Common wall lizard/Podarcis muralis

Description of the species:
The species grows up to 7.5 cm in size; adult males are larger than females. The species has variable colouring. In most specimens, the basic colour is brownish or greyish, sometimes partly greenish, often with darker and lighter stripes on the tail. It lives in various habitats. In southern, drier areas, the species has an affinity for damp or partly damp and shady habitats. Males and females become sexually mature after 1-2 years. Their nests contain 2-11 eggs. The young hatch after 6-11 weeks. The life span of the species is 4 to 5 years. They feed on invertebrates, primarily bugs and spiders. Their predators are various snakes (e.g. the European smooth snake and the aesculapian snake), birds and mammals.

Protection: The species is 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 harm caused by illegal actions against protected animal species (Official Gazette 84/96), the penalty for killing a common wall lizard is 500 kuna.

Common 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