Wall Lizards - Shoreham

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   hi all, i'm new to this forum, although i did email chris a while ago about the shoreham pm colony. since then i have visited the site twice(quite a trek really from oldham) the last time being 2 weeks ago. i can confirm that the colony is thriving and quite extensive

Edited by snakey

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snakey Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 14 Sep 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 32	Post Options Post Reply Quote snakey Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 14 Sep 2007 at 10:55am
	hi all, i'm new to this forum, although i did email chris a while ago about the shoreham pm colony. since then i have visited the site twice(quite a trek really from oldham) the last time being 2 weeks ago. i can confirm that the colony is thriving and quite extensive Edited by snakey

snakey Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 14 Sep 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 32	Post Options Post Reply Quote snakey Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 14 Sep 2007 at 10:57am
	sorry about the image size and page layout, i'm a bit new to this

Vicar Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 02 Sep 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1184	Post Options Post Reply Quote Vicar Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 14 Sep 2007 at 11:32am
	Hi Philip, and welcome to the forum ! Lovely clear photographs. I'm sure people on the forum will mention that it is illegal to release Wall lizards back into the wild once caught, so we'll assume you took those animals home with you. I've just received information that suggests that the Shoreham colony has 'broken out' of the Shoreham area, and it looks as if they're travelling westwards along the railway line, reaching Lancing initially, and now Worthing ! Have you checked out the Wall lizard pages on the SARG website ? (www link on my signature).
	Steve Langham - Chairman Surrey Amphibian & Reptile Group

snakey Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 14 Sep 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 32	Post Options Post Reply Quote snakey Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 14 Sep 2007 at 1:20pm
	yes i'm well aware of the laws regarding re-release Steve, and the photographed individuals (caught by my much more nimble son) now reside with us in an outdoor vivarium. incidentally a female which i managed to noose on my first shoreham visit in july layed 8 fertile eggs all of which hatched and are doing fine. more photos will follow as i have just bought a new digital slr. p.s. i didn't mean that my familly and i live in outdoor vivaria!!!

snakey Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 14 Sep 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 32	Post Options Post Reply Quote snakey Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 15 Sep 2007 at 8:05am
	it appears that in spite of the relatively poor summer we have had, the shoreham podarcis colony has had no trouble in replenishing itself. my son and i observed this years offspring in early july and at the end of august. the neonates appear to inhabit much more vegetated areas than adults and we rarely observed them on the fort walls or any other elevated positions for that matter. most were seen scurrying in and out of the sea kale patches. these occur in about a 30m wide strip adjacent to the gardens running from the fort end of the beach. we observed lizards of all age groups for well over a kilometer westwards from the fort.judging from the relative abundance of lizards within even this relatively small area, the population must be well up in 4 figures