2017

Let's Explore Lizards Living in Latvia

Reptiles of different species whose body temperature depends on the ambient temperature are especially happy for the sunny May days. In winter, these living creatures are inactive, spending the cold season in hibernation.

Altogether seven species of reptiles reside in Latvia: one turtle species (marsh turtle), three snake species (smooth snake, grass snake and viper) and three lizard species (slow worm, viviparous lizard and sand lizard).

This time, let's have a closer look at the lizard species belonging to the Latvian fauna. They are closely related to forest biotopes; however, these lizard species also need some open areas, where they can sunbathe to regain strength after the winter.

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Lizards living in Latvia feed on various small invertebrates, which to some extent also limits excessive proliferation insects and slugs that are harmful to forestry. Lizards have small, tipped teeth, which are intended only for gripping and holding prey, so the prey is always swallowed without being torn into pieces. If for any reason it is difficult to find food, lizards can comfortably live on a "starvation diet" for some time.

These reptiles take up liquid using their olfactory and tactile organ - the forked tongue. It is dipped into dew drops, rain drops, a puddle or pond water and drawn back into the mouth.

In the photo: a sand lizard

From the top, lizards are guarded by their "camouflage suit", which once the reptile is not moving helps it to blend in with the surrounding environment, thus often remaining unnoticed by the enemy. The body of lizards is also covered by a horn scale shell. It does not stretch and hinders growth. For this reason, lizards occasionally get rid of their old skin by simply dropping it.

If a lizard fails to escape or hide, it uses its special, natural means of protection - self-amputation or autotomy. When an attacker tries to grab the game by its tail, the reptile breaks off the tail, leaving it writhing in the attacker's beak, paws or teeth. The sacrificed tail grows back again, but noticeably shorter, in a different colour and with non-ossified vertebrae.

In the photo: a sand lizard male in the mating season

The body of a sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) including the tail can reach up to 20 centimetres in length. Its main colour is grey, but its back and sides are decorated with spots arranged in rows. Both in Latvia and in Europe, the sand lizard is a protected animal.

Reptiles get very attached to their place of residence - they guard it from other members of their species and do not leave it without a serious reason. They mostly winter in deep caves that they dig themselves; their winter sleep lasts up to the end of April.

Sand lizards mate in early May. It is interesting that during this time, the body surface and sides of male animals acquire a bright green hue. Already in June, female lizards dig up a small hole in a sandy, dry place, where they lay 6-10 elongated eggs covered with a soft shell. Fry hatch in late July or early August.

In the photo: a viviparous lizard heading for a bath

The viviparous lizard (Zootoca (Lacerta) vivipara) is the most common lizard in Latvia. It does not avoid damp places and is the most cold-resistant reptile species.

The reptile body surface is similar to that of the sand lizard, however, there are some differences. The viviparous lizard is significantly longer and stays almost exclusively in dry biotopes: areas with sandy soil, pine dunes, clearings and edges of forests, in sunny, sandy slopes, in ruins of old buildings and piles of stones.

Viparous lizard males usually have a slightly orange or pale pink belly, which is decorated with small dark dots. In turn, female belly is off-white or pale yellow, with no dots. During the mating season, the colour of both sexes becomes strikingly brighter.

Reptile mating period lasts from April until the end of June. The viviparous lizard is an ovoviviparous animal. This means that the baby is almost fully developed in the egg and hatches shortly before birth, during birth or immediately after birth.

In the photo: a slow worm

The limbless lizard slow worm (Anguis fragilis) that often may be spotted in Latvia resembles a snake; however, taking a closer look one can see that it has many features that are characteristic of lizards. It has a relatively small head, which evenly, without a bottleneck continues as the body, a small mouth, indistinct tail; the eyelids are mobile, they have not grown together as it is for snakes.

Also these lizards are ovoviviparous animals. Their silvery-white babies marked with a blue stripe, the number of which varies from 6-12, are born in the second half of summer, usually in August.

The body colour of an adult slow worm is very diverse, with more or less pronounced sheen. One or two dark longitudinal stripes stretch along the back of the slow worm. During the mating season, slow worm males acquire two colourful lines.

Let's head for an adventure in nature to get to know these extraordinary creatures!