Viviparous Lizards

I’ve been in a hide in RSPB Otmoor when someone asks me, “Have you seen the lizards?” She points to a log pile immediately outside, which has several large Common Lizards, also known as Viviparous Lizards, Zootoca vivipara, basking on it. I hadn’t.

I’m glad she pointed them out. Glorious, aren’t they? There’s a fully-grown adult and another half its size. They’re called viviparous as it’s a fancy name for giving birth to live young rather than laying eggs. They’re indulging in a bit of thermoregulation, which is a fancy name for controlling their temperature by sunbathing, in this case, trying to warm up so they can move and hunt and digest.

I’ll have to bring something other than a telephoto lens next time to capture some of their striking poses.