Basking reptiles

There are six native species of reptile in the UK, three lizard species and three snake species. Read about these interesting animals and have a look at where you could be lucky enough to spot one yourself!

Reptiles are fascinating animals, that can sometimes sadly be forgotten about when talking about interesting and exciting UK wildlife. 

They have evolved from prehistoric beginnings to the animals you see today and the variety is astonishing. Most lay eggs, but some give birth to live young, they live in an array of habitats and, contrary to general expectations, are often quite shy.

Perhaps you might be lucky enough to come across one basking on a rock to warm themselves on a Surrey heathland, or maybe you'll need to do a little more searching. However, these creatures are more than worth the wait to see.  Sadly, due to loss of habitat, both smooth snakes and sand lizards are very rare, which makes a sighting even more spectacular. It's so important that we protect important habitats to ensure that we do not lose our native reptiles.

We have 3 species of native snake in the UK. All are shy and illusive, so you'll have to be quiet and tread carefully if you go in search of them.

We have 3 species of lizard in Britain. As its name suggests, the common lizard is widespread. The sand lizard is very rare and restricted to only a few sites in Surrey. Despite its appearance, the slow worm is in fact a legless lizard, having lost them some time in it's evolutionary history.