PROPOSAL OF THE MONITORING METHODOLOGY OF THE VIVIPAROUS LIZARD Zootoca vivipara

The viviparous lizard (Zootoca vivipara) is a species of the Squamata order from the family of lizards (Lacertidae) covering the wide range – from Western Europe, including British islands and Ireland to the far reaches of Asia with limit of occurrence on the Japanese island of Hokkaido. The population of the viviparous lizard is not regularly monitored and does not have specific monitoring rules. Currently, numerous publications in the press and media inform about the progressive intensification of agriculture, intensity of tourist traffic or the increasingly progressive urbanization of the environment, which contributes to the migration of viviparous lizards from these areas. It has been suggested that because of human interference with the environment, viviparous lizards retreat to intact natural habitats. This is related to decrease in the area of occurrence of these reptiles and less frequent observations than before. The work presents a proposed methodology of viviparous lizard monitoring based on the evaluation of population status indicator – relative abundance and habitat condition indicators such as availability of breeding places and availability of hiding places. The aim of the article is to present indicators of the population status and habitat condition indicators, additionally to establish terms and frequency of surveys within the framework of the possibility to conduct monitoring studies of viviparous lizard populations.