Anybody know what this wee fella is ?

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Gill

Full Member
Jun 29, 2004
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SCOTLAND
I was out a walk last night and came across this ,any ideas?
Picture2836.jpg
 
I never thought of the UK as a reptilian sort of area...cute little fella. I had a little baby gecko in the house last year and it took forever to round him up and return him safely to the outdoors. I sort of miss him now! He was really colorful and a bit larger than that Newt you have there.
 
With 3 species of snake & 3 of lizard, all with dwindling populations, you can't really call the UK a " reptillian sort of area" even if you include the odd sea turtle & excotic escapee.
 
With 3 species of snake & 3 of lizard, all with dwindling populations, you can't really call the UK a " reptillian sort of area" even if you include the odd sea turtle & excotic escapee.

You forgot the thriving populations of Aesculapian snakes, Wall lizards, Green lizards and possibly Four-lined snake. All well established for a couple of decades now. The lizards worryingly so as they are pushing out our own species and doing better than the natives. Weird how nature works.
 
I don't like to include introduced or escaped animals that have managed to establish viable populations. I realise they can eventaully become included in the list of the UK's wildlife (e.g. brown rat, grey squirrel & pheasant to name but three) but they ain't on mine. They are not only in competion with fragile native species, they can become so successful as to wipe out the natural inhabitants. I understand your interest though in the non native species you named but the situation is far from natural & can we call the eradication of a native species by a better adapted introduced one, a natural proccess.?
 
I strongly believe that nature finds a balance if left alone. Unfortunately natural processes and balances are virtually impossible to achieve with the number of Homo sapiens messing things up. Habitat for reptiles are confined to pockets. Therefore it is unlikely that alien species will spread, as this is exactly what is destroying native species ability to progress and thrive beyond the areas they are now in.
 
They thought that the grey squirrels released into Regents Park would n't spread either......Many of these introduced species are far more successful & better adapted than the native ones & their ability to overcome barriers is greater too.....time will tell.
As for what humans have done & will continue to do to the bio diversity on this planet I have to refrain from expressing my opinions as this is a family friendly forum.
 

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