Sand Lizard
Lacerta agilis
About This Species
Look for this heavily built lizard basking on open sandy ground, heathland or dune systems across much of Europe and temperate Asia, most active on warm, sunny mornings. Males develop bright green flanks in the breeding season, making them far more conspicuous than the duller brown females. Patience near a sunny bank or bare sand patch, watching quietly from a short distance, usually produces the best views as animals return to the same basking spots.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- This species is legally protected in several countries, including the United Kingdom where it is one of the rarest native reptiles and both the animal and its habitat are protected by law, so digging, disturbing or handling it without a licence is an offence.
- Elsewhere in its range protections vary, so treat any sighting with the same caution: watch from a distance without approaching burrows or basking sites, and never attempt to catch or move one.
LCSquamataNaNLacertidae
Seasonal Activity
169,098 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Squamata
- Order
- NaN
- Family
- Lacertidae
Photo
Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons
CC-BY-SA-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.