REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS IN THE CHANNEL ISLANDS

Five amphibian and four reptile species occur in the Channel islands. These are:

The agile frog, wall lizard and green lizard are not found as natives elsewhere in the UK.

AGILE FROG Rana dalmatina

The agile frog is similar in appearance to the familiar common frog, but has much longer legs. As a result, it is able to leap much further. Its distribution ranges over much of central and southern Europe. This frog has become rare in Jersey, and no adults or spawn were seen in 1995 or 1996. The Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust maintain individuals of this species taken from the wild in Jersey, and are re-introducing captive bred tadpoles into suitable ponds on the island. It is thought that introduced fish, cats, and ferrets may have been partly responsible for the decline of this species, as may a decrease in water quality caused by agricultural and sewage leakages into watercourses.

WALL LIZARD Podarcis muralis

The wall lizard is similar in shape to the common lizard, but slightly larger (up to 20cm total length) and with a proportionally longer tail.This lizard varies a great deal over its central and southern European range, with many subspecies having been described. The Jersey individuals are brownish and olive green in colouration. Females may be much like the common lizard in appearance, but males may have distinctive spotted or reticulate (net-like) markings on the back.

On Jersey, this species occurs on the north coast.

GREEN LIZARD Lacerta viridis

The green lizard is much larger (up to 35cm total length) than the other lizard species found in the UK, and is unmistakeable due to this fact, and to its bright green colouration. These lizards occur on dunes and heathland around the coast of Jersey. The animals on Guernsey, which are restricted to two coastal locations, are thought to have been introduced from Jersey.

This species occurs over much of central, southern and eastern Europe.

REFERENCES

Baker, J., & Gibson, R., 1995. The Precarious Status of Rana dalmatina on Jersey. British Herpetological Society Bulletin 54: 34-36.

Clemons, J., & Lambert, M., 1996. Herpetology in Jersey: A report of the 1996 visit to Jersey organised by the Conservation Committee. British Herpetological Society Bulletin 57: 33-40.

 

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