IRELAND'S ONLY native reptile, the common lizard, is alive and well and can be spotted in most counties in the country, according to a new survey.
Details of the National Common Lizard Survey 2007 recorded sightings of the lizard in 29 counties.
According to Seán Meehan, who co-ordinated the survey for the Irish Wildlife Trust, only Westmeath, Laois and Monaghan failed to return sightings.
He said the lizard (Lacerta vivipara) would not appear to be endangered in the country, but there was evidence that loss of habitat had affected it.
"In all we had 219 sightings, which was the highest we have had since setting up these national surveys," he said.
"That was despite the horrendous weather last summer which kept a lot of people indoors or sent them off on foreign holidays."
Mr Meehan said the findings indicated that the lizard had a wide geographical spread, but was more likely to be found in particular counties, primarily along the western seaboard.
"However, Wicklow recorded the most sightings for a single county, but this is largely due to the Glendalough effect.
"This refers to the fact that in areas where large numbers of people visit then the likelihood is that the number of sightings will also increase."
Mr Meehan said that the habitat type most frequently listed in reports was bogland and this would require further investigation.
It was likely, he said, that a combination of the plentiful supply of insects, adequate open spaces with logs and rocky outcrops to facilitate basing, and plentiful vegetation to allow for hiding, probably explained this bogland preference.
However, it did not explain why Westmeath, Laois and Monaghan, all with large amounts of bog, had not returned any sightings.
"I suspect it had something to do with the weather and the fact that less people walk there than on the coasts or in Wicklow," said Mr Meehan.