About slow worms (Anguis Fragilis)
Despite their name and appearance, slow-worms are neither
worms nor snakes, but are in fact lizards - they're given away by their ability
to shed their tails and blink with their eyelids. The body is almost the same
thickness from head to tail, with the tip of the tail being blunt. Slow worms are covered in tiny scales which
give them a metallic appearance. The males are usually brown with a copper or
pink flush. Female slow worms and juveniles are a more golden colour, with a
dark line running along the back. Some
slow worms have faint blue markings along their body. Like other reptiles,
slow-worms hibernate, usually from October to March. Slow worms can live for up to 25 - 30 years in the wild
Size
Adults can grow to 40-45cm (16-18in) in length.
What do they eat?
Slugs, snails, spiders, insects and earthworms.
Conservation
In the United Kingdom, the slow worm is protected under
Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981). Under this act, it is
illegal to kill, injure, and sell individuals of this species. It is also classified
as a ‘Priority Species’ under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UKBAP).
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