I found a black ~15" lizard in my garden (last summer) while weeding out some buttercup & tall lawn grass. It is a wet, shady area. I would like to encourage the lizard but would like to get rid of the buttercups & grass. Would anyone have suggestions for plants a lizard might like?
I have a few Blue tongue lizards and skinks in my yard. They like to hide from predators, mainly birds. They love rocks and logs, but any plant that will provide them some cover, so bushy type plants would work. Ed
Thanks Ed. Makes sense. This is the first one I've seen around Vancouver - in the "wild" so feeling pretty lucky to have it in my yard. Marie
Knowing what species your lizard is will help define an ideal habitat. There are only two native lizards to southwestern BC, the Western Skink which is tiny & the Alligator lizard which grows to 10" (including tail) and generally not black. There is also the Common Wall Lizard on Vancouver Island, but it's not black or big enough either. Generally though, lizards like sunny grasslands and open woods with lots of tall grasses and perennials to hide in and lots of potential basking sites in the sun. The ones in Canada are bug, grub, and worm eaters.
I didn't get a good look at it although I nearly grabbed it while pulling grass. Kind of startled me. It then retreated a foot or two into the grass thinking I couldn't see it, it seemed. Unfortunately only its tail was showing then. The tail alone appeared to be about 8 ". It looked black or at least very dark brown. Huge teeth too (just kidding). There are plenty of ditches,at least one muskrat; peat bog too across the back lane with ponds & lots of frogs. That type of habitat. Maybe an escapee from someones house? Marie
I suppose it could have been - I never thought of that. It looked scaly so I assumed lizard, but it was wet & shiny too. This spot is very cool & moist even in the summer, and that is probably not what lizards like? I hope it comes back; then I will photograph it.
It may have been a salamander as Daniel suggested. The creature in today's Vancouver Sun article fits the description: Giant coastal salamander. Google images: Dicamptodon tenebrosus.
I thought this was the most likely candidate based on my memory of its size & appearance but I don't think the habitat fits. Sounds like they are endangered, rarely seen in this region & only near mountain creeks & only near Cultus Lake in Chilliwack. Does anyone know otherwise? There is a creek not far away but far from a pristine mountain creek unfortunately. I wonder if it is still too cold for it to be around if it is a salamander? I will be looking out for it. There are lots of worms & grubs in the lawn for it...maybe that is the upside of the local grub infestations.
Well, if it's a lizard, it is this one: Elgaria coerulea - I think that's the only one that occurs in the Lower Mainland. Other than that, there are a couple salamanders that can be found locally: Amphibians of British Columbia
