Spain is a country full and very varied in terms of reptile biodiversity. The arid areas of the southeast, the coastal areas, the mountains in the north… In all these spaces there are lizards, snakes, skinks and many others that have to adapt to many and very different habitats.. All this has a very clear explanation.
On the one hand, the climatic amplitude and, on the other, the extensive ecosystem primer. In this sense, some of the spaces that first come to mind are the coasts, the forests, the moors, the wetlands and, of course, the islets. It is also worth noting that these scenarios have undergone transformations as the years have progressed and, in turn, the emergence of new micro-habitats has been favored.
A very clear example of this are lizards, which take shelter in sunny rocky areas, in humid mountain areas and in agricultural plains or forest areas. However, it also highlights the uniqueness of certain reptiles that only live in a very limited territory and are very valuable.
Podarcis lilfordi, commonly known as the Balearic lizard
Within this topic, a very clear case is that of Podarcis lilfordi, commonly known as the Balearic lizard. It is a completely endemic species of the Balearic archipelago and can only be detected on coastal islets of Mallorca, Menorca and the Cabrera archipelago. according to the Ministry report for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) about amphibians and reptiles.
In more detail, it has been seen on 11 islets in Mallorca and in 15 Menorcan towns. For its part, in Cabrera it passes through the main island and 16 surrounding islets. As soon as to the main islands (both Mallorca and Menorca), the species became extinct around 2,000 years ago.
Their favorite places: sandy beaches, rocky coastlines or the interior of small forest masses
Its habitat is very specific. Being coastal animals, their favorite places are the sandy beaches, the rocky coastline or the interior of small forest masses. Regarding its survival, it must be pointed out that it will depend on the isolation of these spaces. If they are surrounded by predatory or even competing species, they will feel very uncomfortable.. Their main threats have to do with the characteristics of their accommodations. Firstly, if they are in a very small population space, this could cause genetic problems.
Continuing with the theme of the inhabitants, if they visit more of those areas where these animals are sheltered, their isolation could be altered. On the other hand, the deterioration of the habitat will be a very negative factor for these reptiles. The destruction of the vegetation on the islets by other animals affects the trophic resources and habitat of the species. Regarding the conservation methodology of Podarcis lilfordi, protection zones have been declared the Cabrera Archipelago Maritime-Terrestrial National Park and the natural parks of Sa Dragonera and s’Albufera des Grauwhich are those that ensure the best protection for populations of the species.