The sand lizard is one of Britain rarest reptiles, confined to coastal dunes and lowland heathland in southern England and Wales, with its welfare requiring intensive conservation management of precise habitat conditions.
Sand lizard welfare depends entirely on the quality and extent of lowland heathland with bare, south-facing sand for egg laying and basking, dense heather for shelter, and insect-rich sward for foraging. Heathland succession without management eliminates bare sand patches within years. The tiny, isolated nature of most UK sand lizard populations makes them highly vulnerable to stochastic events including fire and drought. Climate change may extend the suitable thermal environment but requires suitable habitat to be available.