13 Interesting Facts You Should Know About Slow Worm

                  Kingdom : Animalia
                         Class : Reptilia
                      Family : Anguidae
       Scientific Name : Anguis Fragilis

                      Size(L) : 20cm - 50cm
                                      (8in - 20in)
                      Weight : 20g - 100g
                                      (0.7oz - 3.5oz)
                Top Speed : 0.5km/h (0.3mph)
                 Life Span : 10 - 30 Years

                      Colour : Black, Brown, Tan,
                                       Yellow, Grey
                 Skin Type : Scales
Distinctive Features : Long Snake-like 
                                     body and small eyes

1. Slow worms are long, legless lizards that are found in Europe and parts of Asia.
2. They have a relatively small head and have shiny, smooth skin and move with the help of their body muscles.
3. Though they look like a snake and are easily mistaken for one, they are actually lizards.
4. They inhabit the shaded, moist and warm areas across Europe including meadows, farmlands and gardens.
5. They have a forked tongue that they use to sense the smells in their environment.
6. The biggest distinguishing factor between the slow worms and snakes are their eyelids.
7. Slow worms have eyelids whereas snakes do not have them.
8. They are carnivores that feed on slow moving animals like snails, slugs, worms, spiders and other invertebrates.
9. Their natural predators are weasels, cats, dogs and birds.
10. The female slow worm produces and incubates (for a few months) around 15 eggs inside her body.
11. The eggs hatch inside the female slow worms’ body and then the female slow worm gives birth to live young.
12. It is quite a common sight to find slow worms in back gardens in British homes.
13. Slow worms are thriving and their numbers are steadily growing.