Wildlife in the dunes

Although at first glance the dunes may appear barren, they teem with wildlife, with many plants, animals and insects making their home there. One of the most important is Britain’s rarest and most protected reptile, Lacerta agilis, the sand lizard Once common on dunes and sandy heaths around the UK, today they are found naturally at four places in England, including Sefton. The Sefton lizards are believed to be genetically distinct from the others. Male and female sand lizards are of similar size, reaching approximately 8in (20cm) long, approximately half of which is the tail and weighing ½oz (12g). The males are bulkier than females and have much larger heads. Pale brown or grey, they have a pattern of dark spots running down their back between two pale stripes. The males have green flanks, which become an even brighter, emerald or lime green during the breeding season. Cold blooded, sand lizards spend much of the morning basking. They spend the night in burrows. These are 3ft (90cm) deep, with a bend a few inches from the surface so the lizard cannot be seen from outside. The entrance is approximately 2in (5cm) wide and concealed by vegetation. They also hibernate in the burrows from late September until March. Sand lizards feed on invertebrates, including spiders, beetles and grasshoppers. They themselves are prey to hawks, snakes and foxes. If it senses a predator, a sand lizard initially freezes, only running into undergrowth if pursuit continues. If caught, as a last resort they shed their tails, which twitch on the ground, confusing the predator. The tail regenerates but will be shorter than before, with a break in the pattern and colour. Breeding starts in April, when males fight over territory in which to court. In late May or June, females lay 4–14 eggs in burrows dug into bare sand. The eggs incubate in the sun for 40–60 days. Juveniles, approximately 2¼in (6cm) long, must fend for themselves as soon as they hatch.