti]

LOL - I don't believe it!! Well done you two :-)

[tartanwiz]

The most common lizard in the UK is the aptly named Common Lizard, found throughout Britain. Less common is the Sand Lizard, found in the south of England.

[New Forester]

Tartanwiz - in most areas in Britain the slow-worm is much commoner than the common, or viviparous lizard. Doesn't look much like an ordinary lizard though. In the Irish part of the UK, of course, you'd be right, as St Patrick couldn't tell a slow-worm from a snake .