Fauna
Reptile

European Green Lizard

Lacerta viridis

Also 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
European Green Lizard reference1 / 7
Uoaei1 / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyGrasshoppers, 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
Classification
  1. FamilyLacertidae
  2. SpeciesLacerta viridis
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. 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.
Related species
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?

Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.

Checking your Fauna account…