Tyler Hill
(Kent)

Closest Town:

CANTERBURY (4.1 km)

Introduction date:

c1997

Site Name:

Tyler Hill

Source of introduction:

Original animals were collected from the Birdbrook colony in Kidbrooke c1997, when the site was scheduled for development

Site Access:

Private

Colony Status:

Extant

Relative population estimate:

5

Extirpation date:

N/a

In the late 1990s, much of the the well known Birdbrooke Wall lizard site was scheduled for development. Leigh Gillett, a respected herpetologist rescued some of the animals and established a large outdoor vivarium in his Tyler Hill garden, where the animals flourished.

Since Leigh's untimely death in 2005, the garden has since been redeveloped into parking areas, lawn and flower borders, providing unsuitable habitat for the lizards. Some few sightings of individual animals still occur in 2009. It is believed that the colony is diminishing and may not last for much longer.

Not assessed

Based on a residential garden which has been restored to traditional flower borders, and probably surrounding gardens.

Green-backed form, probably of Italian origin.