We are a small team of passionate university students partnered with Beach Guardian to inform the public and protect the sand lizard, a forgotten but unique reptile species.
The Sand Lizard is a small reptile at one cornish coast site (Constantine Bay)
protected under Natural England licensing. The Sand Lizard is the rarest lizard species in England with evidence of a declining population and are endangered. Furthermore, the Sand Lizard is a European Protected Species under Annex IV of the European Habitats Directive. While reintroductions have occurred in the past many fail without appropriate habitat management. Constantine Bay is a large beach west of Padstow and an incredibly popular site for surfers, dog walkers and the public. However much of the dune system is in decline whether from the encroachment of Sea Buckthorn and Brambles or the disturbance caused by people. This disturbance is rapidly encroaching on the Sand Lizards' home nesting sites and could lead to the loss of this enigmatic species.
One issue is the lack of suitable nesting and basking sites, both essential for this species. We aim to provide a protected space for this species to bask in the cornish sun free from disturbance, by fencing off an area of Constantine Bay's dunes. We will also transplant Marram grass from the protected area (to allow for basking on the sand) to an area with declining Marram grass to promote the spread of this important anchor species that allows for the creation of new dunes.