Reptile · GBIF taxon 6159273
European Green Lizard
Lacerta viridisAlso known as Eastern Green Lizard, Green Lizard
European green lizards are vibrant, sun-loving reptiles famous for their brilliant emerald bodies and the intense turquoise throats that males display during the spring mating season. Diurnal and fast-moving, they spend much of their morning basking on south-facing rocky slopes or bramble patches before hunting insects through dense brush. When threatened, they dive into thick vegetation or down rodent burrows, occasionally dropping their tail if caught by a predator.
DiurnalColorfulSun-loving
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Grasshoppers
- Beetles
- Spiders
Predators
- Birds of prey
- Snakes
- Domestic cats
ThreatsHabitat loss from agriculture, shrub clearing, fragmentation, domestic cat predation
HabitatsSunny overgrown slopes, forest edges, hedge rows, stone walls, grassy meadows
Life span10–12 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyLacertidae
- SpeciesLacerta viridis
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- May deliver a strong pinch or bite if grabbed; observe closely without handling.
Responsible observation
- Basking Spot Approach: Move slowly and avoid casting a shadow over basking rocks to get within photograph distance.
- Bramble Edges: Scan the lower tangles of blackberry bushes on warm mornings where lizards emerge to warm up.
Close Relative (c) Bernard DUPONT, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative George Chernilevsky / Public domain · cc0
Close Relative Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE / CC BY-SA 2.0 · cc-by-sa
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