Wetland dragons awaken
The sun is finally shining and the reptiles at WWT London Wetland Centre are out and about enjoying the rays. After a long winter and a chilly start to spring the lizards and slow worms have emerged to make the most of the sunshine.
This beautiful video of lizards and slow worms was shot by wildlife film maker Ben Mullins.
These cold blooded animals need to bask in warm places in order to attain the body temperature that they need to enable them to move around. Common lizards are the easiest to see, often basking on logs. The slow worms (which are legless lizards, not worms), usually warm up underneath our special ‘reptile refugia’, squares of tin or felt left in secluded parts of the reserve.
We've also been spotting grass snakes, marsh frogs and newts as these animals have become increasingly active.
Our Reserve Manager Adam Salmon says “Now is a great time to spot reptiles and amphibians: the temperature is just right for them to move around and feed. Look out for lizards on our wooden bridges and log piles.”
Our reserve is home to three native species of reptile: common lizard, slow worm and grass snake; and four amphibians, marsh frog, common frog, common toad and smooth newt.
