A study of the reptile populations in the Shielhill Glen, Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park, Scotland

Scotland is home to three of Britain’s native reptiles that have evolved to live in cooler climates: the common lizard (Zootoca vivipara), the slow-worm (Anguis fragilis) and the European adder (Vipera berus) (McInerny & Minting, 2016). Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park covers ca. 280 km2 in the central lowlands on the west coast of Scotland, with habitats that appear suitable for reptiles. However, the species present and their numbers have not been established. Survey work, described here, showed that habitat Shielhill Glen, near the Greenock Cut Visitor Centre, encompassing both moorland and improved grassland, supports a population of common lizards, but slow-worms and adders were not detected.