Burford
(Oxfordshire)

Closest Town:

WITNEY (10.7 km)

Introduction date:

Site Name:

Burford

Source of introduction:

Unknown

Site Access:

Private

Colony Status:

Extirpated

Relative population estimate:

Unknown

Extirpation date:

Last sighted in 1998, believed extirpated.

This is a well-known colony, inhabiting dry-stone walls within the Cotswold wildlife park near Burford, Oxfordshire.

The colony used to inhabit an old dry-stone wall and ditch (ha-ha) which snaked its way through the African enclosure. The eastern end of this ha-ha was covered in ivy, and this is where the animals were most usually seen, basking.

Unusually, juveniles were normally spotted away from the adults, at the far western end of the wall. This may be due to an optimum egg-laying site.

There are reports of this colony in existence until 1998, although there are fears that pointing of the walls may have led to the demise of this colony.

This self-contained colony, of small area is not seen as a threat to native ecology.

Old boundary wall within wildlife park.

Unknown