When you sit in nature you see many living things. Trees, flowers, shrubs, fungus, bugs and animals. When visiting people on the Island I have seen little green and black lizards.
Sometimes you see them lying around sunbathing other times they are scuttling over and under rocks. Being a curious person I looked them up.
In my search I found out they are not native to the area. They are known as European Wall Lizards (I should have known by their accent) or the scientific (Binomial) name Podarcis Muralis.
They have a lifespan of 7 to 10 years. Females lay eggs up to 3 times pending on the duration of the summer each year, 3 to 11 eggs each time. They will find places under rocks paving stones, planters and other tucked away places to lay their eggs. The eggs will incubate for up to a month. Being an omnivore (eats meat and plants) they can live well snacking on fruit, bugs and other tasty things in the world. They are skittish and don’t want much to do with humans or other species.
They don’t pose much threat to humans or other animals. If cornered or handled they might bite. As someone who owns a larger lizard in comparison they have brutal teeth. (The picture of a rabid tiny lizard seems comical) The little lizards get about 20-23 centimeters (7.9 inch) and their tail is twice as long as their bodies. (They don’t look that long in the quick glimpse you get of them)
As fascinating as those lizards are, they are an invasive species. When they are brought in by people or cargo they bring in danger and depletion of resources our native lizards need. Food and places to live become hard for our species to live with any rate of survival.
If you see one of them they ask that you try to get a photo and call them in or use the invasive species BC app Here is a web link to invasive species Canada phone numbers invasive species USA
If you see something that makes you smile take a photo if appropriate. So many things in this world pass us by, cherish all you can. Have a great week.
This is where it starts 