Northern Ireland’s lizards under threat

Urgent action needed to save them

August 2010: A new ecological network is urgently needed in Northern Ireland to ensure the continued survival of its precious lizard population, according to researchers at Queen's University Belfast.

WELCOME SIGHT: Despite being associated with hotter climates, lizards are also at home in Northern Ireland

Lizards are found in coastal areas, heath and boglands around Northern Ireland, but a Queen's study has found their natural habitats may have been replaced through agricultural intensification.

Lizards could disappear from Northern Ireland completely
‘The fact that Northern Ireland has a lizard population will be news to many people. But most people are surprised and delighted when they spot them,' said Dr Neil Reid, Manager of Quercus, Queen's centre for biodiversity and conservation science. ‘Unless we act quickly to establish a new ecological network that will preserve the connectivity of remaining heath and boglands, these reptiles could disappear from our landscape altogether.'

Dr Reid added: ‘The lizards in Northern Ireland are usually 12 cm long, excluding the tail, which can be almost twice as long as the body. The colour and patterning of this species is remarkably variable with the main colour being typically mid-brown, but it can be also grey, olive brown or black.'

Often associated with hotter countries, lizards in Northern Ireland can be seen in upland places such as the Sperrins, the Mourne Mountains, Antrim Plateau, Slieve Beagh (Fivemiletown) and West Fermanagh, as well as in lowland sites such as Peatlands Park in County Armagh. They can also be seen in coastal habitats such as sand dunes at Murlough National Nature Reserve in County Down or the Magilligan-Umbra-Downhill complex in County Londonderry.

Aodan Farren, the PhD student who led the study added: ‘We must now move to increase awareness of the lizard population in Northern Ireland and protect their habitats, which are continuing to be altered by conversion to agriculture, planting of forests, development of links golf courses, invasive species and infrastructure development.'

The study also recommends a Northern Ireland Lizard Survey to help gather more information on the reptiles.