Slow Worm Welfare: Garden Management and Reptile Protection

Slow worms are legally protected legless lizards found in gardens and allotments across the UK, frequently killed or disturbed by gardening operations.

Key Facts

Slow worms are protected under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
They are legless lizards, not snakes, and can live over 30 years
Garden strimmers and rotary mowers kill or injure slow worms in grassland areas
They are important predators of slugs and provide natural pest control in gardens

Welfare Considerations

Slow worms decapitated, cut or crushed by garden machinery suffer acute traumatic injury and death. Even non-lethal disturbance during basking or hibernation forces energy expenditure and stress responses. Garden management that reduces refugia — removal of log piles, compost heaps and corrugated iron sheets — eliminates slow worm habitat and exposes individuals to predation. Simple management changes to check refugia before disturbing and to strim in autumn rather than spring substantially reduce welfare harm.

What You Can Do

Check refugia such as compost heaps before strimming or turning
Strim around known slow worm habitats at reduced height to allow escape
Create purpose-built slow worm refugia using corrugated metal sheets on south-facing slopes
Report slow worm presence to local wildlife surveys supporting national monitoring