© Mike Waite
Basking reptiles
Our native snakes
We have 3 species of native snake in the UK. All are shy and illusive, so you'll have to be quiet and tread carefully if you go in search of them.
© Steve Davis
Smooth snake
The rare smooth snake can only be found at a few heathland sites in the UK, several of which are in Surrey. It looks a bit like an adder, but lacks the distinctive zig-zag pattern along its back.
© Tom Marshall
Adder
Our only venomous snake, the shy adder can be spotted basking in the sunshine in woodland glades and on heathlands. An adder bite is a very rare occurrence, and can be painful, but is almost never fatal.
© Danny Green/2020VISION
Grass snake
The grass snake is our longest snake, but don't worry if you find one in the compost heap - it's harmless! Look out for this green and yellow beauty in grasslands and wetlands, too.
Our native lizards
We have 3 species of lizard in Britain. As its name suggests, the common lizard is widespread. The sand lizard is very rare and restricted to only a few sites in Surrey. Despite its appearance, the slow worm is in fact a legless lizard, having lost them some time in it's evolutionary history.
© Chris Lawrence
Sand lizard
Find out more
© Austin Morley
Common lizard
Find out more
© Amy Lewis
