157. Common Wall Lizard

Adult male Wall Lizard.

Wall Lizards (Podarcis muralis)  are relatively new critters to Vancouver Island.  Our population is derived from a small number of lizards that where released in 1970 from a now defunct zoo that was located on Rudy Rd on the Saanich Peninsula.  The lizards are spreading quickly and there are populations throughout the Saanich Peninsula, and isolated populations in Langford, Nanaimo and on Hornby Island.  Biologist Christian Engelstoft and I are tracking their spread to is you see any in other areas we would like to know about it (a comment here will work fine).  Their impact on native ecoystems is unknown, but often they rapidly reach very high densities, and are agile and heavy feeders on a wide variety of invertebrates.  They are far more agile than our native Alligator Lizard and they are able to scale walls, trees, drainpipes and can be found on the ground, cliffs or even building roofs.  They are most active in warm weather, but we have records from every month of the year, so they seem to be able to take advantage of warm weather periods even in the winter months. We think they are spreading by themselves as well as being assisted by being moved by people and horse trailers.

  Wall lizards were first  noted on Leaning Oaks in the late summer of 2013, and Leah photographed a female here yesterday. 

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