Wild Slowworm Conservation in Gardens and Grassland

Slowworms are legless lizards that face population pressure from habitat loss and cat predation; garden management has a significant role in their conservation.

Key Facts

Slowworms (Anguis fragilis) are legless lizards, not snakes - they have eyelids and can shed their tails
They are protected under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
Slowworms are beneficial predators of slugs, making them valuable garden inhabitants
They require refugia - boards, corrugated iron or compost heaps - for thermoregulation and shelter
Cat predation is a significant mortality source in suburban populations
Lawnmower and strimmer injuries are common and cause severe welfare harm
Slowworms give birth to live young rather than laying eggs - females retain eggs internally
Garden development including astroturfing and paving destroys slowworm habitat

Welfare Considerations

Slowworms injured by garden machinery suffer severe lacerations that are typically fatal. Cat predation causes stress and mortality even when prey escape - tail shedding while effective is physiologically costly. Habitat loss through garden paving and removal of compost heaps eliminates refugia essential for thermoregulation. Individual slowworm welfare is best served by checking long grass before strimming, providing artificial refugia as basking and shelter sites, and keeping cats indoors during peak slowworm activity periods.

What You Can Do

Check long grass carefully before strimming - slowworms are easily missed and vulnerable to blades
Create a compost heap or place corrugated iron sheets as artificial refugia for slowworms
Keep cats indoors at dawn and dusk when slowworms are most active
Never pave or astroturf your entire garden - retain areas of long grass and leaf litter
Report injured slowworms to your local wildlife rescue centre