Sand Lizard: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Small Hunters · day 7 of 7

Five facts

1. A sand lizard can drop its own tail to escape. Without it, they ran faster and dodged chasing predators better.
2. A sand lizard's mating season lasts only 17 days of the whole year.
3. In spring, a male's flanks turn bright green. The colour fades again in late summer.
4. Females usually lay just one clutch a year, of 6 to 15 eggs. The bigger the clutch, the smaller each baby.
5. Sand lizards love basking on logs, which soak up heat and give a lookout spot for predators and prey.

The quiz

1. What can a sand lizard do to escape a predator?

• Drop its tail (correct)
• Shed its skin
• Burrow underground
• Change colour

It can self-amputate its tail, and then runs faster.

2. How long is the sand lizard mating season?

• 7 days
• 40 days
• 17 days (correct)
• 90 days

The mating season lasts only 17 days of the year.

3. What turns bright green on males in spring?

• Their tail
• Their flanks (correct)
• Their belly
• Their head

A male's flanks turn bright green in the spring mating season.

4. What happens when a female lays a larger clutch?

• Each baby is bigger
• The eggs hatch sooner
• She lays twice a year
• Each baby is smaller (correct)

Larger clutches give smaller babies.

5. Where do sand lizards most often bask?

• On logs (correct)
• On open sand
• On bare soil
• In burrows

They most frequently bask on logs.

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