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Italian wall lizard/Podarcis sicula

Description of the species:
The species grows up to 9 cm in length; females are smaller than males. The species has very variable colouring, especially island populations. Their overall build is robust. The back is usually green, olive or light brown with a striped pattern which consists of darker and lighter lines or rows of dots. The belly is usually white or grey-white, often with a touch of green. They nest 1 to 5 times a year and lay 2-12 eggs in each nest. Males reach sexual maturity on average after 1 year and females after 1-2 years, after reaching around 5 cm. They usually feed on various invertebrates (spiders, bugs and other arthropods). They can also feed on plant material, especially fruits. Predators of this species include various birds (seagulls, birds of prey), snakes and mammals. In Croatia, they can be found in the littoral belt from Istria to Neum on the continent, and there is an isolated population around Dubrovnik. They can be seen on many islands as well. They survive very well in habitats which have been drastically changed in the last century (by fire, agriculture and other).

Protection:
Its endemic subspecies - Podarcis sicula adriatica and Podarcis sicula regusae are strictly protected by the Ordinance on designating protected and strictly protected wild species (Official Gazette 7/06 and 99/09). According to the Ordinance on penalties for damage caused by illegal actions against protected animal species (Official Gazette 84/96), the penalty for killing these subspecies is 2,000 kuna. 

 

Italian wall lizard

Illegal hunting can be reported on the following phone numbers:

Inspectorate for the Protection of Nature

Istria and Kvarner - HQ in Rijeka, mr. sc. Ivanka Jelenić, senior inspector, tel: +385 (0)51 311302; mob: +385 (0)98 406313
e-mail: ivanka.jelenic@min-kulture.hr

Zadar region- HQ in Zadar, Damir Mitrović, senior inspector,
tel: +385 (0)23 211129; mob: +385 (0)98 406979
e-mail: damir.mitrovic@min-kulture.hr

Šibenik  and Split regions - HQ in Šibenik, Davor Cukrov, senior inspector
tel: +385 (0)22 215800; mob: +385 (0)98 406982
e-mail: davor.cukrov@min-kulture.hr

Dubrovnik region - HQ in Dubrovnik
Vesna Daničić, inspector
tel: +385 (0)20 323191; mob: +385 (0)98 407121
e-mail: vesna.danicic@min-kulture.hr

Source: www.dzzp.hr State Office for the Protection of Nature, Mrs Katja Jelić