First published on Photoblog by Gethin Thomas MAY. 27, 2021
This is a Slow Worm.
Slow worms are semifossorial (burrowing) lizards, spending much of their time hiding underneath objects. The skin of slow worms is smooth with scales that do not overlap one another. Like many other lizards, they autotomize, meaning that they have the ability to shed their tails to escape predators. While the tail regrows, it does not reach its original length. In the UK, they are common in gardens, and can be encouraged to enter and help remove pest insects by placing black plastic or a piece of tin on the ground. On warm days, one or more slow worms can often be found underneath these heat collectors. One of the biggest causes of mortality in slow worms in suburban areas is the domestic cat, against which it has no defence.
I have titled this post Weeping Angels because the scary Weeping Angels of Dr. Who, the science fiction drama are never seen to move. Although I come across these creatures quite often in the garden I've never seen one move. The only difference is that they are not at all scary. If they are disturbed they freeze and will stay like that for a long time if you are still present. If you go away for a length of time they will often change position or disappear altogether.
This one is a young male and he has been in the wars, probably with a cat. He has a healed scar on his back and the end of his tail is in the process of growing back.
I came across him when I moved a large pot this morning. He was just curled up underneath probably in hibernation because the weather has been unseasonable cold this month. In all likelihood he came out of hibernation early as we had an unusually warm period back in February/March.
I covered him back up by putting some small pieces of wood either side of him to support the pot, in case he got squashed. I didn't want to leave him uncovered as he was vulnerable to attack. But later on he had ventured out, again, I never witnessed him move.
