Green lizards in central Europe: status, threats and ... - VipersGarden

There are no records from the Elbe valley in Saxony, perhaps because the climatic and
ecological conditions in this valley between Tetschen (Decin) and Dresden prevent a successful
colonization by green lizards (OBST in litt.).
The Situation of L. viridis in the Brandenburg relict
populations
The green lizards in the northern lowlands, in Brandenburg and, if still existing, in northern
Poland, are forming the!,, viridis population group, which is most isolated and in the
strangest ecological situation compared to other population groups. Because of the longstanding
separation and the specific ecological conditions, where it should be adapted to, it
must be called a distinct geographical race within the definition of Bern Convention, although
a status as subspecies within the zoological nomenclature is not justified.
The map published in SCHEEMENZ & GUNTHER (1994) indicates several places, where
green lizards have been observed in the seventies, but obviously have disappeared later Besides
of some uncertain observations by foresters since 1987 only two places were known,
where L. viridis existed. KlRMSE (1990, 1994) stated, that only about 25 adults exist in the
field. Therefore a breeding program was started in the late eighties by KIRMSE and others.
The founding of a new population and some measures to stabilize the known populations
were started too (RuHE in litt.). But due to many circumstances all these measures were
more or less unsuccessful. In the conservation administration formed after 1990, sometimes
the opinion occurred, that according to PETERS (1970), the species cannot survive in Brandenburg
because of climatic reasons. Therefore it should be better to let it going extinct
there honestly. Thus no major program was started, although ROBEL tried to initiate and to
encourage basic research for better measurements.
In 1994 one of us (ELBING) started to study the known population, but also tried to find
some more. Based on the first results, we are convinced that the species in its relict situation
in Brandenburg is viable and worth for intensified conservation research activities. A
surprising experience during the intensive field work was, that the local foresters know
about the green lizards. They are proud to have them in their territories, but they don't tell
about, just to prevent major disturbances by observation activities or by collecting. Unproved
stories about major collecting activities in the late eighties are common.
Nearly all populations we know now are inhabiting forest sites and it should be possible
to find some other new populations in that kind of habitat. As of this forest management is
the striking factor in the habitat of L. viridis and any protection measure has to be in accordance
with the forest interests. But up to now ecological changes resulting from either forest
growth or pesticide use have been overlooked when the correlation of climatic change
and decrease of green lizard populations was discussed as causal. It is not to point, that insecticide
spraying or other forest activities are responsible instead of climate. But it is important
to realize, that many other factors than climate are working in the field and that we
have no data about their real effects. Contrary to older positions it is becoming more and
more clear, that the species is not simply a victim of a "natural extinction process". And
there is no evidence for an inbreeding deficiency or a limited reproductivity in the known
populations.
At first view there are some similarities to the situation of the sand lizard in England
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