Slow Worms

After a prickly walk onto the common we were very lucky to see a slow worm, See if you can identify it in the photo below. (Very black in the photo). Owen our guide who is training with Horsell Preservation Society described the slow worm as “not slow and not a worm”, imagine a lizard without legs. Please note that they are a protected status, alongside all other native British reptile species. These reptiles are carnivorous, their bodies are smooth with scales that do not overlap one another. They can autotomize, which means they have the ability to shed their tail in order to escape predators. The tail regrows, but will be smaller. Slow worms also have eyelids which can blink like a lizard, they can shed their skin in patches unlike snakes who do not have eyelids and can shed the whole skin. Thank you Owen for taking time out to show us this curious reptile living on Horsell Common. Slow worm.

Skin shed from Slow worm.

The group managing gorse prickles.