The UK is home to six native reptile species. Discover where to find these snakes and lizards.
From venomous Adders to basking lizards, our shores host species you might associate with warmer or wilder places. Some of the UK’s reptiles are very rare – but some are common enough that they can be found in your compost pile!
In this guide, we’re sharing our top tips to tick five of them off your spotting list. We’ll also introduce you to the UK’s rarest terrestrial reptile – the Smooth Snake – a species which has faced dramatic declines.
If you decide to go in search of our wonderful reptiles this summer, please note that they are protected by law and should not be disturbed in any way. Always stick to footpaths and keep dogs on leads at all times.
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Grass Snakes can be found across much of mainland England and Wales with a small number occurring in southwest Scotland.
In spring, look out for the males performing elaborate wrestling 'dances' as they fend off rivals.
Adders and Smooth Snakes look quite similar. An Adder’s back pattern is more distinct, while a Smooth Snake’s eyes are hazel, with a round pupil.
Although quite small, this is the UK's only venomous snake species. Its venom is mainly used for subduing its prey and bites to humans are uncommon but do be sure to keep a respectful distance! If you accidentally disturb this timid beauty and get bitten, you will need to seek medical treatment.
Despite the words sometimes being used interchangeably, there is a difference between ‘poisonous’ and ‘venomous’. And it’s all about how a species dispatches its defenses.
Poisonous: Toxins are passed to others through consuming, inhaling or touching.
Venomous: Toxins are passed to others through a bite or sting.
The Adder can be found as far north as the top of mainland Scotland. This animal generally keeps a low profile. The best way to spot one is by scouting out south facing areas in early to mid-spring and scanning for a basking snake. At this time of year, they’ll soak up as much sun as possible, after emerging from a long winter hibernation.
When watching a basking reptile, don’t let your shadow fall across the animal. This can make them retreat back to cover!
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These snakes are both shy and incredibly scarce. They’re heathland specialists, but their habitats were historically repurposed at scale for commercial forestry and development.
Now, Smooth Snakes are found only in isolated pockets of Dorset, Devon, Hampshire, Surrey and West Sussex, and are highly dependent on nature reserves and managed sites like at RSPB Arne.
Although often mistaken for a snake, the wildly inaccurately named Slow Worm is actually a legless lizard.
They have a rather patchy distribution but can be found in many parts of England, Wales and Scotland, though along with all species of snake are absent from Northern Ireland. They may be encountered on heathlands, moorlands, grassy woodland edges and they love compost heaps in gardens.
The Common Lizard is also known as the Viviparous Lizard – the word viviparous meaning that it gives birth to live young, having incubated the eggs inside the body!
The Common Lizard is the most widespread and numerous of all our wild reptiles. It is the only native reptile to be found in Northern Ireland. This small lizard may be found in a wide range of habitats including sea cliffs, moorlands, grasslands, woodlands, crags and around dry-stone walls.
Find out where you can spot Common Lizards at an RSPB reserve
Like other lizards it can shed its still-wriggling tail to distract predators, while it makes its escape. It will regrow the tail, though this replacement is often shorter and somewhat stumpier.
Barely commoner than the super-rare Smooth Snake, our final reptile is also a severely threatened species. Sand Lizards can only be found at a few heathland and coastal sand dune sites in England. Along with restoring and protecting the few remaining sites where Sand Lizards still occur, introductions have also taken place at several suitable locations in an effort to increase the overall UK population.
Arne, Dorset
Minsmere, Suffolk
Geltsdale, Cumbria
South Stack, Anglesey
Newport Wetlands, Gwent
Forsinard Flows, Highland
Loch Lomond, West Dunbartonshire
Aghatirouke, County Fermanagh
Discover our guides to creating a compost heap, digging a pond or building a Slow Worm sanctuary in your garden.
