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Reptiles are cold-blooded
creatures. In the winter they hibernate under logs or discarded
building material or in burrows in soft earth, where they can keep
warm and out of the sight of predators. On cold days, reptiles are
very slow moving and make easy meals for foxes, badgers, buzzards
and their many other predators. To warm up their bodies in the morning,
reptiles bask in the open: they gain their body heat from the sun
rather than from the food they eat. On very hot days most reptiles
retreat to damp shady places to avoid overheating.
Wales has five native reptiles - three species of lizard and two
species of snakes. Only one of the latter is venomous. In addition,
a marine turtle is frequently found in our waters and can be regarded
as native.
1. Sand Lizard Lacerta agilis
2. Common or Viviaprous Lizard Lacerta (Zootoca)
vivipara
3. Slow Worm Anguis fragilis
4. Grass Snake Natrix natrix
5. The Adder Vipera berus
6. Marine Turtles Dermochelyidae and Cheloniidae
They are all under threat
from man's activities and although some of the species probably
exist at Plas Farm, they are hardly ever seen. Since 1981, all Welsh
reptiles have been protected by law. It is illegal to kill, injure
or harm the adder, slow worm, common lizard or grass snake in any
way.
Interesting Reptile
Facts
Several species of lizard,
including the slow worm, are able to grow replacement tails if their
original tail gets broken off. If under attack, the lizard can release
its own tail, which snaps at a special weak point and continues
wriggling in front of the predator, distracting it and allowing
the lizard time to escape.
Some reptiles lay eggs, while others - in Britain just the adder
and the common lizard - are viviparous, which means they give birth
to live offspring.
By temporarily dislocating its jaw, a snake can swallow its food
- small mammals, amphibians or birds' eggs, for example - whole,
without chewing it.
At least once per year, generally in the summer months, reptiles
shed their scaly skins, a process known as sloughing (pronounced
'sluffing'); this means they are able to grow bigger and it also
helps to get rid of skin parasites. Reptiles also grow new teeth
continuously.
The Herpetological
Conservation Trust (The HCT) is a UK based charity established
to further the conservation of amphibians and reptiles (collectively
known as herpetofauna).
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